2004 Annual Benefit Recap

An Evening for Equality Logo On December 2, Equip for Equality realized its second most successful benefit in the organization's history in a memorable celebration, gathering more than 200 guests and participants at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel. Host J.B. Pritzker attended with fellow Human Rights Commission members to honor former state Rep. Dolly Hallstrom on her 80th birthday. The event raised $120,000.

WBBM Channel 2 television reporter Dave Savini guided the evening's program and shared his experiences working with Equip for Equality on a story of abuse in Illinois schools. The program featured an awards presentation honoring Congressman Lane Evans with EFE's Civic Leadership Award, and the Chicagoland Business Leadership Network (CBLN) with the Corporate Excellence Award. Evans spoke movingly about his efforts to assist veterans and their families who have acquired disabilities from such duty-related dangers as Agent Orange. Demetra Koelling, senior counsel for Sears, represented the CBLN on behalf of its efforts to maximize the recruitment, employment and retention of qualified workers with disabilities.

The featured speaker, author Alex Kotlowitz, touched the audience with stories about his experience in parenting an adopted child with hearing disabilities. The evening concluded with a special musical performance and tribute video celebrating the accomplishments of Dolly Hallstrom's long career as a legislative advocate for individuals with disabilities, which roused a standing ovation and tearful congratulations.

The event not only allowed Equip for Equality to raise muchneeded funds, but also successfully brought together members of the disability community and some of the state's most prominent leaders to support a common mission: the full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities.

Equip for Equality looks forward to celebrating its 20th anniversary in its greatly anticipated event this fall.

Annual Benefit Donors

Host ($20,000 and up)

J.B. Pritzker Family Foundation

Benefactor ($10,000 - $19,999)

The Northern Trust Company

Sponsor ($5,000 - $9,999)

Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz, P.C.
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation
McDonald's Charities Healthy Lifestyles
Newmark Midwest Region, LLC
Sears, Roebuck & Company
Tribune Company
US Equities
USG Corporation
Sponsor - Match
David Bernick (Kirkland & Ellis)
Alexander Dimetrief (Kirkland & Ellis)
Thomas Kuhns (Kirkland & Ellis)
Michael A. Parks (Tribune Company)

Patron ($3,000 - $4,999)

Holland & Knight, LLP

Supporter ($1,500 - $2,999)

Robert Balanoff & Zena Naiditch
The Boeing Company
Crate & Barrel
Anthony & Carol Di Lorenzo
Stuart Frankel
Sakhawat Hussain
David & Marsha Koelliker
Wes Kott
Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP
Performics, Inc
Marvin Pollack & Barry Taylor
Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal

Table ($1200)

Honorable Lawrence Suffredin, Jr.
Honorable Jack Lavin

Friend ($750)

Ariel Capital Management Inc
Espiritu and Associates
Paul and June Finfer
Greenberg Traurig, PC
Inclusion Solutions
Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
Meckler, Bulger & Tilson
Svend Tranberg
Tribune Media Services

In-Kind Contributors

Chicago Hearing Society
Caption First
Eric Hochberg Orchestra
FTD.com
Phillip's Flowers
Renaissance Chicago Hotel
Sam's Wine & Spirits

