By Cameron Wacker “Gorton is a place where everyone belongs – no matter what school or neighborhood you might live in, what other sorts of clubs or religious organizations, everyone convenes at Gorton,” said Gorton Center Executive Director Amy Wagliardo. “This makes it unique.”
With Gorton Center’s 50th anniversary on the horizon, it is the perfect time to reflect on why the nonprofit is so special to our community.
Jackie Smith played a crucial role in transforming the former school into a community center.
Gorton originally served as a local school in the early 1900s; the building radiates its historic charm to this day. In 1974, the school was transformed into a community center. For the past 50 years, Gorton has fostered community engagement and creativity in the heart of Lake Forest.
Perry Minter, Lake Forest resident and member of Gorton’s board of directors, has many fond memories of her family’s time spent at the center.
“Gorton has a special way of bringing families and neighbors together to create lasting memories,” said Minter. “Every time one of my children enters the building, they are learning a new skill, connecting with others and building confidence.”
Added Wagliardo, “People come in and remember when they went to school here, when they participated in a community theater performance, when their kids were at the Gorton Children’s Learning Center, when they themselves participated in the predecessor to CROYA that used to be housed at Gorton, and more.”
All the world's a stage at Gorton.
Today, Gorton Center offers activities for all ages, ranging from movie showings and concerts to toddler-care programs. When we asked Wagliardo what her favorite Gorton activity was, she was torn.
“This is like asking a parent to choose its favorite child. I cannot pick one!” said Wagliardo. “But I can say because of Gorton’s unique place in the community, if you asked 10 people this question, you would likely get 10 different answers.”
Gorton became a nonprofit center for the arts in 2006, relying on sponsors and donations to provide funding for its staff and programming. In 2010, Gorton faced a revenue shortfall, nearly permanently shutting the center down. Although the center survived the financial crisis with the help of past Executive Director Brenda Dick, Gorton remains mindful of possible funding challenges to help direct its nonprofit work.
“There are always more priorities and opportunities than resources in the nonprofit world, so we have to be good stewards of what we have and make the best decisions on what to champion next,” said Wagliardo. “I feel our team does a good job of thoughtfully planning and executing with the confines of what is available, and so we hope this will mean patrons invest in their community here so we can do as much as possible.”
Parking-lot events such as live bands always draw a crowd.
While there is much to celebrate after 50 years of Gorton, its anniversary is just the start. Wagliardo explained that Gorton is in its second year of a three-year strategic plan, where its staff is working to provide meaningful programming based on the community’s needs.
“Gorton still provides some of the same enrichment it did back in 1974, but it has also always evolved to meet the needs of its patrons. I’m guessing this will be true for the next 50 years as well,” said Wagliardo. “It’s exciting to be a small part of Gorton’s story.” “Gorton will always be a place for connection and community – a place where people can feel like they’re a part of it all.”
Join Amy and other community members at Gorton Center for a 50th-anniversary celebration on Sept. 14-15. Gorton’s annual Dog Day event will return on Sept. 14 , followed by a festival with food vendors, live music and entertainment, activities, giveaways, and raffles. After the outdoor festivities end, Gorton’s theater will host 1990’s alt-rockers Fastball from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. On Sept. 15, enjoy Gorton’s wellness programming with a restorative yoga class and community sound bath. Throughout the afternoon, they will be showing John Hughes movies to highlight the incredible filmmaker and his contribution to Gorton’s history. For more information on the anniversary celebration, please visit gortoncenter.org.
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