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January 24, 2012
George Bates Memorial Foundation Donates $5000 to Brehm Preparatory School
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dalus Kulich
Coordinator of Communications
Brehm Preparatory School
618.457.0371 ext. 1309
George A. Bates Memorial Foundation donates $5,000 to Brehm Preparatory School
By Dalus Kulich
Brehm Preparatory School was recently honored with a $5,000 donation from the George A. Bates Memorial Foundation. Dr. Michael Murray, a trustee for the foundation, presented the check to Brehm Executive Director Richard Collins and Coordinator of Development Russell Williams earlier this month at the school’s Student Activities Center.
“Education was always very important to Mr. Bates,” Mike said. “This donation is certainly in keeping with his interest in supporting education.”
Mike is very familiar with the late George A. Bates philanthropic interests, having served as the caretaker for his 475-acre estate near Crystal Lake, Illinois, and currently as a trustee of the Bates Foundation.
George A. Bates was born in 1903. His father made a name for himself as an inventor, inventing such items as the Bates valve bag, still used today. It's a multi-wall bag, stitched together at the top, and usually containing items such as charcoal or dog food. George’s father started the Bates Valve Company in 1901. The St. Regis Paper Company bought Bates’ company in 1929.
George followed in his father’s brilliant footsteps. He wanted to be a scientist, so he enrolled in the University of Chicago to pursue that passion. However, when his father died of a heart attacked in downtown Chicago, George knew that he needed to take over the family business. So, he switched his education focus from science to business.
“George felt as though he didn’t know enough about investments to run the company, so he switched his major to business in 1929, right when the stock market crashed,” Mike said. “Luckily, Mr. Bates had sold all of the stock he had prior to the crash, so George had a lot of cash that he deposited in the most secure banks in Chicago while he finished earning his degree. After the stock market bottomed out, George bought stock again at dirt-cheap prices, and he started making his own money as a market investor.”
George not only had a brilliant knack at knowing which stock to invest in, but he also seemed to know instinctively which people were worth counting on. In 1973, George needed a caretaker for his 475-acre estate. At that time, Mike was a schoolteacher, making about $7,000 a year and struggling to make ends meet for himself and his wife and children.
When Mike found out about the caretaker position for the eccentric millionaire and big-game hunter, he jumped at the opportunity to supplement his income. Mike wanted to work as the caretaker while he continued his career as a schoolteacher.
For the interview, Mike brought his wife, Susan, and two children, Meghan and Matthew. During the interview – which was held in one of George’s great rooms filled with mounted animals from George’s many adventures – Mike and his wife were suddenly shocked to see their precocious son sitting on top of one of George’s prized lion-skin rugs, pummeling the head of the lion playfully.
Mike and Susan hoped that George wouldn't notice. But he did, and when he saw the little boy attacking the lion-skin rug, Mike’s heart sank.
“I thought for sure the interview was going to be over right then and there,” Mike said. “However, Mr. Bates loved it! He couldn’t stop laughing.”
Mike was offered the caretaker position almost immediately after the interview, and he and his family moved into the gatehouse on George’s property the very next month.
“Mr. Bates was truly a generous and caring person. He bought a station wagon for us because our car was falling apart. During the summers when I wasn’t working as a schoolteacher, he would hire me for additional work on his golf course or taking care of his estate. Before working for Mr. Bates, I would supplement my income in the summer by working in factories, so this was a huge help for my family financially and emotionally.
“Also, Mr. Bates would come over to the gatehouse every Monday and eat dinner with us,” Mike said. “He loved to take me and my family to brunch every weekend. We would load up his station wagon and go to the steakhouse in town and he would treat us. He was always so very nice to us.”
Mike worked for George from 1973-1977.
“Occasionally, I kept in touch with the Mr. Bates and his family, secretaries and staff after leaving the position as caretaker,” Mike said. “Shortly after I heard that Mr. Bates passed away in 1986, I was told that the George A. Bates Foundation was established to continue Mr. Bates’ philanthropic work.”
In 1996, Mike became the Director of Development for Southern Illinois University’s College of Engineering.
“Early on, we had a million-dollar project and I was tasked with finding out how we could get money, loans, grants or donations from corporations or alums for the project. I remembered that Mr. Bates wanted to be a scientist, so I thought that this project would be something that the Bates Foundation would be interested in supporting,” Mike said. “I wrote a proposal to the foundation asking for $50,000 over a period of five years, and it was approved.”
