The one-two punch of stunning silent and live auctions helped the boards of the Chicago Youth Centers raise about $850,000 for the organization at a swanky gala Saturday night at the Chicago Hilton & Towers.
There was a lot of excited buzz about the quality of the silent auction tables, which were filled with about 110 high-end items from such tony stores as Lalique, Hermes and Prada. After poring over the tables, the 625 guests filed into the ballroom for a gourmet dinner and a presentation of the “Spirit of Youth” award to Bob Eckert on behalf of Kraft Foods Inc., which was praised for its “strong commitment to youth issues and activities that promote the positive growth of children and teens.”
Over dessert, bidding wars erupted over such live auction items as a breakfast or lunch with Mayor Richard Daley ($15,200), a cruise to Istanbul on the Seabourn Cruise Lines ($15,500), a tour of the dinosaur laboratory at the University of Chicago with paleontologist Paul Sereno ($3,200), and a “March Mosaic” designed by Jan Spivey Gilchrist and created by the children at the Elliott Donnelley Center. The R.R. Donnelley Co. paid $5,600 for the artwork with plans to give it back to the children who made it.
Lucky Joe Hartman of the Chicago Board of Exchange won the raffle prize: an ocean blue Porsche Boxster 2000. Among the attendees were chairs Gail Sheldon and Nancy Sauer, auction chair Judy Yale, dinner chair Alan McNally and Delbert Arsenault, executive director of Chicago Youth Centers.
The black-tie event was presented by the group’s Northern Board, Corporate Board and the Metropolitan Board, in partnership with WGN-TV Children’s Charities, a fund of the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation.
– Gov. George Ryan turned out to honor entertainment columnist Bill Zwecker with the Man of Vision 2000 Award for his work on behalf of the Illinois Eye Bank. The black-tie gala, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Friday night, featured several media personalities, including emcees Janet Davies of WLS-TV, Eric Ferguson of WTMX-FM and Alison Rosati of WMAQ-Ch. 5.
About 300 people were on hand to toast the Chicago Sun-Times columnist, who also appears on WMAQ-TV and WTMX-FM. The evening was emotional, with testimonials to Zwecker’s “great big heart,” and a stirring personal perspective from Marcie Knoll and her son, Bradley, a donor and recipient family.
On hand were “Gift of Sight” chairs Beverly Blettner and Maggie Yost, Florence M. Johnston, president and CEO of the Eye Bank, Charles Pivoney, vice president, socialite Sugar Rautbord, make-up maven Marilyn Miglin, along with her daughter, Marlene Miglin, and Daniel Nack of Ferragamo.
– There was something for everyone at the recent fifth annual Blue Note Ball, at least musically. The event boasted a diverse mixture of bands, a buffet dinner, silent auction and plenty of cocktails to raise money for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Salsa, rhythm and blues, disco, take your pick, they were all performed.
Bands included The Robert Cornelius 7, Bandoleros, Rhythm City and the Ray Bailey Quintet. The black-tie evening at the Hotel Intercontinental was sponsored by the CSO Associates, a group of young professionals who share an interest in the orchestra, and was chaired by Jeff Keimand and Rich Thoroe for the second year in a row. The crowd, about 400 strong, helped raise about $60,000. Tickets were $100 per person.
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