Amanda Meiborg Memorial Tree Fund
Amanda Meiborg was a beloved daughter, friend, and Valedictorian of West Chicago Community High School's Class of 2002. She passed away in October 2003 from a rare form of cancer. Survived by her parents, brothers, and countless friends and relatives, Amanda's memory has flourished in our hearts and memories as the years pass.
West Chicago Community High School (WCCHS) accepted a tree to be planted in Amanda's honor years ago. The tree was paid for by Amanda's mother Lee Ann Meiborg. It was an official memorial with a plaque at the base of the tree (pictured above). A small vial of her remains are embedded in the plaque itself. As Amanda was cremated, this memorial stone and autumn maple blaze acted as the official site for family and friends to pay their respects to Amanda over the years.
On June 3rd, 2019 Amanda's mom drove to WCCHS to see the tree, only to be met with dug up construction for the school's recent addition. After numerous phone calls and emails to the school, the plaque was located and returned to Lee Ann thanks to the efforts and care of an administrator from the accounting department. We thank her.
As of June 16th, 2019 we are still awaiting a response from the school as to the whereabouts of the tree and an official explanation why it was moved without notifying Amanda Meiborg's family. Furthermore, we demand an apology from the school administrators involved with this decision, as well as a plan of action for replacing Amanda's Memorial on school grounds.
Other memorial trees from deceased students and educators were also removed from campus to make way for the summer construction. Where are they? What was done with their memorials? Were more remains disturbed without familial consent? These are the questions we must ask now, and we will not be quiet until we receive answers.
Please consider donating to this GoFundMe. The money will cover the cost of relocating Amanda's tree (should it be found) and/or cover the cost of planting a new tree or constructing a new memorial at a new location. It will also cover some costs for her mother's travel back and forth to WCCHS and any other expenses she may accrue in relation to this ongoing project.
In addition to your donation please take a moment to write, email, call, and/or post on social media to West Chicago Community High School and to spread the word and demand accountability for this desecration.
School contacts listed here: https://www.d94.org/Domain/54
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**** UPDATE ****
6/18/19
After contacting the press and posting about this on Facebook on the afternoon of June 16th we have received responses from the WCCHS Superintendent Douglas Domeracki (via press statements) and school board president Renee Yackey (via phone and press statements). So far, The Daily Herald has published two pieces about Amanda's tree removal and both ABC7 and NBC Chicago has each run their own story on the nightly news. We are grateful for the exposure and support. We hope this will help spread the word in our effort to meet our fundraising goal.
The new goal is $2,500 which is the estimated price to have a tree planted at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. Thank you to all who have donated thus far! Please share this fundraiser if you are able.
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190617/mother-shows-up-to-visit-memorial-tree-for-her-daughter-at-west-chicago-high-to-find-it-was-chopped-down
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190618/west-chicago-district-94-to-reconsider-memorial-policy-after-tree-honoring-graduate-was-removed
https://abc7chicago.com/society/family-upset-memorial-tree-removed-from-west-chicago-high/5352142/
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Family-Outraged-Daughters-Memorial-Tree-Uprooted-Turned-Into-Construction-Site-511493481.html
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**** UPDATE ****
6/19/19
The Associated Press picked up the story so we are now making national news. Linked below is an article from a paper in Raleigh, North Carolina. The GoFundMe page is in the top results when you Google this topic. Over half of our goal has been met! This is amazing. Thank you SO much for all of your generosity. We definitely want to see this through to the end goal!
https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article231721838.html?fbclid=IwAR2RIhwnhZoAjWOlVc2-fBZ33ModlLfL6s1HRi-ao1XcrdcWkdzdtBG3ggU
WCCHS Superintendent Douglas Domeracki reached out to Lee Ann Meiborg to apologize on behalf of the school.
The Daily Herald will run another follow-up piece this week with new photos and an interview with Lee Ann.
In related news, a high school in Milwaukee recently encountered a similar situation but with very different results: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/plymouth-high-school-memorial-tree-could-be-removed-in-renovation-plans?fbclid=IwAR2jx_k8g76rv6NQiW4AB3kmNXpgZcz34NQcxGFubh_V4CQXxcpIyhCJtjs
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**** UPDATE ****
6/21/19
WE DID IT!!!! We have SURPASSED our goal thanks to all of you wonderful humans. Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who shared and donated this week. Our story spread across the pond! Since my last update, we've had two more Daily Herald articles published about Amanda's tree. Press links:
https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/20/school-chopped-memorial-tree-cancer-student-didnt-tell-mom-sneered-complaints-10020019/amp/?fbclid=IwAR35UyywXLfNWHmeaPRp841xBqrOJhPZ52ekthhozPjqGCf4C02kYnbApKE
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190620/its-not-happy-memories-anymore-mom-still-hurt-over-district-94s-abrupt-removal-of-memorial-tree?fbclid=IwAR1dFvAsetI2L7c8MaWWRoCeTDLt9jamXgrPM4NQ5T0CkvTvjSlnlBaZMoM
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190621/two-trees-for-amanda-how-west-chicago-community-rallied-around-moms-loss-?fbclid=IwAR0PptElKXB2bxDbsq60yz8KrzVZAnonp0g_E7xcQFKazhQfjXnovp61-uU
What's next? First, I will transfer the donation money to Lee Ann by adding her as the beneficiary to this campaign. She will use this money to plant a memorial tree at the Morton Arboretum, the amount of $2,500 being the official estimate given to her, timeline TBD. Any funds not spent on the memorial tree itself will remain with Lee Ann to cover other tree-related travel and/or upkeep expenses.
Honestly, I could not feel more humbled and grateful to have this to give to my late best friend's mom to help correct the immense pain she has felt the past few weeks. She was always my "2nd Mom" growing up and I love her very much. For those of you who know me or Lee Ann, we will keep you posted on our personal pages about the memorial trees. For those of you who are strangers to us, The Daily Herald will continue to update you as the events transpire.
Thank you again. You did a good thing.
Love,
Katie Kammes
