DuPage County Historical Museum Association Fund Established

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 11, 2007

Contact: Mike Sitrick, Manager of Development

(630) 665-5556 or msitrick@dcfdn.org

WHEATON, IL—The DuPage Community Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the DuPage County Historical Museum Association Fund. The Fund is being established this month through a partnership between the DuPage County Historical Society, DuPage County Historical Museum Association and The DuPage Community Foundation. The Historical Society is transferring funds to the DuPage County Historical Museum Association to create an endowment for the Museum at the Community Foundation. The funds originated from a donation to the Society by the late Jerry Bradshaw, then president of Gary-Wheaton Bank and a founding trustee of The DuPage Community Foundation, to be used to support the Museum.

“The DuPage County Historical Museum Association is pleased to establish this fund for the Museum in partnership with the Historical Society and the Foundation,” said Veronica Porter, president of the Museum Association.

“It is exciting to see these three groups come together to create an endowment fund that as it matures, and is added to by others, will allow the Museum to collect, protect and interpret DuPage County history for future generations,” said Jody Crago, executive director for the Historical Museum.

“This fund brings the Foundation full circle in that our very first grant was made to the DuPage County Historical Society for capital improvements to the Museum in 1987,” said Dave McGowan, president of the Foundation.

The DuPage County Historical Museum serves as an educational resource that facilitates both formal and informal learning about DuPage County history and culture. It is recognized for its collections, research services and staff expertise, as well as its outstanding array of exhibits, programs and history services. The Museum is committed to following and building upon its long standing tradition of educational outreach by actively engaging all people, with an emphasis on educating children.

The DuPage County Historical Museum Association is a separate 501(c)(3) organization. It raises funds to support the Museum’s mission as an educational institution and venue for sharing the historical and cultural life of DuPage County through the sale of memberships, fundraising events, special programs and donations. For more information about the Museum Association or the Museum itself, please visit www.co.dupage.il.us/museum or contact its executive director, Jody Crago, at (630) 682-7343. The Museum is located at 102 E. Wesley St. in downtown Wheaton.

The DuPage County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1929 by a group of residents to preserve and disseminate the County’s history. One of its goals was to establish a museum to be the focal point for the collection and preservation of artifacts, memorabilia and records significant or representative of the County’s rich heritage.

In 1965 Society members Edwin F. and Lois L. Deicke purchased the old Wheaton library building, the Adams Memorial Library, and presented it to the Society. The Society then deeded the property to DuPage County. In 1967 the DuPage County Historical Museum opened its doors as a department of the County government. The Society was the main support group for the Museum until 2004. In 2004 the DuPage County Board established the DuPage County Historical Museum Association to serve as the fundraising arm of the Museum.

The Society continues to support the Museum and its goals but has broadened its own mission to that of a countywide membership organization. It promotes the history of the County by issuing publications, maintaining a website that contains the Country’s history (www.dupagehistory.org), presenting programs and partnering with other group projects to support, sponsor or host events. For more information about the Society, please contact its president, Fran Vestuto, at P.O. Box 1460, Wheaton, IL 60187, or dupagehistory@yahoo.com.

Established in 1986, The DuPage Community Foundation is a publicly-supported 501 (c)(3) organization to which contributions are tax deductible. It was created to benefit the people of DuPage County and receives contributions and bequests into a permanent endowment from individuals, corporations, organizations, and foundations wishing to make lasting contributions to the people of DuPage. The earnings on these funds are then used, in accordance with donor wishes, for the Foundation’s grantmaking and community leadership activities.

The DuPage Community Foundation seeks to raise the quality of life throughout DuPage County by developing and channeling philanthropy to meet the needs of its residents. Based on the American virtues of volunteerism and philanthropy, the Foundation fosters a legacy of support for the people of DuPage County by making grants to not-for-profit organizations working in the arts and culture, education, environmental affairs, health, and human services. Since its inception the Foundation has awarded nearly $6 million in grants to approximately 400 not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of DuPage County and beyond.

For further information about the Foundation or to arrange future media opportunities, please contact Michael Sitrick, manager of development, at (630) 665-5556 or msitrick@dcfdn.org.

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