Allen and Nancy Carter Making Impact for Illinois, City of Urbana

By Sean McDevitt
fightingillini.com

For many people, their hometown invokes a sense of pride and nostalgia. It means something to tell people where they are from. It’s where they learned how to ride a bike or had backyard barbecues. Where they met the friends and family that became the backbone of their lives. From the corner drug store to the old newsstand, and the local furniture store, they knew the people running those businesses and their families.

For Allen and Nancy Carter, Urbana, Illinois, is not only a place to call home but a place to give back. Because giving back to a home and a community that has given so much to them is at the heart of what the Carters are all about.

And it’s what drove them to make a significant donation to the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois last February, which will serve as funding for the renovation and future growth of the course. In honor of the gift, the outdoor patio space will be named the Carter Family Terrace.

“One of the better places in the state”

Carter’s Furniture has been a mainstay in Urbana since it opened its doors in 1957. It’s a prime example of a “hometown business.” Allen Carter grew up in Urbana and went to school through the Urbana school district. After graduating college, he took over the family business. He believes in the Champaign-Urbana area because of the University of Illinois and what it offers.

“Being raised in Champaign-Urbana, you get very attached to Illinois because it’s such a main stay of the entire area,” Allen said. “It makes the community and the county one of the better places in the state to be able to operate an ongoing business.”

Carter says that Illinois athletics was always a family focus. He firmly believes the Champaign-Urbana community is vibrant with the presence of the University of Illinois educational and athletic programs.

Nancy, graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in architecture. She has been involved with the University of Illinois designing work for Krannert Center, Illini Union, Athletic offices, to name a few. Nancy’s passion for community involvement in…