Behind-the-scenes work on Barrington White House keeps pace with rest of project

Anyone passing the Barrington White House since work began last summer to transform the 117-year-old home has been able to see the physical changes but not the behind-the-scenes work.

What's been less visible is the work done by volunteers to make the building operate on its own financially once it opens July 4 as a community cultural center.

Some of that work was highlighted Monday night when the village board voted to establish the White House's advisory board, adopted rules for the building's operation and hired on two longtime volunteers as contractors to oversee the White House's beginning.

Beth Raseman, who has served as White House project coordinator as a volunteer for years, and Kriz Zeile, who has volunteered since October, will be paid from June 1 through the end of the year.

“We'll divide things up based on what is more of our strengths, so that it is two people complementing each other,” Raseman said.

Zeile has a background in organizational policies and will focus more on private events, while Raseman, a former village trustee, will focus on cultural programming, the volunteers and fundraising.

Zeile said her commitment to volunteer for the project last October came from her love of old buildings and the Barrington area.

“I'm passionate about my town, I've lived here 25 years, and I am a huge ‘buy local, shop local, eat local' person,” Zeile said. “I wanted to get involved with getting this thing launched.”

Raseman, a former village trustee, has volunteered for the last two years and has been the foremost expert on all things White House during that time.

Zeile said they anticipate working between 100 and 150 hours a month in their new roles. The terms of their contracts were not immediately available.

Zeile said one reason the board adopted the policies for the White House Monday night is because people are already interested in renting out the third-floor ballroom for weddings and other events. The rules will be published at www.barrington-il.gov later this week.

Raseman said Harold Rider, who was one of the nine volunteers appointed to the White House advisory board, owned and operated Germania Place, a Chicago banquet hall, for 30 years.

“He's really the person responsible for putting the ballroom back on the third floor because he knew if we did that, it could be self-sustaining,” Raseman said.

Wasting no time, the first media release about the White House's banquet hall was sent out to coincide with Monday's votes. The release touts the third-floor ballroom's custom-designed bridal room, 150 guest capacity and modern accoutrements in a historic building.

Raseman said other volunteers have been hard at work putting together free weekly events for the community that will be held on the White House's first floor. The events will run on Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“They run the gamut from opera to dance to artist, writers, food,” Raseman said. “As a matter of fact we're already getting so filled up that we are considering going to a second night (each week).”

The White House will be unveiled to the public on July 4 and the first free event will be that following Thursday, July 9.

Raseman said the schedule of events will be announced in the coming weeks.