Naperville residents, Walter and Cindy Drone, committed to Naperville United Way
November 27, 2007
Our United Way is made up of Naperville residents who volunteer their time, energy and support to answer the needs of our community.
Walter and Cindy Drone have supported the annual Naperville United Way auction since 2002 and have purchased 24 sculptures through the years, many of which are displayed in their home and garden.
How did you become involved with Naperville United Way?
We moved to Naperville in December 2001, so that following Spring, we were excited to explore the Riverwalk. As Memorial Day weekend rolled around, we became very interested in the Carousel Horses and spent many beautiful days riding our bikes to the downtown to check on our favorites. As we came to know each and every horse, we made the decision to attend the Naperville United Way auction with the hope of acquiring a Carousel Horse for our own. To our surprise, and delight, we were suddenly the proud owners of three horses. And as time would tell, we were hooked on Naperville United Way’s annual event. The auction was a lot of fun and we met many people who shared our common interests, all while helping people in our community.
What are the rewards for you in donating to Naperville United Way?
When we attend the auctions, we have the opportunity to hear representatives of Naperville United Way detail all the organizations that benefit from donations to United Way, and additionally we’ve personally met some of the local individuals whose lives have improved from the help and monies they’ve received. By learning of the organizations Naperville United Way supports, we’ve become more aware of and attended fundraisers for some of those individual organizations as well.
What is the most memorable sculpture that you have purchased?
The most memorable is from the 2003 Naperville United Way Bears auction. At the auction, we eagerly listened for the name of one of our favorites. To our surprise, Linda Rose was called. As she was rolled to the stage, the image of a mother bear, lovingly holding her cub in her arm appeared. Neither of us remembered seeing her before. How had we missed her? Bart, the auctioneer, began to tell her story. Linda Rose had been a struggling single parent in our community. Friends of Families Helping Families got her on her feet and supported her as she attended nursing school. She completed all of the courses, but before she could get her nursing license, she died of cancer. The bear was created in her memory. The very emotional story, plus the fact that three key people in our family were recently touched by cancer, made Walter determined that Linda Rose would not be overlooked nor sold short. Now when we see her in our home, we marvel at the courage we as humans can possess, the generosity so many show, and looking into her eyes and those of her precious little cub, we know the importance of passing these values on to our children and grandchildren.
Having the sculptures around is a constant reminder to us and to our neighbors how blessed we are, and how many people are finding help through the efforts of Naperville United Way.
Investing in United Way helps more than one person, one charity or one issue, because we support a broad range of programs that improve lives. United Way is the most effective way to invest in our community to creative positive, lasting change.
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