В Рокфорде сотни жителей собрались на прощальный банкет с мэром Томом Макнамарой

Hundreds gather to wish Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara farewell ROCKFORD, Ill. (Rockford News First) - Hundreds gathered Wednesday night to celebrate Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara as he prepares to leave office after nearly a decade leading the city. The farewell celebration at IBEW Hall brought together community members, local leaders and organizations that worked closely with McNamara throughout his time as mayor. “It’s incredibly overwhelming, really humbling, and I want to be here to say thank you to them,” said McNamara. “When you think about all the wonderful things of Rockford, it’s all the people that come together and make every single thing happen.” The celebration also gave McNamara a chance to reflect on Rockford’s challenges and the areas where he wishes the city could have made even greater progress. McNamara pointed to domestic violence, crime and school absenteeism as problems that often share a deeper cause. “I think most of the things that negatively impact our community stem from childhood trauma,” said McNamara. “And if I could ever have done something more, that was where I would focus.” Speakers throughout the night also reflected on McNamara’s legacy. Rockford Promise Executive Director Kaylene Groh highlighted his support for local students and described Rockford Promise as one piece of the legacy he leaves behind. “Tom has called Rockford Promise a love letter to the community,” said Groh. “Thank you for believing that Rockford’s young people are worth it, that they are worth investing in. Thank you for believing that education can change not only individual lives but the trajectory of an entire community.” Proceeds from Wednesday’s celebration benefit Rockford Promise and the Family Peace Center, two organizations McNamara supported during his time as mayor. Family Peace Center Executive Director Jennifer Cacciapaglia said McNamara pushed Rockford to take a coordinated approach toward domestic violence after learning how deeply it affected the community. She described his commitment to survivors as a lasting piece of his work. “His legacy will be the centering of survivors in this community,” said Cacciapaglia. “We are forever changed because Tom McNamara was our mayor, and I just can’t overstate that.” Cacciapaglia said donations to the Family Peace Center will go directly toward services and staff that support survivors. As McNamara prepares to leave City Hall, he also challenged Rockford residents to take responsibility for the city’s future. “I want Rockford residents to hold themselves accountable,” said McNamara. Volunteer for a little league team to coach it. Go to your PTA. Come out to a city council meeting. Be engaged, be part of it because when we’re all rowing in the same direction and we are part of it, we can do some pretty amazing things." McNamara leaves office at the end of August before taking over as CEO of the Illinois Municipal League. Copyright 2026 Rockford News First. All rights reserved.