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Kankakee County proclaims June 10 Alexis McCullough Day after fundraiser for Gold Star Families memorial
Summary
The Kankakee County Board voted to approve a proclamation recognizing 17-year-old Alexis McCullough for fundraising more than $120,000 to erect a Woody Williams Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Bourbonnais and for ongoing advocacy work.
The Kankakee County Board on June 10 approved a proclamation declaring June 10, 2025, as Alexis McCullough Day, honoring a 17-year-old who led a fundraiser for a Gold Star Families memorial in Bourbonnais.
The proclamation recognizes Alexis McCullough’s fundraising effort of more than $120,000 to build a Woody Williams Gold Star Family Memorial Monument and commends her service and leadership as she pursues the rank of Eagle Scout. The board approved the proclamation by voice vote after the reading of the document and a public presentation.
During a presentation at the meeting, Alexis McCullough, a student at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, described how joining the Boy Scouts after her father’s death provided an outlet and led to her memorial project. “I’m so honored to be here today, and I’m so grateful for you guys and all of your community support,” McCullough said. She explained the monument’s design: it is black granite, about 7 feet tall at its highest peak and 14 feet wide, with panels labeled Homeland, Family, Patriot and Sacrifice. She noted the monument includes a panel with the McCullough name and that it is one of three Woody Williams monuments in Illinois.
State Representative Jackie Haas presented a certificate from the Illinois House of Representatives recognizing McCullough’s completion of her gold star Eagle project on April 26, 2025. The county proclamation and the state certificate were followed by a formal motion to approve the proclamation, which carried on a voice vote.
The presentation included a limited-edition challenge coin replica of the monument created by a relative of Woody Williams and a short slideshow McCullough used to describe her fundraising and outreach. McCullough also said she is continuing advocacy through the Miss America program as Miss Kankakee’s Teen and plans to compete for Miss Illinois’s Teen next month.
The board’s approval was ceremonial; no further county action or funding was authorized by the proclamation. The monument itself was presented as a completed local project; the county recognized McCullough’s leadership and the community support that helped fund and install the memorial.
The proclamation and the state certificate conclude the county’s formal recognition; McCullough encouraged residents to visit the memorial at Marquette Park in Bourbonnais.
