WHAT WE DO
The Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria is fan-established, fan-organized and fan-supported. We sponsor events for the purpose of generating funds to meet the goals set forth in our mission statement. Sponsored events engage and support the fine arts through the live performances of music, theater and the display of artwork. In addition to events, Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria accepts support through donations, and seeks opportunities to create awareness of Dan’s musical legacy in any manner that is respectful and dignified.
Additionally, Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria provides ongoing maintenance of the Dan Fogelberg Memorial in Riverfront Park in Peoria; provides annual support to the Prostate Cancer Foundation in Dan’s memory; and supports all areas of the Fine Arts through monetary grants and donations to appropriate organizations.
A BRIEF HISTORY
In the aftermath of Dan Fogelberg’s passing in 2007, several fan-based tributes were organized in and around Dan’s hometown of Peoria, Illinois, culminating with the construction and dedication of the Dan Fogelberg Memorial in 2010. Each of these events or projects were funded through fan-based donations, or private and corporate sponsorship. Proceeds from each of these events were donated to various charitable organizations. Each time a new event was planned, organizers would start with nothing in hand but the best of intentions and the hope that fans would continue to support their efforts.
In light of the tremendously favorable response from attendees of the Peoria Memorial Dedication in 2010, and the numerous requests to plan events for the following year, Hugh Higgins, Deb Jelinek and Eric Mills began the process of establishing the Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria in early 2011, with the hopes of building toward hosting annual events both in Peoria and around the country. The creation of the Foundation would allow for the financial support and organizational structure needed to steer the planned events toward success, and channel the proceeds to worthy causes.
In the years since its’ establishment, Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria has hosted a string of successful tribute events in the form of Celebration Weekends in Peoria each year from 2011 through 2015. In 2016, we invited fans to a weekend of tribute events in Portland, Maine and in 2017, invited Fogelberg fans to Nashville, Tennessee in support of the newly crafted stage play, Part Of The Plan. Representatives of Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria were also in attendance at the 2017 Colorado Music Hall of Fame ceremony and induction for Dan.
While continuing to make annual donations in Dan’s memory to Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria has also made generous donations to local organizations, such as Sun Foundation, Lyrics Alive, UsToo, and the fine arts program at Glen Oak Elementary School. After a very busy year of projects and events in 2017, Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria took a break in 2018, and were in the early stages of planning events for 2019 when the unexpected passing of co-founder Deb Jelinek made it necessary to cancel all events for the rest of that year. Late in 2019, a steering committee was assembled to begin planning an August Celebration Weekend in Peoria in honor of the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the Dan Fogelberg Memorial. Sadly, the restrictions put in place regarding the Covid 19 pandemic made it necessary to, once again, cancel all planned Foundation activities for the year.
