For further information:
John Jaros, Executive Director
Aurora Historical Society
jjaros@aurorahistory.net
(630) 906-0650
A $10,000 emergency grant from the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley will allow the Aurora Historical Society to continue to give the past a future.
The Community Foundation grant will help the Society continue to collect and care for the rich history of the Aurora community and to provide quality exhibits, programs and publications. The gift comes at a time when the Society is challenged by a shortfall in granting dollars.
To better ensure its future, the Historical Society is exploring innovative ways to make history more relevant in our rapidly-changing world. The Historical Society will be seeking to better engage a larger audience with an expanded web presence, the better use of technology, and more collaborative ventures.
To further support the Society’s new focus, the Community Foundation has created the “Aurora Historical Society 21st Century Museum Fund” to accept contributions for the cause. Donations can be made online at www.CommunityFoundationFRV.org or by mail to 111 West Downer Place, Suite 312, Aurora, Illinois, 60506.
The 100-year-old Historical Society is looking toward the next 100 years–ensuring that Aurora’s history, including the history that is being made today, is preserved for current and future generations.
John Jaros, executive director of the Society, is enthusiastic over the long-term possibilities the new initiative will bring to the community. “Given the state of the economy, this grant could not have come at a better time. We are truly grateful to the Community Foundation for sharing our vision and stepping up to the plate to help us during this critical time in our history,” Jaros said.
The Community Foundation of Fox Valley has long been a generous donor to the Society, most recently underwriting the exterior work at the Tanner Museum. “The Community Foundation has long recognized the importance of the Society’s mission and this latest gift is another example of their commitment to our organization,” said Penny Falcon, president of the Aurora Historical Society.
