2,200 Pounds of Food Donated Over Spring Break At Libertyville Museum

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — The Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County celebrated its five-year anniversary last week by offering free admission to visitors with the donation of a non-perishable food item or toiletry.

Collected items benefit the Libertyville Township Food Pantry. Nearly 2,000 people visited from March 25 to April 2, a 20% increase over spring break week last year, and more than 2,200 pounds of food was collected for the food pantry.

“The generosity of the visitors over this past week has been amazing,” said Museum Operations Manager Alicia Fullerton who coordinated the effort with the food pantry. “People brought in bags of food. If you break it down, each visitor brought in a pound of food or toiletries.

The celebration brought many people who had not been to the museum before.

“It really was a win, win situation,” Fullerton said. “We heard so many positive comments.”

The museum shares the entwined stories of Lake County people, events and nature through exhibitions, education and community engagement.

"This food drive was incredible and exceeded all our expectations," said Libertyville Township Supervisor Kathleen O'Connor. "The current economy has doubled the number of households that are in need in this area."

The museum, which has operated in Libertyville for 5 years, is named in honor of Lake County’s first official historian, Bess Bower Dunn (1877–1959), according to a news release.

Her determination to preserve the early history of Lake County resulted in a significant and lasting contribution—and one of the best cultural offerings in the Chicago area. The Lake County Forest Preserves, which operates the Museum, is continuing her mission and sharing her innovative spirit with visitors of all ages.

For those who didn't get a chance to visit over spring break, the Museum offers free admission on the first and third Thursdays of every month from 5–8 pm. Plan your visit: LCFPD.org/planyourvisit