ALLERTON ❤ VOLUNTEERS
Last week, more than 35 Allerton volunteers gathered in the Visitor Center Auditorium for the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to celebrate their accomplishments over the past year, including:
- Leading 74 tours (With an average 15 people per tour, that’s 1, 110 visitors who received a guided tour!)
- Working 126 special event shifts
- Improving the gardens during 94 garden shifts (At 3 hours per shift, that’s 282 hours of garden labor!)
- Welcoming visitors with 343 shifts in the Visitor Center
- Hosting 10 Allerton Allies workdays in the natural areas
Congratulations to Bob Douglas for winning Volunteer of the Year! And to all of our volunteers: we can’t thank you enough – Allerton would be wilderness without you!
Interested in volunteering at Allerton? Contact Mindy Brand at brand@illinois.edu or 217-333-3287 to hear about opportunities. This year’s final Volunteer Orientation is slated for November 17th (more details below), and will return in the Spring.
UPCOMING SPECIALS AT THE GREENHOUSE CAFÉ
Enjoy the hearty tastes of fall in the Greenhouse Café with perfectly paired soups & sandwiches! These specials change each week, so be sure to stop in before they’re gone!
Week of November 6th: Jambalaya + Cheese Quesadilla
Week of November 13th: Chicken and Noodle + Hot Ham & Cheese
Plan Your Trip to the Greenhouse Café | View Weekly Café Specials on Facebook
Second Thursday of Each Month | 9 – 10 AM | Greenhouse Café | FREE
Enjoy your morning pick-me-up while getting up-to-speed on all things Allerton! Grab a coffee and join Allerton staff in the Greenhouse Café on the second Thursday of each month to hear about a blend of topics on the past, present, and future of the Park. All sessions will include an opportunity for Q&A; some will end with an optional walk/hike. No pre-registration is required, and the Greenhouse Café will be open – so you can purchase a snack or take something home for lunch!
NOVEMBER 8TH TOPIC: Planned Giving – Help sustain Allerton for future generations! Our guest from the U of I Foundation will explain various methods of making a gift to achieve your personal and charitable goals.
November 14 | 6:30-7:30 PM | Allerton Library* | $ – Donation
Allerton provides the perfect setting to relax and unwind, while strengthening your mind, body, and spirit. Instructor Josie Heck from Yoga Off the Square will lead students through strength poses and cooling postures that can be done at their own level.
No registration is required, and no props are necessary – but mats are encouraged. A limited number of mats will be available for use. Please print and sign the liability form and bring it with you to class.
*PLEASE NOTE: Starting this month, Community Yoga will be hosted in the Mansion Library during the cold winter months!
View Facebook Event | Liability Form
November 14 | 6:30 – 9:00 PM | Mansion Coach House | $20/person; $35/pair
Join the Monticello Area Arts Council for an evening working with pastels to capture the beauty and color of fall leaves at Allerton. Local artist Cara Stoerger will lead this fun and creative drawing project and teach you a variety of textural, line, color, and blending pastel techniques! This class is for all levels including beginners, and will meet in the Allerton Carriage House/Dining Room.
All art materials will be provided. Light refreshments will be served. Seats are limited, so purchase your ticket today!
PURCHASE TICKETS | View Facebook Event
*November 17 | 9 – 10 AM | Visitor Center | FREE
This informational volunteer orientation is open to the public and great for anyone interested in volunteering at Allerton. Get your questions answered, find out about different opportunities, and take the first step to becoming an Allerton volunteer! No registration required. Contact Mindy Brand at brand@illinois.edu for more information.
*Please note: this will be the final Volunteer Orientation of 2018.
November 20 | 6:30-7:30pm | Mansion | FREE – Registration Required
We’re lighting the fireplaces, grabbing our favorite wintry books, and settling in for a cozy evening in the Allerton Mansion! Join Allerton Park and Retreat Center and Allerton Public Library District for a fun-filled Family Reading Night on November 20th at 6:30pm in the Allerton Mansion Library! Cara Stoerger, from Allerton Public Library Youth & Programming Services, will recite a turkey’s rendition of the timeless poem “Over the River and Through the Woods” by Lydia Maria Child. Afterwards, families can take part in several hands-on activities to learn how Reading Can Take You Everywhere!
Stay overnight, and spend a special evening reading your own book in the grandeur of the Allerton Library as the fire burns down. All rooms will be discounted by more than half to a rate of $60/room. Call 217-333-3287 for lodging information and reservations.
Although this event is free, registration is required. This event has a 100-person capacity. Donations are encouraged, and will be split between Allerton Park & Retreat Center and the Allerton Public Library District.
REGISTER HERE | View Facebook Event
Entire Month of November | Check-in at 3pm, Checkout at 11am | Mansion & Guest Houses | $90/room
Take advantage of Allerton’s special November room rate and take a well-deserved day off by booking a weeknight overnight! No event, no agenda… just you, the magic of Allerton, and the quiet of nature. Start with a rejuvenating hike through Allerton’s fall colors, followed by a stop at the Greenhouse Café to sample new fall soups & specials. Then, snuggle up in the Library next to the fire with a book! Board games and Allerton puzzles are available upon request, and the Rec Room’s poker, shuffleboard, and billiards tables are always free to use.
We’re offering a special November rate of $90/night in the Mansion and all guest houses! All lodging facilities have availability on weeknights, while guest houses have additional weekend availability (due to Private Event bookings, the Mansion will be unavailable on weekends). Call 217-333-3287 to make your reservation now! (Offer does not apply to private event bookings.)
View Guest Rooms | View Facebook Event
Allerton Park and Retreat Center
515 Old Timber Road
Monticello, Illinois 61856
