Fairfield Glade resident William J. Kallas, stands by his Illumination Manuscript of George Washington that will be this Friday at the Fairfield Glade First National Bank.

Glade resident giving respect where its due with Illumiation Manuscript of Washington

For The Vista

William J. Kallas, of Fairfield Glade, recently furnished the Art Circle, Crossville’s library, his Illumination Manuscript of George Washington — and now he is providing the beautifully-framed drawing to Fairfield Glade’s First National Bank on Peavine Road.

First National Bank will display the piece of art for its Friday, Feb. 22 celebration by the Crab Orchard chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

This notable manuscript was also given to the then Chairman of the Board of Walt Disney Corporation, Michael Eisner, who was so impressed that he had it exquisitely framed and on display in the company’s headquarters in Burbank, CA.

Later prints were sold at Disney World’s Epcot Center through Kallas and his firm, House On The Hill, Inc.

Kallas, a former mayor of Chicago suburb, City of Oakbrook Terrace, held annual birthday parties near Chicago to honor George Washington.

He was noted by a newspaper reporter as being “probably the only mayor in Illinois, or the nation, to do so.”

Kallas, also a member of the Fairfield Glade Lions Club, has held two such parties for Washington in Oakbrook Terrace.

“No one does anything for Washington, Kallas told his hometown newspaper at the time. “We do a lot of things for Abe Lincoln, but not for Washington.”

At one of his Washington parties, Kallas, referring to a guest who has spent the evening dressed in authentic Washington garb, quipped,  “You have to be careful what quesitons you ask him; he can’t tell any lies.”