News

The Gift of Carl just keeps on giving -- and expanding

Posted October 15, 2009 11:00 pm

By Christie Willhite

Carl Vuillaume was a teen learning the value of a dollar and managing to save quite a few by working as a golf caddy. When he died in 2005, his parents were left wondering what to do with his savings.

Through their grief, they decided to honor Carl by putting the money toward pursuits that would've made him happy.

What started as simple donations to music and theater programs drew support and quickly became The Gift of Carl Foundation.

The foundation now sponsors programs in four specific areas of interest to Carl: theater arts, literacy, music and environmental education.

In its music mission, the foundation oversees an instrument recycling program. Donated instruments are refurbished and given to students in need to allow them to participate in their school band program. While instruments may be donated year round, three locations are hosting collection drives Saturday, Oct. 17.

Carl's father, Rob Vuillaume, who serves as the foundation's president, tells us more about the organization's programs.

Q. What is your mission?

A. In memory of Carl Alan Vuillaume, the mission of The Gift of Carl Foundation is to provide awareness and educational opportunities in the fields of theater arts, literacy, music and environmental education.

Q. How do you work toward accomplishing that goal?

A. Ongoing programs have been established in each of our four Pillars of Purpose. In theater arts, we provide college scholarships to graduating thespians from Hinsdale South High School. The Write-On Festival was created in partnership with Indian Prairie Public Library to promote having fun in reading and writing. We provide funding for private music lessons for needy students and we recycle musical instruments in partnership with PM Music of Aurora to satisfy the Music Pillar of Purpose. Working with both the Darien Park District and the Darien Environmental Concerns Committee, we have supported the annual Darien Arbor Day Celebration, where students from area schools participate in planting memorial trees, nature lectures and butterfly releases.

We raise money primarily through mass-mailings and e-mail in advance of our annual fundraising event. Many donations are provided before the event and a large percentage is raised during the fundraiser. Throughout the year unsolicited donations are received from contributors who visit our Web site or hear about our charitable efforts.

Q. Who do you serve?

A. Most of the established programs in our four Pillars of Purpose have been focused on schools and organizations serving the communities local to Darien. Through the Musical Instrument Recycling and the Financial Grant programs, the foundation has been able to reach out to the greater Chicago area.

Q. When and why did the foundation start?

A. While on a family vacation in Minnesota our son, Carl, drowned on July 21, 2005. During his last few years, Carl had saved quite an amount of money while working as a caddy. We decided to donate this money to programs that had brought joy to Carl during his short life. As the process unfolded and friends and family also wanted to contribute, we incorporated with the state of Illinois as a public charity in Carl's memory.

Since then we have established ongoing programs in each of our four Pillars of Purpose. Local companies and organizations routinely provide us with financial support. Late in 2008, the International Association of Exhibits and Events Midwest Chapter chose The Gift of Carl to sponsor for the next two years. The foundation mailing list has well over 800 addressees. During the last three fundraisers, local Kohl's stores have provided both volunteers and much financial support.

Q. What kind of successes have you had?

A. Theater arts: Since 2006, the foundation has awarded $14,000 in scholarships for graduating thespians.

Literacy: The fourth annual Write-On Festival with Indian Prairie Library is scheduled during October and November. Story and poetry writing contests, guest authors, writing workshops and an open mic night for area teens are all part of the festivities.

Music: The foundation has provided private music and piano lessons for about 25 needy students over the last four years. More than 100 refurbished instruments have been donated to both schools and deserving students.

Environmental awareness: The foundation has underwritten the annual Darien Arbor Day Celebration for the last four years, planting more than 25 memorial trees and allowing students in local schools to raise butterflies from larvae in their classrooms and release them during the event.

Financial grant program: In May 2008 the foundation conducted the first financial grant program, awarding close to $20,000 to schools in the greater Chicago area and to not-for-profit organizations.

Q. What challenges does the foundation currently face?

A. The ongoing challenge of having enough funds for the various programs the foundation supports throughout the year. The annual fundraiser event usually raises enough to support the established programs, but we have a goal of raising enough money to conduct a financial grant program every other year, similar to the one we ran in 2008. The next one is planned for the second quarter of 2010.

Q. What do you wish the community at large knew about the foundation?

A. The Gift of Carl Foundation's goals are to encourage children of all ages to have fun while learning theater, music, literacy and environmental awareness. All of the work in support of our foundation is done through voluntarism. Friends, family, local businesses and organizations have provided all the help that we have needed to carry out the mission of our foundation.

Q. How can readers get involved?

A. Visit the Web site, giftofcarl.org, donate musical instruments during the annual drive, or drop off instruments at PM Music of Aurora any day they are open. Donations can be sent to the foundation P.O. box, and anyone can attend the annual fundraiser. The next fundraiser is April 17, "Bean Bags for Fun," at the Community House in Hinsdale. Help in any capacity is always needed with this large annual event.

Vital statistics

Number of requests for help per month: Foundation is contacted a couple times a month by organizations or individuals looking for support, most frequently by a school or individual looking for an instrument; inventory is kept up-to-date on the Web

Budget: $12,000 annually for programs in the Four Pillars of Purpose; $3,000 a year to run the foundation; foundation aims to start a grant program of $20,000 biannually

Funding: Contributions from individuals, corporations and organizations; annual fundraiser

Amount donated to other organizations: The Gift of Carl Foundation provides money to multiple recipients within the Four Pillars of Purpose. Many students and schools have received scholarships, instrument donations, private music lessons and financial grants. Since inception, the foundation has spent more than $70,000 to support the programs outlined in the mission statement.

Employees: None

Volunteers: Several key contributors, and many friends and family members who help with certain events or fundraising efforts

To donate

By mail: The Gift of Carl Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 1161, Westmont, IL 60559

To Volunteer

Phone: (630) 410-0009, (630) 699-2733 or (630) 852-0117

E-mail: info@giftofcarl.org

Info

Phone: (630) 968-1371

Web site: giftofcarl.org

If you go What: Musical Instrument Recycling Program When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 17 Where: • Darien Park District Community Center, 7301 Fairview Ave., Darien • Mather High School, 5835 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago • The Palmer House Hilton, Grant Parlor, sixth floor, 17 E. Monroe St., Chicago Details: Instrument will be appraised by PM Music Center and an appraisal form will be mailed to donors for tax purposes; no pianos accepted Note: PM Music Center, 651 S. Route 59, Aurora, is a permanent drop-off center; (630) 978-9927 Info: <a href="http://giftofcarl.org" target="new">giftofcarl.org</a> or (630) 852-0117

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