Chicago House Brunch and Fashion Show Celebrates Highest Note in 16 Year History
Tue. April 27, 2004 12:00 AM
Chicago, IL -
A sold-out attendance of 440 guests and $110,000 in revenue raised, made this year’s annual Chicago House Brunch and Fashion Show the most successful in its 16-year history. The Winter Garden Room of the Harold Washington Library was filled with sunlight and music as fragrance from the Jayson Home & Garden flower market wafted over the smartly-dressed revelers who celebrated the end of a Chicago winter in sybaritic style, April 25, 2004.
Guests sipped wine, champagne and cocktails as they bid on silent auction items followed by a sit-down luncheon of vegetable tart nicoise with tossed salad, pinwheel lasagna with sage and cheese sauce and glazed chicken breast with vegetable allumetttes all courtesy of Jewell Events Catering. The piece de resistance was desert from Sara Lee, a standing wedge of cheesecake drizzled in raspberry and chocolate coulis.
This year’s honorees included students from north suburban Deerfield High School that adopted Chicago House as the beneficiary of its annual School Chest fundraising program and, in only two months, raised $81,000 through a variety of activities, created and carried out by the students. The annual Spirit Award, usually presented by Chicago House to a supportive politician, was given to Michael Bauer for his outstanding contribution to Chicago House, championing it’s mission and cause in Springfield and with Congressional leaders, his pursuit of funding opportunities and decades of hard work on behalf of Chicago House.
Co-chairs of the event were Michael Zartman and Armand Cerbone. Creators of the program and fashion show, “To Fire From Ice” were Tony Abruscato and Steve Cole of The Maximum Profile Group. The title sponsor was The Sara Lee Foundation, presenting sponsors were American Airlines, Bank One, and Jayson Home & Garden that generously donated the flower market where guests purchased flowers by the stem, filling the tables with arrangements of roses, tulips, orchids and other aromatic creations.
Speaking to the guests, the Reverend Stan Sloan, CEO of Chicago House said, “As unfathomable as it seemed when Chicago House started in 1985, the AIDS epidemic shows no signs of abating. It is only through your generous support that we can ensure a future for the programs so desperately needed by the individuals and families we serve. We were here at the beginning, with your continued support, we’ll be here until the end.”
A highlight of the Spring Brunch was the “To Fire From Ice” fashion show with clothing provided by His Stuff, Celeste Turner & Eye Cetera. The traditional silent auction netted $20,000 and the winners included Ted Grady of Chicago for an afternoon cruise for six on board a private yacht; Boyd Phelps for the Orbitz Round Trip airfare for two to Hawaii; and Peter Krika who’s top bid captured a Labor day Weekend Getaway to the Kohler Waters Spa in Kohler, Wisconsin.
Since 1985, the mission of Chicago House has been to provide housing and supportive services to individuals and families living with HIV & AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness.
Guests sipped wine, champagne and cocktails as they bid on silent auction items followed by a sit-down luncheon of vegetable tart nicoise with tossed salad, pinwheel lasagna with sage and cheese sauce and glazed chicken breast with vegetable allumetttes all courtesy of Jewell Events Catering. The piece de resistance was desert from Sara Lee, a standing wedge of cheesecake drizzled in raspberry and chocolate coulis.
This year’s honorees included students from north suburban Deerfield High School that adopted Chicago House as the beneficiary of its annual School Chest fundraising program and, in only two months, raised $81,000 through a variety of activities, created and carried out by the students. The annual Spirit Award, usually presented by Chicago House to a supportive politician, was given to Michael Bauer for his outstanding contribution to Chicago House, championing it’s mission and cause in Springfield and with Congressional leaders, his pursuit of funding opportunities and decades of hard work on behalf of Chicago House.
Co-chairs of the event were Michael Zartman and Armand Cerbone. Creators of the program and fashion show, “To Fire From Ice” were Tony Abruscato and Steve Cole of The Maximum Profile Group. The title sponsor was The Sara Lee Foundation, presenting sponsors were American Airlines, Bank One, and Jayson Home & Garden that generously donated the flower market where guests purchased flowers by the stem, filling the tables with arrangements of roses, tulips, orchids and other aromatic creations.
Speaking to the guests, the Reverend Stan Sloan, CEO of Chicago House said, “As unfathomable as it seemed when Chicago House started in 1985, the AIDS epidemic shows no signs of abating. It is only through your generous support that we can ensure a future for the programs so desperately needed by the individuals and families we serve. We were here at the beginning, with your continued support, we’ll be here until the end.”
A highlight of the Spring Brunch was the “To Fire From Ice” fashion show with clothing provided by His Stuff, Celeste Turner & Eye Cetera. The traditional silent auction netted $20,000 and the winners included Ted Grady of Chicago for an afternoon cruise for six on board a private yacht; Boyd Phelps for the Orbitz Round Trip airfare for two to Hawaii; and Peter Krika who’s top bid captured a Labor day Weekend Getaway to the Kohler Waters Spa in Kohler, Wisconsin.
Since 1985, the mission of Chicago House has been to provide housing and supportive services to individuals and families living with HIV & AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness.