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CAMPTON
HILLS, IL: On Friday, May 8th Garfield
Farm Museum will hold its 35th Annual
Awards Dinner celebrating the museum’s 49
years and honoring individuals who have
contributed to the fields of historic and
environmental preservation. Located at the
historic Dunham Woods Riding Club, a 6 pm
reception followed by dinner will precede the
8 pm awards ceremony.
This
year the museum is recognizing individuals who
were willing to sell their family property to
be preserved as open space. Nancy Cornelison
and her sister Marcia Johnson held a key piece
of property surrounded on three sides by the
620-acre Meissner-Corron Forest Preserve.
Their 40 plus acres make the preserve more
intact and the museum will recognize them as
Cooperators for Campton’s Conservation.
Almost
in sight of Cornelison property are two
parcels of land that came to Campton Township
Open Space Program thanks to the last two
owners. Growing up on their family farm, with
the late Margaret and Katherine Goldenstein’s
deep attachment to the land, they desired it
ultimately to be preserved. After Katherine’s
death in 2019, the family heirs were receptive
to the sisters’ wishes and the Conservation
Foundation stepped forward to buy the land and
hold for Campton Township. Because of the
Goldenstein Family and the Conservation
Foundation, both the family and the foundation
are named Cooperators for Campton’s
Conservation.
In
1992, the museum gave an Environmental
Preservation award to the Conservation
Foundation. Now after serving for 30 years as
their president and CEO in charge of the
day-to-day operations, Brook McDonald is being
awarded an Environmental Preservation Award.
McDonald has also worked 10 years prior with
the Wheaton Park District and the Forest
Preserve District of DuPage. This forty-year
commitment to the environment with his
steadfast 30 years to the foundation has
provided critical leadership continuity. This
has greatly strengthened and made the
foundation a vital ally in helping
governmental, private and nonprofit
environmental efforts in the Chicago metro
region and the Fox River Valley. His
leadership has demonstrated a way to bring the
power of the many individual lovers of nature
to have as great or greater impact than the
region’s historic individual philanthropists
that first began saving open space over 140
years ago. The museum is pleased to present
McDonald with its Environmental Preservation
Award.
The
Historic Preservation Award is given this year
to Gilbert and Danielle Wukitsch as they have
willingly placed their historic property on
the National Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom’s safehouses. Joseph Bartlett,
who built the house, was very active in
helping people seek their freedom from the
South on their way north to Canada. Bartlett
lived the second farm west of Moses Richmond,
Timothy Garfield’s son-in-law. Moses C.
Richmond also was an abolitionist and
conductor on the escape route. In this era
where attempts are made to hide history, it is
significant that individuals are placing their
historic homes on the Network to Freedom. For
this, the Wukitsch family is being recognized.
The
museum’s awards are held at the former Oak
Lawn Farm, one of the world’s largest draft
horse breeding facilities in the world in the
late 1800s. It survives in part as the Dunham
Woods Riding Club that consists of 40 acres,
several historic barns, and the late 1830s
Solomon Dunham farmhouse converted to a
clubhouse. The late Miss Jane Dunham was a
very generous supporter of Garfield Farm. The
historic Dunham farm setting is the perfect
venue for the museum’s awards evening.
Following a 6 pm reception and 6:45 pm buffet
dinner, the 8 pm Awards Ceremony will start
with recognition of the 1840s Society Class of
2025 donors. Following the Awards, a review of
the progress towards the 2027 50th Anniversary
$4 million Bucket List goal to complete museum
facilities will be given.
For
museum members dinner is $65 a person, guests
$75 and to help sponsor the evening a donation
of $100 or more will include listing in the
evening’s program. To receive an invitation by
mail or e-mail please respond to info@garfieldfarm.org or
call 630 584-8485.
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