McCormick Museum Announces Community Trees Winner

The Robert R. McCormick Museum at Cantigny Park this week announced that the Christmas tree decorated by Pets Assisting Wounded Warriors and displayed at the museum received the most votes in public balloting.

By winning the popular vote, the organization earns an additional $2,500 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation for a total of $5,000. The six other participating local charities each receive $2,500, according to a news release.

Using service dogs, Pets Assisting Wounded Warriors (PAWWS), based in Palos Heights, enriches the lives of military veterans afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). These are the so-called “invisible wounds” that many veterans carry with them all their lives. PAWWS helps them re-enter civilian life and live more independently, according to a news release.

The organization provides their service dogs free of charge and also pays for food, veterinary care and other necessities.

“Community Trees” is an annual holiday attraction to celebrate Cantigny’s connections with the community and honor Colonel McCormick’s philanthropic legacy. Seven local charities were invited to participate because their missions involve issues or causes that were meaningful to Cantigny’s benefactor.

Museum visitors during the holiday season were encouraged to vote for their favorite tree and, if they wished, make a donation to one or more of the agencies. Cash contributions by visitors totaled $767, all of which goes to the participating charities. More than 1,500 votes were cast.

This was the seventh year for the Community Trees program. Participating organizations, in addition to PAWWS, were:

• Aspire, Hillside – provides bold, pioneering and uncompromising services to children and adults with developmental disabilities, their families and the Chicagoland community. Founded in 1960.
• Dominican Literacy Center, Aurora - helps immigrant women learn to read, write and speak English within an atmosphere of mutual respect and dignity.
• Active Transportation Alliance, Chicago – engages people in healthy and active ways to get around Chicagoland by improving conditions for safe and easy bicycling, walking and transit.
• Midwest SOARRING Foundation, Lyons – The Midwest Save Our Ancestors’ Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group (SOARRING) Foundation assists Native American tribes with repatriation concerns, educates the public about American Indian cultural and environmental issues, and builds community among all people. Founded in 1996.
• Donka, Inc., Wheaton – helps people with disabilities improve their quality of life with using computers and assistive technology. Founded in 1987 at the DuPage Convalescent Center.
• Youth Outlook, Naperville – supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning youth in Chicago’s western suburbs. Founded in 1996.