Longtime supporters of the Naperville Heritage Society make a significant gift
An early learning experience for Naper Settlement's youngest visitors will soon become a reality thanks to the generous donation of John and the late Rita Harvard, longtime supporters of the Naperville Heritage Society and Naper Settlement. Their substantial lead gift will be used to build a new early childhood education area, which will be named “The Rita (Fredenhagen) and John Harvard Early Learning Playscape.”
“We are grateful to John and Rita for this generous and important gift, and for their dedicated support and enthusiasm for the Naperville Heritage Society and Naper Settlement,” said Naper Settlement President and CEO Mike Krol. “We are honored to have their name on the new playscape, which incorporates the museum's mission of education for all children.”
The Harvards volunteered at Naper Settlement for many events, including the Naperville Heritage Society Antiques Show, Christmas Memories, Heritage Housewalks and Joe Naper Days.
“Children and education are extremely important,” John Harvard said. “Without a supportive environment, they lose out on an opportunity to be creative. The children of tomorrow are our future. We want Naperville families with young children to better understand the community's heritage, to become a part of it, and have a place for them to learn through play.”
A lifelong resident of Naperville, Rita Harvard was an educator who believed in giving back to her community and volunteered in many capacities, becoming the first woman president of the Rotary Club of Naperville and was named Rotarian of the Year. This annual award now bears her name. Her avid volunteer spirit was acclaimed and honored by many community organizations.
Rita's mother, Grace Fredenhagen, was one of the volunteers who helped open the Martin Mitchell Museum in 1939 as the City of Naperville's history museum. While in high school, Rita volunteered as a docent, giving tours of the Victorian mansion. Here she learned much about Naperville and the benefits of volunteering.
The 10,000-square-foot interactive area will be targeted to young children ages two to seven. It will allow for investigation and discovery of the natural and historical environment by children with a broad spectrum of capabilities and will be accessible to children with special needs. It will serve as the cornerstone for a new focus on early childhood education at Naper Settlement and complements the existing indoor hands-on learning areas found in the History Connection family and youth activity center and the Log House.
“Their gift is a catalyst for our museum to move forward with its bicentennial vision of becoming Chicago's premier outdoor history museum by Naperville's 200th birthday in 2031,” said Dave Kelsch, past chairman of the Naperville Heritage Society board of directors and chairman of the capital campaign.
About Naper Settlement and the Naperville Heritage Society
Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited, award-winning outdoor museum set on 12 magnificent acres in the heart of Naperville, where history comes to play and community comes to connect. The Naperville Heritage Society is the administrator of Naper Settlement. With a commitment to the community and a focus to the future, the mission of the Naperville Heritage Society is to collect, document, preserve and support the history of Naperville, Illinois, past and present. For more information, visit napersettlement.com or call (630) 420-6010.
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