Silent Auction

Kyra, Peter, & Jacob Adrian
Alioto's
All About Denim
Auto Clinic
Barbara's Bookstore
Bead in Hand
Belmont Dental
BobVila.com
The Beatles Ensemble, Old Town School of Folk
Music
The Book Table
Catered by Design
Chicago Sinfonietta
Classic Cinemas Lake Theatre
The Competitive Foot
Creative Memories
Cucina Paradiso
Erik's Deli & Catering
Fastframe by Wallace Gilmour's
Frame Warehouse
Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust
Virginia Fiester Frederick
Geppetto's
Original Artwork by Laura Goldstein
Great Harvest Bakery
Kirsten Grosz
The Grove, Redfield Estate
Handcrafted Jewelry by Molly Paris
Hemingway Birthplace Museum
The Jewelry Studio
The Joffrey Ballet Chicago
Frank Kastory
Karen Kirby-Hall
David & Marsha Koelliker
Alex Kotlowitz
Ed Kramer
Kate's Garden
Kelley Frame Company
The Language & Music School
Madly Popn'
Magic Tree Bookstore
Mas Restaurant
Oak Park Home & Hardware
Panera Bread
Papaspiros Greek Taverna
The Pasta Shoppe & Café
Red Wagon's Inc.
The Rocking Horse Boutique
S3 Kitchen
Sears
Seth Traxler
Spaulding's Store for Women
Waxman Candles
Willow Oak Park
Winberie's Restaurant
Wonder Works

Tickets & Other

Access Living
John Aiello
Scott Aiello
Jessica Aspen
Anne S. Bailey
Cynthia Baranowski
Honorable Manuel Barbosa
Larry Barden
Robert Barnes
John Beebe
Jose Behar
Janice Berg
Allan I Bergman
Honorable Arthur L. Berman
Dr. Henry B. Betts
Ed Bott
Kevin Bradley
Gail Bradshaw
Marca Bristo
Honorable Jane Bularzik
Joel M. Carp
Janet Cartwright
David H. Chamey
Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind
Ingrid Clarke
George Collins
Deborah Crown
Judith A. Davis
Charlotte Des Jardins
Edward J. Doherty
Adam M Dubin
Mark B. Epstein
Andrew Figgins
Thomas Fischer
David Fisher
Honorable Mary Flowers
Morrie Fred
Honorable Charles E. Freeman
Mary L. Garret
John Garven
Scott Gertz
Alan Goldstein
Honorable Alan J. Greiman
Peter Grosz
Jeffrey Gunn
Pamela Hansen
Alma Lee Hedland
Christopher Henger
Mark Heyrman
Illinois Psychological Association
Kevin Irvine
Michael Jablon
Aline Jarke
Jane Jeffery
Diane Jennings
Yvette Kanter
Rachel Kaplan
Howard Katz
Lee Keenan
Jerry Kendall
Walter Kendall
Deborah Kennedy
Doug Kenshol
Mary Jo Kern
Arthur Kovitz
Labor Relations Alternatives
Brenda Lane
Joan Law
Alain LeCoque
Dr. Wayne M. Lerner
Jean Ligocki
Randy Ligocki
William Lomba
Marilyn Marks
Eve Maroszitz
Honorable William Marovitz
Marilyn Martin
Byron Mason
Mayor's Office of Workforce Development
Patricia McDermott
Jim McMillan
Laura Miller
Joseph T. Monahan
Cynthia Moskovitz
Janice Moskowitz
Don Moss
Father Joseph Mulcrone
Gloria Nichols
David Orr
Basielia Oswald
Lillian M. Palm
Honorable Margaret Parcells
Amy F. Peterson
Honorable Daniel Pierce
Kelly Pierce
Sheldon Pollack
Sarah Price
J.B. Pritzker
Rosemary Pulice
Mary K. Rizzolo
Honorable Philip J. Rock
Gordon Ropp
Howard Rosenblum
Honorable George Ryan
Honorable Jan Schakowsky
Honorable Jeffrey Schoenberg
Frances Seidman
Phillip Shayne
Allen Shiner
Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood
Hugh T. Smith
Hugh Smith, Jr.
Matthew J. Smucker & David Thompson
Spencer Leak and Sons Funeral Home, Ltd.
Arlene Stern
Alice Stewart
Sarah Stoodley
Eileen Subak
Debbie Sunblad
Curtis Tillett
Seth Traxler
Joanne Twomey
Alan Waitley
John Whitcomb
Brad Wilson
Peter Wilson
Maria Woltjen
Kittim Yu
James N. Zartman

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