EFE Celebrates 20 Years

Equip for Equality's year of activities and events came to an inspiring finale on October 7 when the organization celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel. An Evening for Equality – Celebrating 20 Years drew nearly 400 guests and participants to the hotel's Grand Ballroom to help support Equip for Equality's mission. U.S. Senator Barack Obama, as the evening's featured speaker, enthralled the audience with his candid recollection of personal involvement with the civil rights movement and disability rights issues in particular.

An Evening for Equality Logo

Equip for Equality was also honored to host guest speakers Curtis L. Decker, director of the National Disability Rights Network, and Karen Tamley, commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities. Commissioner Tamley introduced a videotaped acceptance speech from Mayor Daley, who, with his wife, Maggie Daley, received Equip for Equality's 2005 Civic Leadership Award for their remarkable and pioneering efforts to establish a broad range of physical, economic and social avenues of access for people with disabilities in Chicago.

Returning for a second year as master of ceremonies, Channel 2 News investigative reporter Dave Savini provided a lively tempo and rapport for the evening, frequently reminding attendees to review their silent auction bids on such items as airline tickets, courtside Bulls seats and weekend getaways.

The event brought in over $147,000 in contributions from ticket sales, donations and silent auction purchases, making it the organization's most successful benefit in its 20-year history. Much of the event's success is thanks to Equip for Equality's first active Celebration Committee, which – under the leadership of co-chairs Jim Snyder, general counsel for the Illinois Human Rights Commission, and Seth Traxler, partner at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis – raised nearly $50,000. Funds from the event will support Equip for Equality's programs and services for self-advocacy assistance, rights education, legal services, policy advocacy, community outreach and investigations. This year, Equip for Equality is embarking on a major initiative to develop a special education clinic that will provide legal and advocacy services for parents in Illinois who seek appropriate schooling for their children with disabilities.

Equip for Equality invites you to experience the greatest moments of An Evening for Equality – Celebrating 20 Years. View more photos of the evening's celebration.

Annual Benefit Donors & Committee

Host ($20,000 and up)

Northern Trust

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

Kirkland & Ellis, LLP
with David Bernick, Alexander Dimitrief, Thomas Kuhns, & Seth Traxler

Benefactor ($7,500 - $9,999)

Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal

Sponsors ($5,000 - $7,499)

Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz, P.C.
McDonald's Corporation
Newmark
Stuart Frankel & Rita Mirman
Tribune Company & Michael Parks
USG Corporation
20 North Michigan Avenue

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

Jessica Aspen & Seth Traxler
Holland & Knight, LLP
Marv Pollack & Barry Taylor, Sheldon & Arlene Pollack, & Sandra Siegal

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

AIG-VALIC
Blair Hull
The Boeing Company
Crate & Barrel
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw LLP
Monahan & Cohen
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Zena Naiditch
Quarles & Brady LLP

Friends ($750-$1,499)

ABN-AMRO - Steve Nowaczyk
Chicago Bar Association
Sakhawat Hussain, MD
Illinois Psychological Association
James R. Klemme
Lori D. Ecker & Associates Ltd.
Mayor's Office of Workforce Development
Pfizer
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Riveredge Hospital
Tribune Media Services
Wilhelm & Conlon

Tables ($1,400)

Mark DeBofsky
The Di Lorenzo Family
Education Station
Inclusion Solutions
Lawrence Suffredin, Jr.

In-Kind Contributors

Caption First
Chicago Hearing Society
Diemand Printing
FTD.com
Jazz It Up
Kloeckner Preferred Flowers
Northern Trust
Renaissance Chicago Hotel
Sam's Wine & Spirits
Jody Zamirowski

Silent Auction

Adler Planetarium
American Theater Company
Ann Sather Restaurant
Arlington International Racecourse
Artist's Frame Services
Awakenings Project / Irene O'Neill
Belmont Dental
Bridge Jewlery Co.
Catered by Design
Catering by Michael's
CBS 2 Chicago
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Brauhaus, Inc.
Chicago Bulls
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Fire
Comedy Sportz of Chicago
Constructive Playthings
Court Theatre
da Vinci Group Restaurants
Daley, DeBofsky & Bryant
Dr. Aiello, DDS Ltd.
Fastframe by Wallace Gilmour's
Mariangela Favero Monteiro
Fireside Restaurant
Fleet Feet
Susan Fong
Frame Warehouse
Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust
Laura Goldstein
Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Peter Grosz
Hand on Sci-Tech Museum
J. Gordon Designs, Ltd.
Jam Theatricals
Jesik Hand-Painted Fabric
Joel Hall Dancers
John G. Shedd Aquarium
Joslyn Zost Massage Therapy
Frank Kastroy
Kelley Frame Company
Kingston Mines
La Donna
Lincoln Park Zoo
David Lloyd
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Lori's Designer Shoes
Robert Lundin
Lynford Wines
Magic Tree Bookstore
Mexican Fine Arts Museum
Millenium Park, Inc.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Music Box Theatre
North Light Theater
Oceanique Restaurant
Old Town School of Folk Music
Molly Paris
Peace School
Prairie Archives
Ravinia Festival
Relax the Back Store
Renaissance Chicago Hotel
Settimana Cafe
Sing ‘n Dance
Southwest Airlines, Civic & Charitible Contributions
Stage Left
Marc Stein
Stitch
Swedish American Museum
The Alaska Art Gallery
The Blue Door
The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park
The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago
The Studio on 6th Thousand Waves Spa
Truefitt & Hill
Victory Gardens Theater
Karen Ward
Waveland Bowl
Waxman Candles
WhirlyBall
Zanies Comedy Club

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