A Note from the Past

Sometimes, albeit rarely, procrastination pays off, especially when it comes to getting rid of things. So, imagine the surprise Sam Lechowicz ’20 felt when she found a handwritten note from Lydia Moss Bradley while sorting through a box marked “macaroni and cheese” on the last day of her internship back in 2019 at the Peoria Women’s Club (PWC), one of the oldest in the U.S. A women and gender studies minor, Lechowicz was one of several Bradley students who continue to help PWC digitize their historic documents, according to club president Kimberly Prather Mitchell ’82.

“Picking up a sheet of paper that Lydia Moss Bradley once held was so cool and (showed) the significance of what she gave them,” said Lechowicz, adding “Preserving history is so important, not just to pay homage to the past and learn from it, but also to show our community’s roots and where these institutions start. One person can impact so many lives, even long after they pass away.”

Note: In today’s dollars, Lydia’s pledge would be worth $164,597.78.