Capital Area REALTORS® steps up for the Illinois Bicentennial project By Bill Kozar, Content Marketing Specialist
Above: Capital Area REALTORS® presented a check to the Springfield Art Association at Edwards Place in mid-July. Left: Edwards Place, illustration courtesy of the Springfield Art Association.
In mid-July, the Community Service Committee of the Capital Area REALTORS® (CAR) presented a check for more than $14,000 to the Springfield Art Association at Edwards Place so the second floor stairs to the attic and servants’ quarters could be restored. It is one of more than 30 projects local REALTOR® associations are undertaking for the Illinois Bicentennial in 2018. Some are similarly fundraising for local historic home repairs or “wishlists,” others are funding historic murals for their communities or promoting local historic properties. All are helping to leave a legacy for future generations as part of the bicentennial. “REALTORS® are about building community, so it’s fitting we support efforts to further the legacy of the Edwards Place, which played such a prominent role in the development of our community,” said CAR President John Klemm. “CAR’s contribution toward the restoration of the staircase is a critical repair to the structure that will expand our interpretation of the home and help us keep the story 32 www.IllinoisRealtors.org
of Edwards Place and antebellum Springfield alive and engaging,” said Betsy Dollar, executive director of the Springfield Art Association. “The restoration of the stairs leading from the second floor to the attic will allow us to tell the story of the Edwards family servants, which is truly an American story: immigrants who came to this country and worked hard in order to build a better life for themselves,” said Erika Holst, curator for the Edwards Place. CAR used proceeds from several activities during the last year to help fund the donation, including a trivia night, a holiday raffle and the sale of mulligans at the annual CAR golf outing. CAR members expressed their thanks to individuals and businesses that helped the organization raise the donation money. “The important role that Edwards Place played in the history of our community, coupled with our extremely enthusiastic Community Service Committee contributed to a hugely successful fundraiser,” said Tracy Shaw, CAR Community Service Committee Chair.
For more information on the bicentennial and other projects, visit: www.IllinoisRealtors.org/Bicentennial. Members will also find promotional materials they can use to spread the word about the Illinois Bicentennial. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ REALTORSCelebrateIllinoisBicentennial
Follow the latest general information about the state’s plans for the Illinois Bicentennial at: illinois200.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/Illinois200 Twitter: www.twitter.com/illinois200