Society Newsletter
Summer, 2021

Greeting Members and Friends!

Summer is in full beauty here in the Fort, with green everywhere.

Those of you who currently live elsewhere, you can imagine the residents and visitors out on walks. Those who live here – enjoy it every day! (Photo courtesy A. Jaras)

Landmark Building Walk - On June 12th we held our first tours of the historic portion of the Fort, with 14 two-hour walking tours led by dedicated docents. See the article below about these tours. The tickets sold out quickly and, due to the incredible response, we are holding a REPEAT performance of these tours on August 7th, 2021. If you haven't taken the tour and would like to, see our website for tickets. We expect these will also sell out quickly!

The Fort’s Day to Remember - When Tim Buckley reported the weather conditions for June 12th we were optimistic. We hadn’t filled the 10AM, 12PM and 2PM tours in early May but knew we had time. Looking back, it seems like overnight with COVID opening up, suddenly everyone wanted to tour Fort Sheridan Landmark Buildings. Joel Minster and Karen Kohn, FSHS financial wizards and Tour organizers were busy as we sold out and new tours were added.

This was a phenomenon! The day arrived with light showers reported, Board Guides under the leadership of our script writer, Joanne Bregman, Julie Jaras, Tim Buckley and Klaudia Siczek, Volunteer Tour designer, were eager and willing as the Building Walk fever persisted. Two Tours caught in the rain arrived back sun dried and fit. A day to remember thanks to our supportive Guides and Volunteers: Kinneret Kohn, Elliot Heidelberger, Willard Helander, Stephanie Garrity, Kris Sliwicki, Paul Goldstein and Cynthia Karabusch. Volunteers were Mary Lynne Gaedele, Sue Minster, Paul Scherer, Sharon Collias, Pam Nelson, Linda Levy, Jane Moore and especially Algis Jaras for our outstanding Program Book. You earned a star in the Fort Crown!

We look forward to more of those days as FSHS starts the 5th Fall Kickoff in September with our Annual Meeting to be held live at the home of Donna Fitzgerald. We are anxious to meet, greet and treat you to a year of guest speakers and events you won’t want to miss. Thank you for making Fort Sheridan Historical Society the success we all enjoy!

Join or Donate

Website - Our website continues to develop through the efforts of Joel Minster, our webmaster. New content has been added and the homepage is updated with upcoming events. The site makes it easy to Join the Society or Renew your annual membership. Visit: www.FortSheridanHistoricalSociety.org .

The date you pay your dues becomes your annual renewal date. You'll be notified each year when it's time to renew. Remember, your dues help the Society deliver presentations and events. Your Society is run entirely by volunteers.

PayPal Dues - In the past, some members paid dues automatically using PayPal. PayPal continues to send us money, but doesn’t tell us from whom it comes! Please contact us at FSHistorical@gmail.com if PayPal is still charging you to let us know who you are. Then, you can discontinue PayPal and use our website to renew in the future.

Facebook - Our Facebook page (@FortSheridanHistoricalSociety), under the guidance of Tim Buckley, is also operating smoothly with new emphasis on history and historic memorabilia and timely updates on Society events as they are planned. If you use Facebook and Follow the site, you’ll automatically see these updates.

Upcoming Events - Our next big event is the repeat of our Landmark Building Walks on August 7th.

But we have more to come! In September we are planning our annual meeting for members and hope to soon announce a guest presentation. October will see a return of OctoberFest at the Fort. And wreath laying will occur on Veteran's Day on November 11. These events are all tentative at this point, so keep checking our website for updates and more information!

Donated Gifts - We recently were given a scale model tank built by a Prisoner of War at the Fort during World War II. This detailed model was given by the POW to an American who befriended him before he returned to Germany. That person's grandaughter, Gretchen Gscheidle, donated the model to your Society, and we've added it to our archives.

We also received a 1978 edition of View from the Tower, a hardcover book of the history of the Fort, donated by Alan MacDougall.

We have limited storage space at present, but will always carefully consider any materials about the Fort you may wish to donate. Please contact us through the website.

Always looking forward to guest speakers and fun gatherings. Till then, visit our website and Facebook page to LEARN more about this historic place many of us call home.

Your FSHS Board

Society Newsletter Summer, 2021

Society Newsletter
Summer, 2021