HALL OF FAME AWARDED COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT

The Galesburg Community Foundation awarded a $7,500 grant to the National Railroad Hall of Fame to produce the traveling educational exhibit “Trunks Through Time.”  Hall of Fame Founder and President Emeritus Bob Bondi said he was grateful for the Foundation’s support.  Bondi said the project is the brain child of local educator Sheryl Hinman and added that “it represents the best of a broad, collaborative community effort.”

“Trunks Through Time” will create four, interactive, travelling trunks to explore the societal experiences and contributions of four minority groups of railroad travelers between 1880 and 1960.  The minority groups include an African-American Pullman porter, a Chinese laborer on the Transcontinental Railroad, a Hispanic-American union organizer, and a young woman employed as a Harvey Girl. 

Building on themes of challenge and transformation, each trunk will contain historic replicas of items that illuminate the life story and achievements of the trunk's owner. 
Students will be engaged by entertaining and exciting stories of railroad travelers while learning lessons that engender respect and promote understanding between societal groups and encourage them to apply lessons of persistence, tolerance, and transformation in their own lives.

The "Trunks Through Time" project is motivated by an integral mission of the National Railroad Hall of Fame to educate the public on the transformative impact of railroads on the social, economic, and political life in America.  The trunks will  be available to educators and community organizations during the school year and will be on display at Galesburg’s Discovery Depot Children's Museum when school is not in session.