Featured Funds
Each year, a variety of new Funds are created at the DeKalb County Community Foundation. These new Funds support the charitable interests of donors and work to enhance the quality of life in DeKalb County. Below is a list of new or existing Funds that we would like to highlight.
Making a donation to the Community Foundation is easy to do. Whether you want to give to an established Fund or create one of your own, we offer a variety of giving options to help donors maximize their impact.
Cindy Graves Nursing Scholarship Fund
Announcing the Cindy Graves Nursing Scholarship Fund. The scholarship was created by Graves’ children, Brandon and Ethan, and her good friend, Janet Hunt. The Fund honors Cindy Graves, a DeKalb County public health nurse who had a tremendous impact on the community.
The scholarship is awarded annually to DeKalb County residents currently working as nursing professionals and continuing their education in nursing to grow professionally and better serve their patients.
Cindy was a registered nurse at Kishwaukee Hospital for 30 years – working as a pediatric nurse and emergency room RN, house supervisor, ER charge nurse, EMS educator, EMS coordinator, and ER director (2005 – 2012). From 2012 until her passing in May 2022, Cindy worked at the DeKalb County Health Department as the director of community health and prevention, health promotion, and emergency preparedness.
Malta Township Public Library Endowment Fund
Announcing the Malta Township Public Library Endowment Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to provide unrestricted support to the Malta Public Library in fulfillment of its mission. Additionally, the support provides the financial resources needed to grow with the community, whether it’s technology upgrades or a large-scale infrastructure project.
“As we celebrate 100 years of serving Malta Township, we realize how important it is to plan for the next 100 years,” said Janet Clark, Library Director. “We are grateful to the Trust of Lt. Col. John R. and Phyllis McCormick for their gift, which provided the seed money to start the Fund. Their donation to the library, and many other organizations throughout DeKalb County, will make an enduring difference in the lives of many.”
Cortland Community Library Endowment Fund
Introducing the Cortland Community Library Endowment Fund. Created by Barbara Coward in honor of her cousins William and Wayne McWhinney, this is the first Foundation endowment Fund directly supporting the Cortland Library. The Fund’s purpose is to contribute annually to needs such as shelving, books, programming, ongoing building maintenance, and future projects.
“My heart has been in this library since 1984,” said Barbara. “I’m honored to direct this family gift to create something that benefits the Cortland community indefinitely.”
Wehrli Custom Fabrication Scholarship Fund
Announcing the Wehrli Custom Fabrication Scholarship Fund, created by the Wehrli company to aid students interested in pursuing a career in the trades.
Wehrli Custom Fabrication was founded in 2010 by Jason Wehrli. At that time, Jason and his brothers worked on trucks in their parent’s two-truck garage in Sandwich, Illinois. In September 2022, Wehrli hosted an open house event at their DeKalb location. They included activities to raise support for students interested in trade-related fields. Their fundraising resulted in $20,000 in generous backing, which they used to create the Wehrli Custom Fabrication Scholarship Fund.
“In addition to showing the community our shop and what we do, this was a great opportunity to partner with customers, many of which work in the trades themselves, to give back and support lifelong skills for the next generation,” said Jason Wehrli.
Jeri Delaney Memorial Fund
Introducing the Jeri Delaney Memorial Fund, honoring the life and legacy of Jeri Delaney. Her loving family and friends established this Fund to memorialize her life and solidify her legacy within Sycamore School District. The Fund’s purpose is to distribute to the Sycamore Education Foundation to award grants for the special education program at Sycamore High School.
Jeri passed away on August 2, 2022. Her legacy lives on through the students she impacted at Sycamore High School. Known to her students as “Miss Jeri” or “Grandma Jeri,” Jeri helped everyone she met. Her caring nature and generosity knew no bounds, and her presence lit up a room. Jeri would often say, “Treat every single person with kindness and respect; you never know what they’re going through.”
Steven ‘Mr. G’ Griglione Scholarship Fund
Announcing the Steven ‘Mr. G’ Griglione Scholarship Fund, created as a tribute to the late Steven Griglione and honors his impact on music education in the community. The scholarship is intended for a graduating senior who participated in music classes and/or programs all four years at Sycamore High School and is continuing studies in music education or general education.
“My father Steve, like his own father Raymond, was a born educator,” said Brad Griglione. “He started his teaching career in the public school system but soon was compelled to combine his passion for teaching with his other great passion, music.”
DHS Alumni Scholarship Fund
Announcing the DHS Alumni Scholarship Fund, created as a new opportunity for students at DeKalb High School (DHS). This Fund awards scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing continuing education and training for career advancement.
The creation of this unique alumni scholarship, initiated by the DHS Class of 1973, provides an exciting opportunity for all DHS alumni to participate in creating a legacy to support future generations of DeKalb High School students and the communities served by CUSD #428.
“DeKalb has nurtured exceptional people over the years,” said Mark Frisch, ’73 class president. “Today, you can go to a bookstore and buy a Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by a DHS alum. You can stream a television show starring another or read history books about another who was a U.S. Secretary of Labor. The most important thing we can do for the future is to invest in our youth and their opportunities.”
