Senator Andy Manar / Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan Kick-off Restoration Efforts for Mother Jones Monument

Mt. Olive, IL – Illinois State Senator Andy Manar will be kicking off restoration efforts on Tuesday, June 17^th at 10 a.m. which will update the public on the fundraising efforts for the preservation of the monument and final resting place of Mother Jones.

Manar and President Michael T. Carrigan of the Illinois AFL-CIO have spearheaded the fundraising efforts and will gather with guests at the monument located in the Union Miner Cemetery in Mt. Olive, Illinois.  A ceremonial check, including gifts from donors from 14 different states, will be presented to the Union Miner Cemetery Board to begin restoration.

The historic landmark celebrates the courage of a woman who fought most of her life for the rights of others and offers a glimpse into the hardships of a coal miner, and the dangerous fight unions waged in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Union Miners’ Cemetery Perpetual Care Association formed a partnership with the Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Senator Andy Manar, Illinois Labor History Society, United Mine Workers of America, and the Mother Jones Foundation to raise the funds.

The monument restoration is in conjunction with the soon to be erected Mother Jones Museum and both are scheduled to be unveiled in June 2015 inspiring thousands of guests each month to visit the small community.  While a large sum has already been raised, the cost of the restoration is not yet met. For donations of more than $500, there will be a permanent marker at the site.

“Mother Jones was known as ‘The most dangerous woman in America,’ but workers recognize her as the most courageous and her memory must be preserved,” Carrigan said.

Donations can be sent to:  Mother Jones Monument Fund, Illinois AFL-CIO, 534 S. Second, Springfield, IL 62701.

Manar and the Illinois AFL-CIO are excited to thank donors and encourage others to donate to make the restoration possible. The monument is located in Manar’s district.

For more information about the restoration of the monument or about how to donate, contact: Amy Rueff at 217-492-2633 or by E-mail Amy.Rueff@ilafl-cio.org. You can also follow their progress at www.facebook.com/motherjonesmonument