Chicago Botanic Garden

for immediate release

Guild's Annual Harvest Ball Raises
Nearly $400,000 for Children's Growing Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden

 

Media Only:
Julie McCaffrey
(847) 835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

GLENCOE, Ill. (Sept. 25, 2008) — The Guild of the Chicago Botanic Garden recently held its Tenth Annual Harvest Ball on the beautiful, late summer grounds of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Over 630 guests attended, raising nearly $400,000 for the Children's Growing Garden, a 5,000-square-foot interactive learning space at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The event also honored the founding co-presidents of the Guild, Susan Canmann of Winnetka and John Fornengo of Chicago, for their leadership.

The black tie garden party began with a champagne reception, sponsored by Moet & Chandon, and silent auction in McGinley Pavilion. Dinner, prepared by Calihan Catering, followed in a tent on the Esplanade. The menu featured heirloom tomato salad with shaved Capriole Farms goat cheese. The main course was sliced tenderloin of beef with sea salt, merlot peppercorn demiglace, scallion buttermilk mashed potatoes, haricot verts and baby stem-on carrots and a duet of prawns skewered with rosemary sprig. Dessert was chocolate pistachio decadence.

Decor was by Kehoe Designs and featured centerpieces with green apples, artichokes, white roses, burgundy and green orchids, magnolia leaves and bittersweet branches. Over 300 white tealight candles were suspended from the ceiling, washed in amber hues.

A live auction, held over dessert, was conducted by Gary Metzner of Sotheby's and featured domestic and international vacation packages such as a wine tasting trip entitled "A Fabulous Getaway to San Francisco and Sonoma"; tango, wine tasting and more in "Some Like it Hot! An Argentinean Escape"; a week in an 8-bedroom house that sleeps up to 20 in "Meet Me in Nantucket" and a trip to Pebble Beach entitled "Any Golfer's Dream"; and more. Dancing to Lynne Jordan and the Shivers followed late into the night.

American Airlines was the presenting sponsor of the Harvest Ball. Guarantors of the event were Eckhardt Trading Company, McKenna Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. Christopher N. Merrill/Harrison Street Real Estate Capital. Benefactors included The Brock Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. John P. Keller, Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Moet & Chandon. Patrons included Mr. and Mrs. Larry Antonatos, Mr. and Mrs. Merrick J. Axel, Mr. and Mrs. Philip D. Block IV, Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Bigelow III, Burling Bank, Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Canmann, Chicago Bancorp - The Calk Families, Citi Private Bank, Eastdil Secured LLC, Mr. and Mrs. John T. Fitzgerald, Mr. and Mrs. David Hawkins, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Holt, J.P. Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Keenan, Malott Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. John Mangel III, Mr. and Mrs. William D. Mangel, Mr. and Mrs. Michael B. Masterson, Morgan Stanley, Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Nicolaides, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. George A. Peinado, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Jay D. Proops, RR Donnelley Financial, Sotheby's, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Terlato, Mr. and Mrs. Steven M. Valenti, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy R. VanDeVelde, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Waldman, William Blair and Company, William Ryan Homes, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. William Wolf.

The Harvest Ball was co-chaired by Guild members Elizabeth Holt, Chicago, Ill., Jennifer Keenan, Kenilworth, Ill. and Kathryn Mangel, Winnetka, Ill. In 2009, the Eleventh Annual Harvest Ball will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Established in 1998, the Guild supports the Garden through service projects, as well as fund-raising events. Led by co-presidents Jay Owen, Chicago, Ill., and Susu Block, Chicago, Ill., the group has more than 100 members representing a diverse collection of young leaders from the Chicago area.

For more information about the Guild of the Chicago Botanic Garden or the Harvest Ball, call (847) 835-6944.

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Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden's newsroom is online at www.chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $15; free for members. On Tuesdays, senior citizens age 62 and older pay just $7 for parking. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden's Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. The Garden is also breaking new ground in urban horticulture and jobs training through a 15-acre project in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago called Windy City Harvest. The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.