MACOMB – While Gloria (Caldwell) Vankan lives far from her hometown, Macomb has a special place in her heart, along with animal welfare, so Vankan and her husband, Edwin, are giving back to Gloria's hometown in honor of her late parents.
In memory of Helen and Ernest Caldwell, the Vankans are matching funds up to $10,000 in support of the Animal Shelter Building Fund Campaign in McDonough County. Ernest was a Macomb City firefighter for 28 years before retiring as captain in 1986. He passed away on Jan. 3, 2000 at the age of 75. According to Gloria, her mother, Helen, was a busy stay-athome mom, expert upholsterer and well known for her incredible pies. She moved into Wesley Village when she was 90 and passed away Sept. 24, 2024 at the age of 95.
Ernie was born in Littleton Township, and graduated from Industry High School. He worked on his family farm until February 1945 when he joined the Army and served as an Army Engineer in the Pacific Theater in the Philippines and Korea. Helen Lung, was born in Good Hope and graduated from Rushville High School.
'In 1946, dad was discharged from the Army and in 1947, he met my mother while she was waiting tables in a Rushville restaurant. Their romance blossomed and they married in 1948. They lived and worked on a small farm near Industry before moving their young family to Macomb in 1956,' Gloria shared.
Once in Macomb, Ernie first worked at the McGraw Edison Porcelain factory until he was recruited into the Macomb City Fire Department in 1958. In addition to being a stayat- home mother, Helen also ironed clothes for others to earn a little extra income.
'Dad was so happy and loved his job. I can still picture him dressed up in his new formal uniform and hat when he left for work each day, and mom, even in the intense heat of summer, she would iron for hours. She did what she could to treat each of us kids to something special,' she recalled.
The Caldwells were active in various Baptist and Christian churches over the years, and always one to give back to the community, Gloria said one of the last things her father did before he died was use his precise woodworking skills to build a new stage and set of stairs for the University Baptist Church.
Gloria Caldwell-Vankan moved to Washington, D.C. shortly after she graduated from Macomb High School in 1978. She and Edwin have been volunteers for the Nelson County SPCA/ Humane Society in Virginia since 2008. In 2019, the couple was honored with the annual Virginia State Federation of Humane Societies BRAVO AWARD for promoting animal welfare and being instrumental in making an impact within the animal welfare arena in the State of Virginia. The Vankans serve as adoption counselors (personally matching homeless dogs to forever homes) for the Nelson County SPCA and Hopeful Hounds of Nelson.
'We are excited to help make the dream of the Humane Society of McDonough County building a reality,' the Vankans said. 'My parents were good, hardworking people and I was lucky to have them as my parents. They were always kind, appreciative and generous, and they were never too busy to lend a helping hand and do what they could to better someone else’s lives when they saw a need they could fulfill.'
Bonnie Smith-Skripps, president of the Humane Society of McDonough County (HSMC), said the Vankan's generosity, along with other fundraising initiatives, will go a long way to help the society raise funds for the construction of the county's new animal shelter.
'Now that we have the land just east of the shelter on Tower Road, which has been leased to HSMC by the City of Macomb, we are eager to start the building process. We have over $960,000 in the building campaign fund, and we anticipate needing at least another $500,000 to complete the project,' she pointed out. 'The new animal shelter will be a valuable asset for McDonough County and an inviting place for those in surrounding communities to find a new pet as well.'
The new ADA-compliant shelter building will allow for a new 'meet & greet' room; critically needed intake, quarantine and isolation areas and improved food preparation, laundry and storage space; as well as an all-purpose room.
To donate, visit hsmcil.org/building- campaign, or by sending a check, payable to HSMC Building Campaign, to HSMC Building Campaign, P.O. Box 7, Macomb, IL 61455.
The Humane Society of McDonough County is a State of Illinois not-forprofits and a qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations to the humane society are tax-deductible.
