Save on your tax bill if you make a contribution before Dec. 31

Staff Writer

and Frank Schier

Editor & Publisher

It’s simple: give your money to Uncle Sam in taxes, or give your money to local not-for-profits. They make this community better and keep the money here.

Last year, did you have to pay in on your tax return, on top of what was held out in your payroll deductions? If so, and if your taxes aren’t completely done, like most of us, use last year’s pay-in to estimate the amount you’ll give to one of the organizations listed in this article. Make giving getting for your neighbors trying to make our world a better place.

We have a few out-of-town organizations listed here, mainly because they do have ties to this area. We’ve tried to list something of interest for everyone who follows our newspaper. They are part of our local economy.

You may know people who work for these organizations or their children. You may go to their events for entertainment or enjoy how they improve the quality of life in our community. Keep your quality of life and give to them. Be a gift.

Yes, Christmas gift ideas can be tough to come by sometimes. So, here you go. This year, adding a contribution to an area non-profit organization can be a good way to give a gift that will benefit many people in the Rock River Valley, including yourself. Donations to any of the following agencies are tax deductible.

If you’re not sure about whom to donate to, go with what’s close to your heart. Look at their Web sites. We’ve listed folks who are dedicated to the arts, children, education, history, nature, various animal and human conditions, and saving our planet. Make it a merry Christmas and happy new year for those doing good work close to all of us.

In alphabetical order, these are the favorites of The Rock River Times:

Angelic Organics Learning Center

Tom Spaulding, director

Agelic Organics Learning Center

1547 Rockton Road

Caledonia, IL 61011

(815) 389-8455

www.learngrowconnect.org

The Arc

Jacki Neil Boss, executive director

1222 E. State St.

Rockford, IL 61104-2230

(815) 965-3455

www.arcwbo.org

Artists’ Ensemble Theater

Richard Raether, artistic director

5050 E. State St.

Rockford, IL 61107

(815) 394-5004

www.artistsensemble.org

Burpee Museum of Natural History

Dr. Alan Brown, executive director

737 N. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61103

(815) 965-3433

www.burpee.org

Charlotte’s Web for the Performing Arts

Lani Richardson, executive director

P.O. Box 765

Rockford IL, 61105

(815) 964-2238

www.snapshotmusic.com/charlottesweb

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois

Robert M. Hammes Jr., president, Board of Directors

946 N. Second St.

Rockford, IL 61107

(815) 962-2110

www.cfnil.org

Comprehensive Community Solutions/YouthBuild

Kerry Knodle, executive director

917 S. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61101

(815) 815-963-6236

www.youthbuildrockford.org

Coronado Performing Arts Center

Coronado Performing Arts Center
314 N. Main St.
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 968-0595
www.coronadopac.org ^[1]

Discovery Center

Sarah Wolf, executive director

711 N. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61103

(815) 963-6769

discoverycentermuseum.org

Environmental Law & Policy Center

Howard A. Learner

35 E.Wacker Drive, Suite 1300

Chicago, IL 60601

(312) 673-6500

Four Rivers Environmental Coalition

Tim Lewis, president

natives.tim@comcast.net

815-874-3468

www.fourriver.org

Green Communities Coalition

Brian Lindstrom

946 N. Second St.

Rockford, IL 61107

(815) 985-1108

www.greencommunitiescoalition.org

Illinois Renewable Energy Association

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl

1230 E. Honey Creek Road

Oregon, IL 61061

(815) 732-7332

www.illinoisrenew.org

Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden

Attn: Development Office

2715 S. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61102

(815) 965-8146

www.klehm.org

Nature Conservatory of Illinois

Attn: Treasury

8 S. Michigan Ave.

Chicago, IL 60603

(312) 580-2100

www.nature.org

Natural Land Institute

Jerry Paulson, executive director

320 S. Third St.

Rockford, IL 61104

(815) 964-6666

www.naturalland.org

Noah’s Ark Animal Sactuary

Marcia Brice

111 N. First St.

Rockford, IL 61107

(815) 962-2767

www.noahsarkanimals.org

Northern Illinois University Extension-Winnebago County

Margaret Larson, county extension director

1925 S. Meridian Road

Rockford, IL 61102

(815) 986-4357

www.web.extension.uiuc.edu

Northern Public Radio/WNIU/WNIJ

Staci Hoste, director of fund-raising and development

Northern Public Radio

801 N. First St.

DeKalb, IL 60115

(815) 753-9000

www.northernpublicradio.org ^[2]

