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My fellow docents,

After the Boston Marathon bombings, I remember that the media used Mr. Rogers’ comforting message to “look for the helpers.”  His quote was, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping.’”  As the tragedy unfolded at the finish line in Boston in 2013 (almost exactly 7 years ago), they played this quote clip over video of panicked bystanders running away while emergency personnel, the helpers, ran toward the bomb site.

Our tragedy today is so different—slow and invisible.  We’re so proud of the medical professionals, first responders, and essential workers helping us every day.  But there are also docents, volunteers, staff, and board members at CAC who continue to be helpers for their communities and the CAC.  I do not know of all the community work CAC folks are doing, but I can speak to what they are doing to keep CAC’s mission alive and growing while the center is closed and tours are suspended.

I hope you have had a chance to enjoy CAC@Home and CAC Live.  CAC@Home is an email-based newsletter bringing information, video clips, quizzes, and all sorts of family fun to our members and friends.  If people can’t come to the Center, we’ll bring the Center to them!  CAC Live is an online events platform that presents the world of architecture and design via streaming. For example, Lorie Westerman is presenting a discussion about Illinois Center, the CAC’s home.  Lorie is an expert on Illinois Center, much of her knowledge coming from her development of the Illinois Center Pedway tour. But the CAC Live session allows her to go in-depth on the entire Illinois Center development!

And how about a shout-out to Michele Kuhn?  The Arch Madness bracket is pure genius.  It is helping keep us connected in such a fun way during a not-very-fun time.  I have been anxiously awaiting the results to see the winners, agonize over the losers, and quickly fill out the next week’s bracket.  My only complaint is unhappiness with the original seeding…..some of my favorites met in the very early rounds!  But even that made the whole bracket madness feel more authentic.

And finally, a big huzzah to John Rutledge, the new president of the CAC Board of Trustees.   John is Founder/CEO of Oxford Capital.  He is dedicating three of his hotels to housing first responders.  But that’s not all.   In addition, the hotels will feed first responders three times a day.  This also enables many members of the hotel staff to keep their jobs during our current crisis.

My main contribution to “helping” thus far seems to be sitting on my couch.  I’m told that makes me a hero.  But if I’m just afraid that if I go outside, I might run into Lori Lightfoot….and she’ll yell at me…..does that really make me heroic?

Stay safe!

Kent Foutty