Working with heart statewide

Realtors Working with Heart Bicentennial logo
Local REALTOR® associations in Illinois are working on bicentennial legacy projects in their local communities. The effort is yet another way Illinois REALTORS® work with heart in local communities.

REALTORS® committed to preserving historic properties

Two years ago the association created the Bicentennial Task Force which is chaired by Dixon REALTOR® Vicky Turner. She said REALTORS® throughout the state were eager to play a role in the celebration.

“Our members could think of no better way to recognize the people, places and events of the past than by supporting the state’s historic properties in 2018,” Turner said. “More than 30 projects are planned in 2018 by our members, ranging in scope from funding structural improvements to cleanup days.”

Illinois REALTORS® Bicentennial Task Force

  • Vicky Turner, Chair
  • Sheryl Grider Whitehurst, Vice Chair
  • Ron Abrams
  • Sonia Anaya
  • Jeffrey Barkstall
  • Steve Bois
  • Tonya Corder
  • Ron Ewing
  • Jim Haisler
  • Dallas Hancock
  • Joe Kenny
  • Christine King
  • Lynn Madison
  • Sandy Michel Stempinski
  • Sue Miller
  • Zeke Morris
  • Todd Musso
  • Karen Robertson
  • Ginger Sreenan
  • Tricia Tialdo
  • Belvidere Board of REALTORS®: Partnered with the Boone County Arts Council with fundraising support for a new mural featuring architect Jeanne Gang as well as home-related “Teacher’s Trunk” resource for the Boone County Museum of History.
  • Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS®: Fundraising for the Lincoln Era Barn Window Restoration project at the David Davis Mansion in Normal.
  • Capital Area REALTORS®: Fundraising for improvements, including refurbishing the staircase to the second floor of the Edwards Place Historic Home in Springfield.
  • Champaign County Association of REALTORS®: Funded a free admission day at the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum in Champaign.
  • Chicago Association of REALTORS®: Volunteerism and fundraising helped transform a section of the Peterson Garden’s Global Garden into a 2018 Bicentennial Global Garden.
  • Danville Area Board of REALTORS®: Sponsorship of the City of Danville’s Lincoln Belief Mural.
  • Egyptian Board of REALTORS®: Funding for storyboards that tell the history of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace.
  • Greater Gateway Association of  REALTORS®: Partnered with City of Alton and Haskell House Children’s Museum to convert the historic home into a children’s museum.
  • Heartland REALTOR® Organization: Partnering with several historic sites to promote events and drive traffic to these local historic treasures: the McHenry County Historical Society and Museum, Petersen Farm, Harvard Milk Days Foundation, Powers-Walker House and the Colonel Palmer House.
  • HomeTown Association of REALTORS®: Fundraising to repair the air conditioning for the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb and fundraising and volunteering for the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home in Dixon.
  • Illini Valley Association of REALTORS®: Sponsorship of historic wall murals for buildings in downtown Streator as part of the community’s Sesquicentennial celebrations.
  • Illinois REALTORS®: Build the Bicentennial Plaza — A REALTOR® Community Partnership; donated more than $50,000 to the Governor’s Mansion renovation project in Springfield.
  • Kankakee-Iroquois-Ford Association of REALTORS®: Fundraising support to add landscaping to the rain garden area of the B. Harley Bradley House in Kankakee, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home built in 1901.
  • Livingston County Board of REALTORS®: Fundraising and volunteer help to restore historic landscaping to the Jason Strevell home in Pontiac.
  • Logan County Board of REALTORS®: Partnership with the City of Lincoln to install historical signage explaining the Lincoln Chautauqua in Memorial Park.
  • Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®: Installed LED lighting in the DuPage County Historical Museum; fundraising to help preserve real estate records for the Arlington Heights Historical Museum, funding for the development of a new website for South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society, and installation of UV-protective windows at Waukegan Historical Society.
  • Mid Valley Association of REALTORS®: Partnering with the Kewanee Preservation Society for fundraising support for the preservation of the historic Little Family Cabin in Kewanee, one of the area’s oldest homes.
  • North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS®: Work with the Northbrook Historical Society to fundraise for the restoration of the Hope Union Church and provide support through funding and volunteer projects to Barrington History Museum.
  • Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS®: Assisting the City of Aurora, the Aurora Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and the Aurora Historical Society in expansion of the annual Home Ownership Expo on November 3, 2018 including funding of new elements to the expo such as a historical building trolley tour.
  • Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS®: Installation of a garden bench at the Oak Park River Forest Museum.
  • Peoria Area Association of REALTORS®: Grounds improvement to the Pettengill-Morron House which was built in 1868.
  • Quad City Area Association of REALTORS®: Fundraising for paint and tools for a new mural at the Black Hawk State Historic Site.
  • Quincy Association of REALTORS®: Provided free admission at Quincy Museum from June 8 to August 20, 2018 for children ages 3 to 18 years old.
  • REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley:  Partnership with Garfield Farm to help drive traffic, create awareness and assist in maintenance projects for the historic site, an 1840s era living history farm.
  • REALTOR® Association of Northwestern Illinois: Supporting the Galena Foundation by purchasing a lifetime membership to the organization and being involved in fundraising events.
  • REALTOR® Association of Southwestern Illinois: Partnering with St. Clair County Historical Society to plan, promote and fundraise for Fair St. Clair held in August 2018.
  • Rockford Area Association of REALTORS®: Partnering with Tinker Swiss Cottage for Free Community Fall Jubilee on October 6, 2018.
  • Three Rivers Association of REALTORS®: Partnership with local historical societies to provide scanning equipment to help preserve historical documents and photographs for historical societies in Will and Grundy counties including the Will County Historical Society.

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