School for Hearing Impaired Aided by Midwest Furniture Club for 15th Straight Year

Furniture World News Desk on 4/19/2018

Midwest Furniture Club recently announced that for the 15th straight year, the proceeds from the Club’s Golf outing and auction provided funds for a special school in the Chicago suburbs. Mark Dilling, the organizer of the annual event and a number of the Board of Directors from the Midwest Furniture Club, presented the school with a check for $7,650 to Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School recently.

The Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School is located in Wheeling IL, and specializes in mainstreaming deaf and hearing impaired into a wider curriculum and other Montessori students. The school is a recognized leader in its efforts to teach “cued speech” to its hearing impaired students.

The Club’s involvement goes back to the Bill Krause family’s involvement in founding the school in the 1980s. Bill Krause was, at the time of his untimely death, a representative with Century furniture and a leader in the Midwest Furniture Club, Chicago’s IHFRA chapter.

“When we lost Bill, we wanted to keep his spirit and joy alive on our memory. Along with the Krause family, we turned our annual golf outing into a celebration and remembrance of Bill’s memory. Naturally, his passion for growing the School, lead our club to become a long-time partner and supporter,” says Jay Hogg, a longtime Club member and founder of the Golf Outing.

In the years since the Midwest Clubs support of the school, the school has grown from a few families in a small location, to a world class facility. Deborah Trude-Suter, the Executive Director of the school, noted “For those of you who were fortunate to have known Bill Krause, you know how passionate he was about this school and it's growth, sustainability and continued success with children. Your willingness to continue remember him in this way is very touching for each of us at [the school].”

The check was delivered during a breakfast meeting the Club held at the School to celebrate to relationship between the school and the Chapter. “It gives our Board and Executive Committee a chance to really see what their year-long efforts to produce the outing mean to a School such as this,” says Hogg.

Aside from golf, an auction, raffle and dinner are held at the end of the day. Several items such as golf clubs, gift certificates, sports tickets and other prizes were given away. But the evening also held several very touching moments. One participant bid for several laptops and then promptly donated the computers to the school. Several golf-themed works of art from the students of the school went for several hundred dollars each. But the most emotional moment of the evening when a hearing impaired student got up to speak before a hushed crowd of over 100 adults. The third grader spoke bravely spoke in front of the crowd about what the school and learning cued speech has meant to her.

Mark Dilling has been organizing the golf outing for several years. “We get to do good while having fun. It’s a chance for suppliers, retailers and our Club members to mingle socially and network. Every year the turnout’s been great, and we get to see our dollars at work close to home.” says Mark.

He continues, “It’s fun day. The Krause family are always a big part of the day and we appreciate the continued support of our membership in making this a marquee day in the Club’s social calendar. We hope to raise even more money next year.”

Since beginning their association with the Bell School, the Midwest Furniture Club has raised almost $90,000 towards the schools efforts.

The Club has announced that the 2018 edition of the annual Bill Krause Memorial Golf Outing will occur on August 8 at the Whisper Creek golf course in Huntley IL. To participate, sponsor or donate raffle and auction items, contact Mark Dilling at markdilling@hotmail.com. For more information, visit  midwestfurnitureclub.com.