The legacy and impact of the late Aurora Alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns will continue through a new foundation established in her memory.
Managed by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, the Scheketa Hart-Burns Memorial Foundation was set-up by her widower, William Burns, and children to honor Scheketa Hart-Burns’ legacy and carry out her unwavering passion for the Aurora community.
Donations to the Scheketa Hart-Burns Memorial Foundation will support charitable giving to nonprofit organizations in the Aurora area and scholarships that will help young people continue their education.
The first donation of $2,500 was made by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Maywood Wheaton Alumni Chapter, which serves the greater Aurora area. For several years, the fraternity members collaborated with Hart-Burns on her annual Back-to-School event and other community initiatives.
The late Alderwoman Hart-Burns died unexpectedly earlier this summer after surgical complications. She served as Ward 7 Alderwoman for 32 years, making history in 1991 when she was the first black person elected to the Aurora City Council. During her tenure, she founded more than two dozen non-profit organizations, neighborhood groups, and community agencies.
For more information on the memorial foundation and to donate, visit https://www.cffrv.org/profile/scheketa-hart-burns-memorial-foundation/.
—City of Aurora government