Our Mission
The primary mission of this business is to help fund the MAR-WOOD-BAR-DA Foundation and its various activities. Grants for advanced education beyond high school level are provided to encourage young people to continue their advanced education, improving their opportunities for a good future. Many of the jobs that are increasingly available now, and in the future, will require a highly technological background requiring college degrees. Additionally, it is my hope to provide any number of opportunities for individuals who want to raise funds for special projects, like the PTA/PTO, band parents, churches activities, restoration projects etc.

Who we are
My wife and I were located in the Chicago land area for over 32 years before moving to the Avon, Illinois area. While in La Grange Park I worked for Western Electric, AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Originally, I performed testing of completed products which were built at the Hawthorn Works in Cicero, Illinois. I transferred to the Lisle plant, commonly known as the Northern Illinois Works,(NIW) located across from the Bell Labs facility in Naperville Illinois. While working at NIW, I was doing much the same kinds of work as I did at the Hawthorn Works but in the electronic switching group. While there I applied for an Associate Engineer (EA) position and was accepted because of my over all background and experience level. While working in the field of electrical engineering, I finally received my certification as a Development Engineering (DE), which I worked at until retiring. My wife Barb was a home maker and mother to our three girls and a tireless volunteer in local activities from playing volleyball and baseball to umpiring baseball games for various youth groups. She was a leader in Camp Fire Girls and long time board member of what is now Camp Fire USA for many years starting as a youth and she still participates in activities with them from time to time. After the kids were in school she decided to earn a teaching degree so that she could teach K-8 classes. With my retiring in 2001 we moved to Avon, Illinois where we both keep busy. I have Lions Club activities and my Foundation work as well the Spoon River Scenic Drives yearly activities. I buy, sell and service computers also. My wife continues to teach whenever she has the opportunity, but most importantly we spend as much time with our grand children as possible in the local area. With our moving to Avon, Illinois after my parents died, we purchased their 1871 Victorian home from my brother and two sisters. We have spent a lot of time restoring the old homestead (with a new roof, replaced the front and side porches, a deck on the back part of the house, and new siding on all of the house.) With an older home there are always projects that need doing and it keeps us busy for most of the year, weather permitting.

What we do
The purpose of this web site is to earn money for the operation of my Foundation that I started after my parents died. They were very much into working with the local schools and during the summertime, for over 25 years they ran a non-for profit camp where they taught acting, makeup, and set design to young people. Out of respect for them, I started the MAR-WOOD-BAR-DA Foundation to continue to promote their ideals and work through awarding educational grants. I hope to reach people from their twenties up through seniors who want to find gifts for their friends and loved ones. This site will provide a large variety of items with something for all individuals and, in addition, a number of special listings not normally found in a site like this. There will be unique items from some of the local antique shops which might not be found on the average web site listings. We have our own quilt shop in town and they might like to show some of their special items of interest. Information on these vendors will be available through this site.