Mike said he was so moved by the generous support that he wrote the foundation’s trustees.
“I told them that I was so thankful that they were so generous and that they remembered me and my time with Mr. Bates,” Mike said. “I let them know that if they ever needed my help for anything, that I would be there in a heartbeat.”
In 2000, the trustees had an opening on the foundation’s board and remembered Mike’s devotion to Mr. Bates and the promise he made to help the foundation wherever needed.
“I was honored when the foundation members asked me to be a trustee. They said they were looking for someone who knew Mr. Bates and would carry on his philanthropic deeds,” Mike said. “Mr. Bates was so kind to me and my family, and I want to pay that generosity and kindness back. I wrote them back immediately and accepted the position.”
Mike retired from SIUC as the Director of Development for the College of Engineering and as director of the university’s corporate relations in June 2008. He now devotes the majority of his time to non-profit endeavors.
The foundation provides funding to numerous charitable organizations, with a focus on education, cancer, the blind, rehabilitation and distressed children and families.
“We used to donate around $350,000 a year to about 30 charities, but due to the economy, we have had to cut back our donations to $200,000 a year to about 20 charities. The trust currently has several million dollars to carry on Mr. Bates’ tradition of giving that we trustees plan to give to needy, deserving organizations.
“The charities we support are hand-chosen by the four trustees and reflect Mr. Bates’ interests. We choose organizations that not only need the help, but also are filled with people who represent their causes well. Brehm is one of those organizations,” Mike said. “I have become acquainted with many of the administrators at Brehm over the years, including Dr. Richard Collins (executive director of Brehm), and I have always been impressed by their passion for the school and their efforts with children with complex learning disabilities.
“I believe Mr. Bates would be very pleased that we donated to Brehm,” Mike said. “He liked organizations that have great reputations for doing great things, and Brehm fits that. Brehm has a proven track record of making a difference.”
The George A. Bates Foundation has given away more than $6 million since it was established in 1989, including $200,000 to SIUC.
Contact: Dalus Kulich
Coordinator of Communications
Brehm Preparatory School
618.457.0371 ext. 1309
George A. Bates Memorial Foundation donates $5,000 to Brehm Preparatory School
By Dalus Kulich
Brehm Preparatory School was recently honored with a $5,000 donation from the George A. Bates Memorial Foundation. Dr. Michael Murray, a trustee for the foundation, presented the check to Brehm Executive Director Richard Collins and Coordinator of Development Russell Williams earlier this month at the school’s Student Activities Center.
“Education was always very important to Mr. Bates,” Mike said. “This donation is certainly in keeping with his interest in supporting education.”
Mike is very familiar with the late George A. Bates philanthropic interests, having served as the caretaker for his 475-acre estate near Crystal Lake, Illinois, and currently as a trustee of the Bates Foundation.
George A. Bates was born in 1903. His father made a name for himself as an inventor, inventing such items as the Bates valve bag, still used today. It's a multi-wall bag, stitched together at the top, and usually containing items such as charcoal or dog food. George’s father started the Bates Valve Company in 1901. The St. Regis Paper Company bought Bates’ company in 1929.
George followed in his father’s brilliant footsteps. He wanted to be a scientist, so he enrolled in the University of Chicago to pursue that passion. However, when his father died of a heart attacked in downtown Chicago, George knew that he needed to take over the family business. So, he switched his education focus from science to business.
“George felt as though he didn’t know enough about investments to run the company, so he switched his major to business in 1929, right when the stock market crashed,” Mike said. “Luckily, Mr. Bates had sold all of the stock he had prior to the crash, so George had a lot of cash that he deposited in the most secure banks in Chicago while he finished earning his degree. After the stock market bottomed out, George bought stock again at dirt-cheap prices, and he started making his own money as a market investor.”
George not only had a brilliant knack at knowing which stock to invest in, but he also seemed to know instinctively which people were worth counting on. In 1973, George needed a caretaker for his 475-acre estate. At that time, Mike was a schoolteacher, making about $7,000 a year and struggling to make ends meet for himself and his wife and children.
When Mike found out about the caretaker position for the eccentric millionaire and big-game hunter, he jumped at the opportunity to supplement his income. Mike wanted to work as the caretaker while he continued his career as a schoolteacher.
For the interview, Mike brought his wife, Susan, and two children, Meghan and Matthew. During the interview – which was held in one of George’s great rooms filled with mounted animals from George’s many adventures – Mike and his wife were suddenly shocked to see their precocious son sitting on top of one of George’s prized lion-skin rugs, pummeling the head of the lion playfully.
