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As its first project in June of 1996, the fledgling Glenview Park Foundation partnered with Saturn Corporation to build a new playground at Flick Park. Saturn donated a $25,000 playground facility to the foundation.
Saturn had just entered the Glenview marketplace and was looking for a community project for its new staff as part of a corporate-wide program called “Build a Kids Kingdom” to give back to local communities and their children. The foundation worked with the Saturn’s local management team to oversee the project with Saturn employees and the park district. As a result, the new playground was installed in one day. A dedication and grand opening celebration event was held the next day.
During that same month, the new foundation also kicked-off the first Firecracker Classic golf outing. Recently completing its 15th year, the Firecracker Classic has become Glenview’s premier golf event. More importantly, it is the major fundraiser for the Glenview Park Foundation. The event not only raises money to finance the foundation’s projects, but it also provides a communitywide recreational outing for Glenview residents.
The Firecracker Classic has met and exceeded these goals over the past fifteen years resulting in over $420,000 in funds which have gone back to the community in the form of the re-casting of the Jackman Bear Fountain, artwork at Park Center, community grants, and contributing to the funding of Wagner Farm’s Heritage Center. The Firecracker Classic has grown to 144 players and is supported by more than 100 business and individual donors who provide sponsorships, services and prizes.
In January 2000, the Foundation awarded at total of $10,000 to six grant applicants including Youth Services of Glenview, The Grove, Glenview Park District Recreation Department, Glenview Police Department Safety City Equipment, Glenview Titans Fast Pitch Association and AYSO.
As you enter the main doors at Park Center, you will notice a unique piece of artwork over the fireplace in the main lobby. “Community,” a brick mural created by Nebraska artist Jay Tschetter depicts well-know local structures representative of Glenview’s history.
In December of 2000, the Glenview Park Foundation suggested to the park board that because Park Center was a community center, the mural theme would best be selected by the community. The board accepted the request and as a result, several volunteers came forward and shared old photographs and reviewed dozens of suggestions for the theme of the mural. The $33,600 cost of the mural was donated to the foundation by the Glenview State Bank.
In 2004, The Board of the Glenview Park Foundation entered into a partnership with the Friends of Wagner Farm, a newly formed group dedicated to further the mission of the park district’s Wagner Farm. The foundation, in cooperation with the Friends of Wagner Farm – a special committee of the Foundation raised $1,200,000 in funds to support for the construction of the farm’s new Heritage Center. The facility allows year- round programming and include classrooms, a greenhouse, science classroom, milking parlor, dairy laboratory and 3,000 square feet of exhibit space.
In the spring of 2005, the Foundation set its sights on yet another annual fundraising effort that provides both revenue and support to the foundation’s mission of providing wholesome recreational opportunities for the community. The first annual 3v3 Soccerfest kicked-off on June 18, 2005 at Glenview’s Gallery Park.
The event has grown to be one of Chicagoland’s most popular youth soccer events with over 110 teams participating in 2010. With both competitive and recreational divisions in several age groups, the festival provides a full day of fun, competition and sportsmanship.
In December of 2005 the Glenview Park Foundation unanimously voted to make a $100,000 donation to help fund construction of new playgrounds at Springman and Attea Middle Schools in Glenview. Additional funds were provided by “Play for Life”, a group of interested parents who undertook various fund-raising activities to raise an additional $50,000 of the projected $165,000 cost.
A steering committee consisting of representatives from the school district, park district and interested parents was formed to design the playgrounds which were installed and maintained by the park district. Input was obtained from students who made site visits to middle school playgrounds in surrounding communities to “test drive” various pieces of play equipment being considered.
The outcome of this cooperative effort among the Glenview Park District, the Glenview Park Foundation, School District 34, the Attea-Springman PTA and the Play for Life fundraising group was the purchase of two playgrounds to serve the needs of Glenview’s middle school-aged population at no cost to the taxpayers of Glenview.
In June of 2007, the Glenview Park Foundation partnered with LaSalle Bank, sponsor of the Nationwide Golf Tour's LaSalle Bank Open, to help fund the much needed renovation of Crowley Park. The Glenview Park Foundation in partnership with LaSalle played a vital role in providing the necessary funds to renovate the park and replace the field house which was burned by vandals in 2005.
LaSalle donated $10,000, the total proceeds from the golf tournament’s admission fee. With a matching $10,000 grant from the Glenview Park Foundation and the LaSalle Bank's generosity, the Crowley Park renovation was made possible. Renovation work has now been completed and a rededication ceremony was held on June 28, 2008.
Through the end of 2010, the total value of the foundation’s projects has surpassed $2,200,000. To view a brochure highlighting the foundation's accomplishments and how you can help, click here.
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District 34 Middle School Playgrounds