Above / The Cantigny flag marks the entrance at 1S151 Winfield Road in Wheaton where visitors can see seven “community trees,” including one decorated by Naperville Responds for Veterans, now on display inside the Robert R. McCormick House at Cantigny Park. The trees with many Naperville connections welcome visitors to experience a special holiday attraction honoring Colonel McCormick’s philanthropic legacy.
The McCormick House is now featuring seven “Community Trees,” each decorated for Christmas by a different local nonprofit organization. The holiday exhibit opened on Nov. 17 and runs through Dec. 30, 2017.
The area charities were invited to participate because their missions involve issues or causes that were important to Robert McCormick during his career and life at Cantigny.
Each participating organization receives a $2,500 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. They also collect 100 percent of donations made by museum visitors, who are encouraged to vote for their favorite tree. The agency whose tree gathers the most votes receives an additional $2,500. The Foundation commits $20,000 annually to the program.
Organizers note the chosen agencies recall and share Colonel McCormick’s passion for community service.
2017 decorated trees on exhibit through Dec. 30
• 360 Youth Services, Naperville – provides life-changing services to youth through substance abuse education, counseling and housing.
• Child’s Voice, Wood Dale – empowers children with hearing loss to be successful in all educational and social settings by optimizing their listening, speaking and academic skills.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness DuPage, Wheaton (NAMI) – improves the quality of life for individuals and families in DuPage County affected by mental illness.
• Naperville Responds for Veterans, Naperville – assists military veterans in need and in crisis with home repairs, renovations and construction.
• Wheaton League of Women Voters Education Fund, Wheaton – conducts voter service and citizen education activities, presenting unbiased nonpartisan
information about elections, the voting process and issues.
• The Resiliency Institute, Naperville – builds resilient communities through permaculture education, food security projects and community engagement.
• World Relief DuPage/Aurora, Aurora and Naperville – partners with local churches and community groups to offer a comprehensive range of services to refugees and immigrants living in DuPage and Kane Counties.
For the eighth consecutive year, the Westmont design center of Phillip’s Flowers & Gifts decorated the 18-foot-tall tree in Freedom Hall, Colonel McCormick’s historic library. The other creatively decorated trees by the seven featured organizations are positioned throughout the McCormick house.
Cantigny Park hours / 10AM-4PM Tuesday thru Sunday
The Community Trees exhibit ends on Saturday, December 30, Cantigny Park’s final day of 2017 operations.
McCormick House hours in November and December are 10AM to 4PM, Tuesday through Sunday, with visits by free guided tour.
The museum is closed on Mondays and during the holidays will close November 23-24 and December 24-25.
Parking at Cantigny is $5 per vehicle (free for members). More information, including park hours, directions and a calendar of upcoming events is online at Cantigny.org.
The Robert R. McCormick House
McCormick House is the former home of Col. Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955), longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. Opened in 1958, the historic home museum is located at Cantigny Park, the 500-acre estate that McCormick left as a gift to the public. The museum engages the community in McCormick’s legacy as an active citizen, soldier and media industry innovator.
Cantigny Park
Cantigny Park, part of the Chicago-based Robert R. McCormick Foundation, is the 500-acre Wheaton estate of Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955). It is home to the McCormick House, First Division Museum, formal gardens, picnic grounds, walking trails and a Visitors Center with banquet and dining facilities. More information, including hours, directions and upcoming events is online at Cantigny.org.
Cantigny Golf, adjacent to the park, features a 27-hole championship golf course, full-service clubhouse, Cantigny Golf Academy and the 9-hole Cantigny Youth Links. For more information, visit CantignyGolf.com.
The main entrance is located at 1S151 Winfield Road in Wheaton.
Story and community tree photo submitted by Jeff Reiter, media contact for Cantigny Park. (Other photos by PN)
