After serving the Elgin community for over three decades, the arts nonprofit Hamilton Wings officially dissolved on September 30. The decision followed discussions and evaluations by the board of directors after the sudden death of its founder and Executive Director, Risé Jones, in December 2024.
In an August letter on the organization’s website, the board highlighted increased participation and revenue from the 23rd SCORE!, a student-created opera presented at Elgin Community College. Despite these successes, challenges in maintaining the founder’s unique vision and future funding shortages prompted the board’s decision to close.
Hamilton Wings Board President Donna Anderson noted that approximately 40 children and 20 adults contributed to the staging of SCORE!. The nonprofit’s last after-school program was Girls in Motion, aimed at boosting confidence and self-esteem among a dozen students through movement and arts, led by Danae Anderson at Washington Elementary School.
Anderson, friends with Jones for over 30 years, expressed the deep impact Hamilton Wings had on its participants, especially citing the positive influence on alumni. Jeff Meyer, the Board Treasurer, remarked on Jones being irreplaceable and credited her for uniting the organization. Although lacking an arts background, Meyer valued Hamilton Wings’ contribution to nurturing leadership through the arts.
Founded in 1996 by Risé Jones and her mother, Ann Jones, the group was a tribute to Jones’ father, psychologist Charles Hamilton Jones. Brittany Barber, the executive director appointed in September 2025, affirmed the enduring legacy of Hamilton Wings in the community through creativity and boldness inspired by Dr. Jones’s teachings.
Unspent funds are being returned, and costumes and stage items donated to local nonprofits. The organization ended its partnership with Elgin Community College. In memory of Jones, philanthropists Mark and Robin Seigle proposed establishing an arts scholarship at ECC from the remaining funds.
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