GIVING BACK
SEEDS OF CHANGE By Christina Wells
To Nicholas and Eleanor Chabraja, the Naples Botanical Garden is a very special place. Since its start in 1993, the oasis has flourished—especially after the 2008 overhaul that helped cultivate public interest in the whole surrounding Bayshore neighborhood. Now the Chabrajas are two of the driving forces behind the garden’s ongoing growth. Last November, the couple gifted $5 million to fund the next phase of its expansion: The donation will finance construction of The Eleanor and Nicholas Chabraja Visitor Center. The facility will break ground in 2013 and serve as a showcase for sustainable design. “The establishment of a world-class botanical garden has done wonderful things for Naples,” says Eleanor. “It has revitalized the area. The garden is a 170-acre paradise and it’s getting better and better.” Nick, the former CEO of General Dynamics Corp., and Eleanor, a retired school teacher, are also significant supporters of Northwestern University, where Nick earned his undergraduate and law degrees. In addition, the Chabrajas contribute to DePauw University, the alma mater of their three children. “Eleanor and I are greatly appreciative of the education we received,” says Nick. “We attribute our personal success to it. We also feel an obligation to support the institution that beautifully educated our children and the spouses they met there.” At Northwestern, Nick and Eleanor established the Chabraja Center for Historical Studies. At DePauw, the couple financed construction of the school’s indoor tennis center and a residence hall. The Chabrajas are involved with several philanthropic initiatives as well in the Washington, D.C., area where General Dynamics is headquartered. Through the group SOME (So Others Might Eat), the duo financed construction of Chabraja House, a refuge for the capital’s homeless population. They support the Washington National Opera and the National Women’s Museum of the Arts. Additionally, Nick and Eleanor contribute to the restoration effort currently under way at the city’s historic Ford Theatre. which we live,” says Nick. “There is always an opportunity to fill the bucket.” u
200 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
ROBERT TOLCHIN
“We look to meet the needs of the communities in