PAWWS wins Cantigny's Community Trees voting
A Christmas tree decorated by Pets Assisting Wounded Warriors and displayed in the Robert R. McCormick Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton during the holiday season received the most votes in public balloting.
By winning the popular vote, the organization earns an additional $2,500 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation for a total of $5,000. The six other participating local charities each receive $2,500.
Pets Assisting Wounded Warriors, based in Palos Heights, uses service dogs to enrich the lives of military veterans afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. These are the so-called "invisible wounds" many veterans carry with them all their lives. PAWWS helps them re-enter civilian life and live more independently. The organization provides their service dogs free and also pays for food, veterinary care and other necessities.
Community Trees is an annual holiday attraction to celebrate Cantigny's connections with the community and honor Col. Robert McCormick's philanthropic legacy. Seven local charities were invited to participate because their missions involve issues or causes that were meaningful to Cantigny's benefactor.
Museum visitors during the holiday season were encouraged to vote for their favorite tree and, if they wished, donate to one or more of the agencies. Cash contributions by visitors totaled $767, all of which goes to the participating charities. More than 1,500 votes were cast.
This was the seventh year for the Community Trees program. Participating organizations, in addition to PAWWS, were:
• Aspire, Hillside, which provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities, their families and the Chicago area. Founded in 1960.
• Dominican Literacy Center, Aurora, which helps immigrant women learn to read, write and speak English within an atmosphere of mutual respect and dignity.
• Active Transportation Alliance, Chicago, which engages people in healthy and active ways to get around the Chicago area by improving conditions for safe and easy bicycling, walking and transit.
• Midwest SOARRING Foundation, Lyons, which assists Native American tribes with repatriation concerns, educates the public about American Indian cultural and environmental issues, and builds community among all people. Founded in 1996.
• Donka Inc., Wheaton, which helps people with disabilities improve their quality of life with using computers and assistive technology. Founded in 1987 at the DuPage Convalescent Center.
• Youth Outlook, Naperville, which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning youth in Chicago's Western suburbs. Founded in 1996.
The McCormick Museum is closed in January and will reopen on weekends in February for free guided tours. Hours in February are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The museum returns to its regular Tuesday-through-Sunday tour schedule in March.
Information about Cantigny, including park hours, directions and details about upcoming events is online at cantigny.org.