“Community Trees” Display Opens at McCormick House

The Robert R. McCormick House at Cantigny Park invites visitors to a special holiday attraction honoring Colonel McCormick’s philanthropic legacy.

The McCormick House will feature seven “Community Trees,” each decorated for Christmas by a different local nonprofit organization. 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% 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.

The chosen agencies recall Colonel McCormick’s passion for community service. Tree decorators in 2017 are:

• 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 – 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.

The trees creatively decorated by these seven organizations will be positioned throughout McCormick House. For the eighth consecutive year, the Westmont design center of Phillip’s Flowers & Gifts is decorating the 18-foot-tall tree in Freedom Hall, Colonel  McCormick’s historic library.