Mooseheart's Child City Celebrates Its 100th Year

Ever since its dedication ceremonies, in a large rented circus tent on Sunday, July 27, 1913, Mooseheart Child City & School has given a home, education and stability to more than 12,000 children from across the continent, and the world.

Exactly 100 years later — Saturday, July 27, 2013 — was an all-day celebration of Mooseheart’s mission and successes, as thousands of Moose members, Mooseheart alumni and members of the community marked the history and the future of the community, with a 100-minute fun run, hours of free live entertainment, a carnival, food-and-beverage tents, fireworks shot off from the riverbank at dusk—and by breaking ground on a $10 million renovation project of Mooseheart School.

“The bottom line is Mooseheart would not exist if it wasn’t for the ongoing support and generosity of the men and women of the Moose,” said Mooseheart Executive Director Gary Urwiler. “We are looking forward to celebrating the grand occasion with our Moose members and Mooseheart students, and kicking off the next 100 years of service to children of need.”

A rededication ceremony for Mooseheart, honoring Mooseheart founder James J. Davis and first Superintendent Rodney Brandon, and featuring remarks from former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, highlighted festivities.

The 100-minute Centennial Challenge Walk/Run was following by a full carnival and pony rides, musical entertainment throughout the day including Rick K and the Allnighters and the Beatles tribute band “American English,” food/beer/soft drink tents, a petting zoo, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Mooseheart School renovation, and at dusk, a spectacular fireworks display, with great seating at Mooseheart’s football stadium.

 Mooseheart Child City & School is a 1,000-acre community and school for children and teens in need of a secure home, located just south of Batavia, IL, between Illinois Route 31 and Randall Road.

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,700 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Bermuda. Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1. 

Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.

Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 250 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a fully functioning branch of Fifth Third Bank.

 In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville, FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.mooseintl.org , www.mooseheart.org.,www.moosehaven.org, or call 630-966-2229.