Saving Taft: The Fight to Preserve Laredo Taft Field Campus for Future Generations

<p>Join host <strong>Kierstyn Long</strong> on this episode of <strong>Along the Rock</strong> as she sits down with <strong>Julie Bassett</strong>, founder of <strong>Together for Taft</strong>, to discuss the future of the historic <strong>Lorado Taft Field Campus</strong> in Oregon, Illinois.</p><p>Learn about the nonprofit&#39;s mission to preserve the 144-acre outdoor education campus, why the property has meant so much to generations of students, and what&#39;s happening now following the campus&#39; closure in December 2024. Julie also shares how the community can get involved and support ongoing efforts to protect this unique natural and educational resource for future generations.</p><p>If you care about local history, outdoor education, conservation, or the future of one of northern Illinois&#39; most treasured landmarks, this is a conversation you won&#39;t want to miss.</p><p><br></p><p>👉 Don’t forget to like, share, comment and subscribe for more local stories from the Sauk Valley and beyond.</p><p><br></p><p>🎧 Listen to the full podcast and explore more at https://theradar.online</p><p><br></p><p>🎤 Highlights:</p><p>00:00 Introduction</p><p>00:38 Together for Taft</p><p>02:25 The Closure of the Taft Campus</p><p>02:57 The History of Laredo Taft</p><p>04:18 The Power of Experiential Learning</p><p>05:07 Taft’s Impact on Generations of Students</p><p>06:17 The Mission of Together for Taft</p><p>07:38 The Journey to Reopen Taft</p><p>08:16 The Current Status of the Campus</p><p>10:49 Why Community Support Matters</p><p>11:14 Bringing the Community Together</p><p>12:39 Seeing Possibilities Instead of Obstacles</p><p>14:06 How You Can Support Together for Taft</p><p>15:45 The Future of Laredo Taft</p><p>16:13 Closing</p><p><br></p><p>Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Radar Free Press⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Follow us on all social media platforms below:</p><p>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/radarfreepress</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/@radarfreepress</p><p>https://open.spotify.com/show/0dOeaVg1JI0ump4iD0rIHk</p><p>https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/along-the-rock/id1773156790</p><p>https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-along-the-rock-245007958/</p><p>https://rumble.com/radarfreepress</p><p>https://www.tiktok.com/@radarfreepress</p><p>https://x.com/radarfreepress</p><p>https://www.instagram.com/radarfreepress/</p><p>https://www.threads.net/@radarfreepress </p><p><br></p><p>#TogetherForTaft #LaredoTaft #TaftFieldCampus #SaveTaft #OregonIllinois #NorthernIllinois #RockRiver #OutdoorEducation #EnvironmentalEducation #Community #Preservation #IllinoisHistory #LocalNews #TheRadarFreePress #AlongTheRock</p>