RAMI Awards

(Gary S. Wilmer Scholarship Fund)

Bruce Hammond, steering committee Chairman

P.O. Box 4128

Rockford, IL 61110

(815) 847-8228

www.ramiawards.org

Reiki Energy International

Rick Gubbe, president, board of directors

P.O. Box 5011

Rockford, IL 61125

(815) 398-6326

www.reikienergyinternational.com

River District Association

Kim Wheeler, executive director

127 N. Wyman St.

Rockford, IL 61101-1114

(815) 964-6221

www.riverdistrict.com

Robert Frost Stone House Museum

Carole Thompson

121 Vermont Route 7A

Shaftsbury, VA 05262

(802) 447-6200

www.frostfriends.org

Rockford Area Arts Council

Anne O’Keefe, president & CEO

713 E. State St.

Rockford, IL 61104

(815) 963-6765

www.artsforeveryone.com

Rockford Art Museum

Linda K. Dennis, executive director

711 N. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61103

(815) 968-2787

www.rockfordartmuseum.org

Rockford College Charter Fund

Bern Sundstedt, director of Alumni and Development

Office of Development

5050 E. State St .

Rockford , IL 61108 (815) 226-3371

www.rockford.edu/?page=CharterFund

Rockford Dance Company

Cindy Jo Savitski-Lantz, executive director

Riverfront Museum Park

711 N. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61103

(815) 963-3341

www.rockforddancecompany.com

Rockford Historical Society

Bruce Steder, president, board of directors

6799 Guilford Road

Rockford, IL 61107

(815) 962-6993

rockfordmuseum.org

Rockford Park District Foundation

Stacie Talbert, chief financial officer/foundation director

401 S. Main St.

Rockford, IL 61101

(815) 987-1695

www.rockfordparkdistrict.org

Rockford Peace and Justice Action Committee/ Rockford Urban Ministries

Stanley Campbell, executive director

201 Seventh St.

Rockford IL 61104

(815) 964-7111

www.gbgm-umc.org/urbanmin

Rock River Valley Blood Center

Linda Gerber, chief executive officer

419 N. Sixth St.

Rockford, IL 61107-4104

(815) 965-8751

www.rrvbc.org

Rock Valley College Foundation

Suzanne Berger, executive vice president

3301 North Mulford Road

Rockford, IL 61114

(815) 921-4500

www.rockvalleycollege.edu/alumni/foundation.csm

Rockton Township Historical Society

Dean Mohring

P.O. Box 37

529 Green St.

Rockton, IL 61072

(815) 519-8834

www.rocktontownshiphistoricalsociety.com

Severson Dells Nature Center

Don Miller, executive education director

8786 Montague Road

Rockford, IL 61102

(815) 335-2915

www.seversondells.com

Womanspace Rockford

Carol Valaitis, board president

3333 Maria Linden Drive

Rockford, IL 61114-5491

(815) 877-0118

www.womanspace-rockford.org

Wild Ones

Constance McCarthy, president

7208 N. Second St.

Machesney Park, IL 61101

(815) 282-0316

www.for-wild.org/chapters/rockriver

Winnebago County Forest Preserve Land Acquisition Fund

Tom Hartley, director of Land and Development

5500 Northrock Drive

Rockford, IL 61103

(815) 877-6100

www.wcfpd.org

From the Dec. 16-22, 2009 issue