Tuesday, April 22, 2014, brought sunshine after Monday’s rain, and it brought to Morrison, IL, the Sterling, IL, Sunshine Rotary Club. These service group members had a gift-in-kind to present to Whiteside County children and their families: construction skills and cost-free labor to benefit April House Children’s Advocacy Center.
Rotarians are shown left-to-right with supporters of April House: Gary Schopp; Whiteside County Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi; Whiteside County States Attorney Trish Joyce; Dag Ribordy; Steve Majowski; Bob Hill; Marv Lofgren; Randy Clodfelter.
The group set to work to renovate 501 N. Madison Street, the vacant, Whiteside County-owned, gray house on the southwest corner. This structure will become the newly-improved April House. The current Center, next door at 503 N. Madison, will likely “eventually be torn down,” stated Sheriff Wilhelmi.
States Attorney Joyce instigated the work. It was precipitated by the need for April House to receive accreditation, so the County can apply for grant monies. However. compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is required before accreditation is assigned. Hence, the renovation.
Sunshine Rotary Club’s assistance is invaluable to this task. So, too, were a pair of recent donations Sheriff Wilhelmi received. The first person contacted him to donate $100. A second donor gave $10,000. A brighter future has begun.
Photos by Jerry Lindey