Merry Christmas to deserving causes

By Frank Schier
Editor & Publisher

With all the pain and woe coming across the national, state and local news, let’s close out the year on a positive note.

Give to those who give, and make our community better.

If you think you’ll owe some taxes April 15, why not give that money to our community instead of the federal government? Pay it forward locally, now, before the year ends, and that payment will be tax deductible because our favorite local folks are 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organizations.

You can use last year’s taxes with a quick figuring in of this year’s income to estimate the amount you might give to one of the organizations listed in this article.

Improve our local economy because you may know some of the people who are employed by these organizations or their children.

These are entertainment, environmental, historical, recreational, critter-saving, healing, artistic, educational and information organizations that make the quality of life better here, now, today.

This has been a tough year for local not-for-profits because of budget cuts on many governmental and corporate levels, and everyone is also fretting about the “fiscal cliff.” Show your confidence and commitment to the existence of local organizations that will give back what you’ll give. We are not lemmings or Mayans.

If you’re not sure about which one to give to, give to one that is a dream passion of yours. We have only included organizations we have confidence in and a passion for as well.

If we have listed any incorrect information, please tell us by Thursday, so we can make the correction in our Dec. 26 issue. In alphabetical order, these are some of the favorites of The Rock River Times:

• Angelic Organics Learning Center—1547 Rockton Road, Caledonia, IL 61011, (815) 389-8455, www.learn-growconnect.org.

• The Arc—1222 E. State St., Rockford, IL 61104-2230, (815) 965-3455, www.arcwbo.org.

• Artists’ Ensemble Theater—5050 E. State St., Rockford, IL 61108, (815) 904-2277, www.artists-ensemble.org.

• Burpee Museum of Natural History—737 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103, (815) 965-3433, www.burpee.org.

• Community Foundation of Northern Illinois—946 N. Second St., Rockford, IL 61107, (815) 962-2110, www.cfnil.org.

• Comprehensive Community Solutions/YouthBuild—917 S. Main St., Rockford, IL 61101, (815) 815-963-6236, www.youthbuildrockford.org.

• Coronado Performing Arts Center—314 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61101, (815) 968-0595, www.coronadopac.org.

• Discovery Center—711 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103, (815) 963-6769, www.discoverycentermuseum.org.

• Illinois Renewable Energy Association—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.

• Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center/Charlotte’s Web—415 North Church Street Rockford, IL 61103, (815) 964-9713. www.mendelssohnpac.org

• Noah’s Ark Animal Sactuary—111 N. First St., Rockford, IL 61107, (815) 962-2767, www.noahsarkanimals.org.

• Northern Illinois Food Bank—600 Industrial Drive, St. Charles, IL 60174, (630) 443-6910, northernilfoodbank.org.

• Northern Public Radio/WNIU/WNIJ—801 N. First St., DeKalb, IL 60115, (815) 753-0080, www.northernpublicradio.org.

• RAMI Awards (Gary S. Wilmer Scholarship Fund)—P.O. Box 4128, Rockford, IL 61110, (815) 847-8228, www.ramiawards.com.

• Reiki Energy International—P.O. Box 5011, Rockford, IL 61125, (815) 398-6326, www.reikienergyinternational.com.

• Rockford Area Arts Council—713 E. State St., Rockford, IL 61104, (815) 963-6765, www.artsforeveryone.com.

• Rockford Art Museum—711 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103, (815) 968-2787, www.rockfordartmuseum.org.

• Rockford College Charter Fund—Office of Development, 5050 E. State St., Rockford , IL 61108, (815) 226-3371, www.rockford.edu/?page=CharterFund.

• Rockford Dance Company—Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103, (815) 963-3341, www.rockford-dancecompany.com.

• Rockford Historical Society—6799 Guilford Road, Rockford, IL 61107, (815) 962-6993, www.rockford-museum.org.

• Rockford Park District Foundation—401 S. Main St., Rockford, IL 61101, (815) 969-4077, www.rockfordparkdistrict.org.

• RockRiverTrail Initiative/Friends of the Rock 1230 E. Honey Creek Road, Oregon, IL 61061, (815) 732-7332. www.rockrivertrail.com.

• Rock River Valley Blood Center—419 N. Sixth St., Rockford, IL 61107-4104, (815) 965-8751, www.rrvbc.org.

• Rock Valley College Foundation—3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114, (815) 921-4500, www.rockvalleycollege.edu/alumni.

• Rockton Township Historical Society—P.O. Box 37, 529 Green St., Rockton, IL 61072, (815) 629-2210, www.rocktontownshiphistoricalsociety.com.

• University of Illinois Extension-Winnebago County—1925 S. Meridian Road, Rockford, IL 61102, (815) 986-4357, www.extension.uiuc.edu.

• Womanspace Rockford—3333 Maria Linden Drive, Rockford, IL 61114-5491, (815) 877-0118, www.womanspace-rockford.org.

• Wild Ones—7208 N. Second St., Machesney Park, IL 61101, (815) 282-0316, www.for-wild.org/chapters/rockriver.

Merry Christmas, good people! May your loved ones be near, and may your Christmas bring more good things than expected.

From the Dec. 19-25, 2012, issue

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