Mike and Susan hoped that George wouldn't notice. But he did, and when he saw the little boy attacking the lion-skin rug, Mike’s heart sank.
“I thought for sure the interview was going to be over right then and there,” Mike said. “However, Mr. Bates loved it! He couldn’t stop laughing.”
Mike was offered the caretaker position almost immediately after the interview, and he and his family moved into the gatehouse on George’s property the very next month.
“Mr. Bates was truly a generous and caring person. He bought a station wagon for us because our car was falling apart. During the summers when I wasn’t working as a schoolteacher, he would hire me for additional work on his golf course or taking care of his estate. Before working for Mr. Bates, I would supplement my income in the summer by working in factories, so this was a huge help for my family financially and emotionally.
“Also, Mr. Bates would come over to the gatehouse every Monday and eat dinner with us,” Mike said. “He loved to take me and my family to brunch every weekend. We would load up his station wagon and go to the steakhouse in town and he would treat us. He was always so very nice to us.”
Mike worked for George from 1973-1977.
“Occasionally, I kept in touch with the Mr. Bates and his family, secretaries and staff after leaving the position as caretaker,” Mike said. “Shortly after I heard that Mr. Bates passed away in 1986, I was told that the George A. Bates Foundation was established to continue Mr. Bates’ philanthropic work.”
In 1996, Mike became the Director of Development for Southern Illinois University’s College of Engineering.
“Early on, we had a million-dollar project and I was tasked with finding out how we could get money, loans, grants or donations from corporations or alums for the project. I remembered that Mr. Bates wanted to be a scientist, so I thought that this project would be something that the Bates Foundation would be interested in supporting,” Mike said. “I wrote a proposal to the foundation asking for $50,000 over a period of five years, and it was approved.”
Mike said he was so moved by the generous support that he wrote the foundation’s trustees.
“I told them that I was so thankful that they were so generous and that they remembered me and my time with Mr. Bates,” Mike said. “I let them know that if they ever needed my help for anything, that I would be there in a heartbeat.”
In 2000, the trustees had an opening on the foundation’s board and remembered Mike’s devotion to Mr. Bates and the promise he made to help the foundation wherever needed.
“I was honored when the foundation members asked me to be a trustee. They said they were looking for someone who knew Mr. Bates and would carry on his philanthropic deeds,” Mike said. “Mr. Bates was so kind to me and my family, and I want to pay that generosity and kindness back. I wrote them back immediately and accepted the position.”
Mike retired from SIUC as the Director of Development for the College of Engineering and as director of the university’s corporate relations in June 2008. He now devotes the majority of his time to non-profit endeavors.
The foundation provides funding to numerous charitable organizations, with a focus on education, cancer, the blind, rehabilitation and distressed children and families.
“We used to donate around $350,000 a year to about 30 charities, but due to the economy, we have had to cut back our donations to $200,000 a year to about 20 charities. The trust currently has several million dollars to carry on Mr. Bates’ tradition of giving that we trustees plan to give to needy, deserving organizations.
“The charities we support are hand-chosen by the four trustees and reflect Mr. Bates’ interests. We choose organizations that not only need the help, but also are filled with people who represent their causes well. Brehm is one of those organizations,” Mike said. “I have become acquainted with many of the administrators at Brehm over the years, including Dr. Richard Collins (executive director of Brehm), and I have always been impressed by their passion for the school and their efforts with children with complex learning disabilities.
“I believe Mr. Bates would be very pleased that we donated to Brehm,” Mike said. “He liked organizations that have great reputations for doing great things, and Brehm fits that. Brehm has a proven track record of making a difference.”
The George A. Bates Foundation has given away more than $6 million since it was established in 1989, including $200,000 to SIUC.
CUTLINES:
IMG_1070: Dr. Michael Murray, a trustee for the George A. Bates Foundation, presents Dr. Richard Collins, executive director at Brehm Preparatory School, and Russell Williams, coordinator of development, with a donation of $5,000.
Bates 1: Michael Murray, left, sits with George A. Bates, an eccentric millionaire, whom he worked for as a caretaker from 1973-1977.
Bates 2: In the 1970s, George A. Bates, left, shows Michael Murray, then the caretaker of his property and now a trustee on the George A. Bates Memorial Foundation, film of one of his big game hunts.
