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Yorkville Historic Preservation Society Fund

Est. 2018

The Yorkville Historic Preservation Society was organized in March 2018 by Lisa Wolancevich in response to the United City of Yorkville’s City Council discussion of plans to have the Old Kendall County Jail and Sheriff’s building demolished. The 125-year-old Jail, on the State of Illinois’ Register of Historic Places, was bought by the city from Kendall County in 2010 and had fallen into extensive disrepair. The Old Jail’s predicament made Wolancevich aware of the need for an organization to work to safeguard the Old Jail and other such buildings to preserve the community’s historic legacy and encourage economic well-being. She invited other like-minded individuals to join her to form the Society.

The mission of the Society is to aid in the preservation, renovation and economic promotion of historic buildings and sites in the Yorkville area, beginning with the Old Jail at 111 W. Madison St. To achieve these goals, the Society has affiliated with the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, and is holding fundraisers, soliciting donations and applying for numerous grants to help pay for stabilization and renovation of the Old Jail. The Society also is seeking partners to help develop a plan for the building’s future use.

We welcome new members; we encourage people to join us in working to save the Old Jail and future projects. Help us celebrate the history of Yorkville!

Grant funds from the Community Foundation helped provide updated technology. These upgrades were transformative. By creating new time saving processes, it turned us into a more efficient organization.

Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry

Grantee

YEP was a great experience to have in high school. I became a more confident person, someone with a lot more perspective. Coming from a small school, YEP allowed me to branch out into my community, meet students from other schools, and learn about their backgrounds. I made some great friends and still keep in touch with them today.

Abby Vagnoni

YEP Alumni

YEP has made me realize the importance of being involved in my community, and how to make a difference. There are a lot of problems in the world but if we can do everything that we can to help the world will become a better place. YEP has helped me realize this and encouraged me to help more people in the future.

Madi Porter

YEP Member

I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Zari Foundation Scholarship and the Community Foundation in supporting my education. I am majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology. In my spare time, I volunteer on campus, in the community and I’m also the principal violist in the symphony orchestra. I hope to make an impact on the next chapter of space exploration by eventually working at a groundbreaking aerospace company such as SpaceX or NASA.

Taytum Newell

Albert M. Zari Scholarship Recipient

Education is important to us. We support causes that touch our lives and align with our values. We believe in paying it forward. We are here for a short time,, and it is the next generation that will take on what we leave behind.

Michelle Emanuel

Donor and Past Scholarship Recipient

Give your gift of time and see what it means to the people you impact. Helping others is what life is all about.

Neal Ormond

Donor & Fund Advisor

Being a part of the Community Foundation scholarship committee is the highlight of my year. For many, a scholarship from the CFFRV is the reason they are able to continue reaching for their dreams and changing the future of our world. I hope each recipients knows just how inspirational they are to those of us who are lucky enough to read their stories.

Jessica Breugelmans

Scholarship Committee Member and Board Member

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

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