Honoring a Family Legacy of Learning and Love for Community

The Hannah’s Reading Garden Endowment Fund is a Designated Fund established in October 2018 by Lynne and Dan Walters. The purpose of the fund is to make annual distributions to the Morton Public Library to support the improvement, upkeep, maintenance, and expansion of Hannah’s Reading Garden.

Distributions from this fund may be used for:

• Adding new amenities to the garden

• Covering maintenance costs

• Planting and replanting landscape plants

• Other needs that enhance this special outdoor space

This permanent fund ensures that Hannah’s Reading Garden remains a vibrant and inviting place for learning, performing, and community connection—now and for generations to come.

A Story of Four Generations

This fund is part of a remarkable story spanning four generations of one family and their dedication to literacy and community.

It began many years ago when Bernice Oberlander, a long-time Morton Public Library Board member and president, had a passion for helping children discover a love for reading. She asked her junior high daughter to make some posters to promote a brand-new idea: a Summer Reading Program. That first summer, just a handful of youngsters signed up. Today, the program boasts over 1,250 participants each year, complete with the traditional year-end swim party.

The Summer Reading Program continues to thrive thanks to an endowment at the Morton Community Foundation:

Read more about The Bernice L. Oberlander/Lynne R. Walters Library Children’s Summer Reading Fund →

Hannah’s Reading Garden

Building on this legacy, Lynne and Dan Walters honored Bernice’s vision by funding the creation of Hannah’s Reading Garden in memory of their granddaughter, Hannah Thompson, who passed away at the age of six from a brain tumor.

Hannah’s Reading Garden is a beautiful outdoor performance space at the Morton Public Library, used for Summer Reading Program events and other community performances. This endowment ensures that the garden remains well-maintained and continues to inspire creativity and joy for years to come.

Hannah’s parents, Heather and Michael Thompson, also created the Hannah’s Red Rocket Fund at the Morton Community Foundation, which provides grants to purchase accessible recreational equipment for Morton’s public spaces.

Read more about Hannah’s Red Rocket Fund →

A Legacy of Love

Through these initiatives, the Oberlander, Walters, and Thompson families have created a legacy that touches lives across generations.

Make a Gift

Your donation to the Hannah’s Reading Garden Endowment Fund helps ensure this special space continues to serve as a place of learning, laughter, and community connection.