CATCH THE SPIRIT

The Spirit of 67 Foundation’s Home & Garden Tour showcases extraordinary homes for an extraordinary cause.

AS A LITTLE GIRL GROWING UP IN LAKE FOREST, Whitney McCoy would ride her banana-seat bike down Illinois Road from South Park into town, passing one house that always captured her imagination.

“I always wondered what was going on inside,” she recalls.

Years later, that curiosity was finally satisfied—not simply as a guest, but as one of the organizers behind the Spirit of 67 Foundation’s Home & Garden Tour—where that very home on Illinois Road will be featured. The biennial tour returns this year on Thursday, September 24.

“When I walked in and saw the color of the interior walls, it just made me smile,” says McCoy, Vice President of Special Events of the Spirit of 67 Foundation. “That was my key takeaway. But what amazed me was that every person noticed something different. Everyone left grinning ear to ear. There truly is something for everyone.”

Katie Salgat, incoming President of the Spirit of 67 Foundation, shares her enthusiasm for both the tradition and the cause.

“It’s the 21st year that we’ve done it, and it’s always such an exciting time of the year,” she says. “The kids have gone back to school and you’re excited to get back into your social circles that revolve around school—and it takes place during the school day, which I just think helps to really bring the people out.”

Guiding that vision are this year’s co-chairs—Liz de Wet, Danijela Dobric, and Kaylan Kane.

“They’re all in the industry of elevating homes in one way or another,” says McCoy. “So, they’ve each brought their unique perspectives to this event.”

Indeed, each of the four homes on this year’s Home & Garden Tour features elements that will excite even the veteran attendee.

“We have just kind of gushed over all of them,” laughs McCoy. “We have homes that are old and homes that are new, and as you walk through some of them, there are some really spectacular outdoor spaces. And no matter how extravagant, you’ll feel that sense of home as you walk through all of them.”

Yet, for all of the breathtaking architecture and inspired design, the Home & Garden Tour has always been about far more than beautiful homes. It’s all about benefiting the students of District 67.

“We will be featuring some of their talents when it comes to the music and such,” says McCoy. “Each home is going to have a featured grant that was supported by the Spirit throughout the last years and those will be featured creatively with hopefully some help from the students, whether it’s artwork or creative elements or a potential demonstration based on the grant.”

Since its founding in 1985, the Spirit of 67 Foundation has invested more than $7 million into District 67 through grants supporting classroom innovation, technology, wellness initiatives, music, art, and experiential learning opportunities.

“The Spirit of 67 is such a magical, living, breathing organization,” says Salgat. “Whether you buy a ticket to an event or donate or volunteer, it all makes a difference. It helps us invest in these students, and that’s what we are most proud of.”

None of it, however, would be possible without the support of the community.

“They are just so pivotal in the success of this event,” says McCoy. “From sponsors and volunteers to everyone who buys a ticket, their support truly makes a difference.”