Scott Anderson and MaKade Rios were already pleased. Their nature photos were selected for the annual Starved Rock & Matthiessen calendar.

Sunday, they were doubly happy. The Shaw Local photographers learned their work helped the Starved Rock Foundation to raise $16,288.50, the most since the fundraiser was launched in 2022.

“I was thrilled,” said Anderson, photo editor, whose submission was a view of Eagle Cliff. “It’s a great organization to donate a photo and it helps the park.”

Rios, a DePue resident and freelancer for the Shaw Local, submitted a photo of a goldfinch perched on a sunflower.

“It was really exciting,” Rios said. “It was nice to be told that a photo of mine could be contributed to bringing money toward the park.

“Obviously, I love the parks. During the summer, I’ll come out almost daily and just walk. So it’s really nice to be able to contribute back to the park.”

Matthew Klein, president of the Starved Rock Foundation, announced the fundraising total Sunday at the Starved Rock Visitors Center.

Klein first assembled a calendar celebrating the parks in 2021. The first-time venture attracted enough interest that Klein decided to include the works of photographers in the Illinois Valley and to donate the sales to the parks. The 2022 calendar yielded a $2,600 donation and the current tally represents a six-fold increase.

“It’s really cool and really special,” Klein said. “So now to see that go from $2,600 to $16,000, that’s real money that can make a real impact.”

While Klein credited a number of local businesses for selling the calendar, he gave a special nod to Miller Group Charitable Trust, which agreed to a dollar-for-dollar match.

“The parks are, of course, some of our area’s greatest assets,” said Joyce McCullough, present Sunday on behalf of Miller Group Charitable Trust, “and we thought the calendar was a creative way to promote their beauty and generate funding for their upkeep. We were happy to offer the match and hope future calendar sales are as successful.”

Sunday’s event was held not only to trumpet the fundraising total but to spotlight the individual works by local photographers.

Chet Phillips of La Salle, for example, captured a striking image of the bridge at Matthiessen Lake, which he collected during a hike.

“I also like the significant history of the concrete arch bridges at this location and throughout Matthiessen State Park,” Phillips said. “The designer and engineer, Joseph Strauss, went on to designed Bascule lift bridges in the Chicago area.

“Starved Rock Country is amazing,” Phillips said, encouraging other photographers to submit their works. “Grab a camera and explore.”