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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: John Russell, grant writer
DATE: Feb. 16, 2018
SUBJECT:
This item is requesting approval to apply for a Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund grant in the amount of $33,000, to assist in returning the Sentry Statue to the top of Aurora's historic GAR Museum.
PURPOSE:
The Sentry Statue stood atop the GAR building from its opening in 1878 until 2008, when the Statue was taken down during repair of the GAR Museum roof. After 130 years, the Statue was in poor condition, and actually broke apart during the removal process. Today, the GAR Memorial Museum and the GAR Memorial Commission, sub-divisions of the Innovation and Core Services Department, are working to recreate the Sentry Statue and have it re-installed on the roof of the Museum. The project also will involve repairing the original Sentry Statue, and putting it in a place of prominence inside the GAR Museum
BACKGROUND:
The Sentry Statue project is an important piece of the overall restoration of the GAR Museum. The Sentry was in the plans for the GAR Post 20 Hall from the very beginning, and today's Museum will not be complete without it. The symbolism to the men and women who designed the GAR Hall was clear -- this was a memorial to the common soldier who did his duty at the front lines and perhaps gave his life to preserve and protect our nation. The Sentry Statue is the embodiment of the mission of the GAR Memorial Commission and the GAR Memorial Museum -- to honor the everyday soldier. In 2017, the City was awarded a $2,700 grant from the Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat fund to assist in the Sentry Statue project. The GAR Memorial Commission had applied to another local funding source for the majority of the needed funding. But that request was denied, leaving the project far short of the needed budget amount. Therefore, the GAR Memorial Commission decided to turn down the award from Kane County at that time.
DISCUSSION:
The GAR Museum has receiv...
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