Honoring Craig Armstrong

Craig Armstrong

Craig Armstrong, respected Ottawa IL lawyer, was involved in many philanthropic activities and involved himself in the personal needs of many of his clients.  Armstrong grew up in Ottawa, IL and then graduated from the University of Iowa.  After college he served his country by fighting in the Korean War.  He then attended law school at the University of Iowa and became an attorney.  He continued to serve his country by becoming a member of the IL Army National Guard.  Craig Armstrong remained involved in the lives of many of his clients long after their lawsuits were finished.   He was an avid chess player and would be pleased that ex-prisoners have the opportunity to learn and play chess. Craig worked hard at making the world a better place by bringing opportunities for those less fortunate than himself. He would have been proud of many of the people wanting to learn chess and by this donation his family that Craig is still thinking of how to make a contribution to society that brings benefits for all.

To honor his memory the Armstrong family is sponsoring a chess club at St Leonards House in Chicago in collaboration with Outside the Walls.

This organization provides reentry support, recovery support, spiritual support and assistance with basic human needs, (food, clothing and shelter).The Peter Wulff Center would like to join in the effort to build self esteem and facilitate rehabilitation for juveniles and young adults. Chess is a great vehicle for improving math, social and cognitive skills and provides a sense of belonging in a group that channels competition and drive in healthy ways.

Teenagers Krish Nara and Jack Weed will be available for online assistance as both of them are youth volunteers for the Peter Wulff Center and intermediate chess players. They are supervised by Christopher Majkowski as they serve on many social entrepreneurial ventures.

The chess club will meet once a week and the impact of this program will be assessed a year later to see if fulfills some of the goals teacher Peter Wulff was trying to achieve. Peter was conducting a pilot program to see if regular chess classes could reduce anxiety, hyperactivity, impulsive behavior and improve self esteem among the individuals who attended.

This is a great opportunity to reach out directly to individuals who can turn their life around and be valuable members of society through your efforts.