Guests have an out-of-this world evening at Adler’s Celestial Ball
WITH ELIZABETH HAMEL September 12, 2011 6:20PM
Lydia and Pat Ryan
Article Extras
Updated: November 26, 2011 12:28AM
The Adler Planetarium Women’s Board spun together a stellar soiree for the Celestial Ball, an annual black-tie affair that welcomed more than 550 corporate supporters, space buffs and philanthropists Saturday night to party on the grounds of the famed museum.
Partygoers first gathered in the Sky Pavilion to enjoy cocktails and take in sweeping views of the Chicago skyline. Many perused silent auction items while snacking on smoked trout and prime rib canapés. Notable names spotted among the crowd included Lydia and Pat Ryan; Meg and Jim Prendergast and Barb and David Speer. Local politicos also turned out, as Sen. Mark Kirk, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and state Sen. Kwame Raoul were seen chatting with friends and constituents.
Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr. acted as the evening’s honorary chair and donated dinner with him and eight of the prize winner’s friends at his eponymous Lake Forest restaurant. The package went for $7,000.
Guests dined among the various nooks and crannies of the planetarium, some enjoying their dinner of grilled filet of beef in the newly remodeled Sky Theater, while others were spread out within the spaces that house the museum’s exhibits.
The stars aligned for some serious fund-raising at the gala, chaired by Amanda Bonnell, raking in just over $1 million to support Adler education and outreach programs.
†††
Lunching ladies, most decked out in fashionable fascinators or chic chapeaux, packed the ninth annual Parkways Foundation Garden Party, held at the Tiffany & Co. Celebration Garden in Grant Park, on a cool afternoon last Thursday. About 500 people turned out — and turned heads — for the get-together known to most on the social scene as simply “The Hat Party.”
Event co-chairs Carol Prins and April Schink — along with host committee members Gail Hodges, Liz Stiffel and Joan Clifford — welcomed friends and supporters over cocktails in the rose garden. Other notable guests included socialites Sherrill Bodine and Helen Melchior, Donna LaPietra and Bill Kurtis (who acted as the afternoon’s emcees) and Parkways Foundation Chairwoman Stacey Reineking Sather.
Lunch of heirloom tomato tart and grilled chicken salad followed a short program in which awards were given to BlueCross Blue Shield (for corporate support) and Jo Ann Nathan for being the year’s most outstanding volunteer to Parkways.
In total, almost $300,000 was raised to fund the foundation’s “Send a Kid to Camp” program and other educational initiatives.
Comments Click here to view or make a comment