Organizing Tips for Tax-Time Success

The tax season is wrapping up! It's time to gather your materials.

Whether you hire someone to prepare your taxes or attempt to make sense of the forms yourself, it is imperative that your papers be in order to achieve tax-time success. For best results, don’t leave the project until the last minute. Good tax organization is a year-round process.

Keeping track of tax-related transactions, such as the contributions you’ve made to the Geneva Foundation of Presbyterian Homes, throughout the year saves you from reconstructing the details later, and now is the perfect time to set up a system.

For a less hectic tax season, start with these three basic moves for organizing your charitable contributions:

1. Keep your receipts. File these documents using a folder system labeled to match the categories you’ll be using for taxes, such as cash donations, household items and gifts of stock.

2. Transfer records to financial planning software. Enter the information from your folders electronically throughout the year so you’re not doing it all at once when April 17 is fast approaching. Doing so will also help you gauge whether to give more at year-end to maximize tax benefits.

3. Don’t forget to claim deductions based on travel. Record vehicle mileage and other travel expenses when incurred for charity.

Don’t miss out on the benefits you deserve because you didn’t properly document your gifts. If you have questions about documenting your contributions to the Geneva Foundation, please feel free to contact us at 847/492-2959 or through email at genevafoundation@presbyterianhomes.org.

The Margaret Brewer Fountain

The Margaret Brewer Fountain
Dedicated to the residents of Presbyterian Homes ~ In loving memory of Margaret Brewer

The Margaret Brewer Fountain, a gift to Presbyterian Homes in honor of the memory of Mrs. Margaret Brewer by Alvin and Miriam Huss has been delicately and thoughtfully restored to its original beauty and magnificence. On October 13th, after nearly one full year of restorative repair, the fountain was unveiled and rededicated.















Over the years, Presbyterian Homes meticulously maintained the fountain. Over time however, performing regular maintenance and repairs had become increasingly more difficult. Very few companies were qualified to do antique fountain restoration. Painfully and begrudgingly, Presbyterian Homes discontinued use of the fountain until the best course for repair could be determined.














The answer came from the original artisan of the fountain. To our amazement, not only was the original design company still in existence, but had incredibly retained the original molds of the fountain and its inner mechanical systems!














In the fall of 2010, the fountain was removed from its pedestal, lifted by a crane over a brick wall, loaded on a truck and sent to Alabama for the restoration.

It is back to its place of honor and is ready to once more stand majestically in the Margaret Brewer Garden to enlighten the Westminster Place Campus with beauty.

For years to come, the Fountain will bring peace and solace, respite, renewal and inspiration to residents, visitors and staff. Generations of new residents will forever be awed by its loveliness.


“Bless these waters that they may ever flow as streams of mercy to inspire and refresh and heal.”
~ Rev. Priscilla Wilkens Stevens, Chaplain ~

Do you want to know more about the legacy behind this fountain? Please contact the Geneva Foundation of Presbyterian Homes at 847/492-2959.

Upclose details of our lovely Margaret Brewer Fountain.