Meet Deanna

My name is Deanna "Dee" Darling and I am honored to be running for re-election for the Cary District 26 School Board where I have served for the past 4 years, the most recent 2 years as Board President.   

I moved to Cary in 2003 with my husband Winston, and we instantly fell in love with Cary and the quaint small-town feel. We loved that Cary wasn't commercialized while also being just a short drive to the hustle & bustle (traffic) of Crystal Lake and Randall Rd, with easy access to the metra rail line for trips to downtown Chicago. We also loved that there is sense of Community here, and strong support for our School Districts, Libraries, Park Districts, PTO's and other community organizations. I am extremely happy to live here, and it's because I love this community that I felt the need to run for School Board in the first place. 
 

I was raised by a strong & loving mom who always encouraged my dreams & instilled in me that no matter what I did in life, that my words and actions should always come from my heart and I should treat everyone exactly as I would want to be treated. 
It is because of those values my mom instilled in me that I have always felt the calling to help others, especially in their time of need.  In my spare time I am civically engaged, I volunteer as fundraising event planner for a local animal rescue, and I am heavily involved in social & environmental advocacy.

I founded a non-profit called Together we Stand McHenry County which hosts community events aimed to unify our community on issues where we all share common ground.
In October we hosted Trunk or Treat with Illinois Migrant Council at Three Oaks School which was a huge success that brought hundreds out in the community!  We also host larger scale events like Planet Palooza on Woodstock Square, aimed at ways to “make our planet a better place to live.”  Non-profit Organizations that deal with environmental issues, and groups that advocate for diversity, combat hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, human trafficking, drug addiction, etc are all represented at these events, and recognized for their amazing work in McHenry county.

 

I truly believe that TOGETHER we can make this town, this county, and on a larger scale, this planet a better place to live by practicing empathy & compassion for one another.