Associate Board Activities and Events
The Associate Board actively supports the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) and its programs through the activities detailed below:
Bearcat Ball
ArtFutura
Associate Board Companions/Volunteering
Annual fundraising events produced by the Associate Board include:
Winnie Godrey, artist, John Scully, 2006
Bearcat Ball Co-Chair and Trisha Meili, Tree
of Life Award Recipient
Bearcat Ball
The 10th Annual Bearcat Ball (opens new window) will be November 15, 2008, at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago. The event includes delicious cuisine and drinks from Chicago's finest restaurants, a silent auction, casino gaming and live music. The Tree of Life Award will also be presented to an individual who has played a significant role in making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Tickets are on sale NOW and available online here , by phone at 312-238-1253 or e-mail bvrba@ric.org.
The Bearcat Ball is named for the Stutz Bearcat, a luxury automobile manufactured in the 1920's. It is purported to have carried the heroes and heroines of author F. Scott Fitzgerald's day to yacht clubs and secluded roadhouses. The ultimate statement of class, style and luxury, the Bearcat is as much a symbol of 1920's youth as jazz and raccoon coats.
This lavishly entertaining black-tie event held each fall benefits RIC's Pediatric Programming. The Pediatric Charity Care Fund at RIC provides prosthetic devices and specialized treatment for children with disabilities whose families cannot otherwise afford their care.
ArtFutura
Jennifer Lane Landolt with David Mordini and Sarah Crane, 2008 ArtFutura Co-Chairs
The sixth annual ArtFutura (opens new window) was held March 25 - April 3, 2008, at the Chicago Cultural Center to benefit RIC. A Closing Night and Awards Party on Thursday, April 3, from 5:30 - 9 p.m. included music, hors d' oeuvres, artwork for sale and artists' awards. The 2008 event raised a record sum and met the Associate Board's goal of continuing to fund RIC's art therapist.
ArtFutura is a juried art exhibition and awards reception that benefits RIC' s Art Therapy program. The exhibit, held each spring and juried by Mr. James Rondeau of The Art Institute, features the works of more than 70 works of emerging and established artists. A special RIC patient exhibit is also part of the show.
Funds raised at the event help support the Therapeutic Recreation Program and fund RIC's part-time art therapist. This person plays an invaluable role in the rehabilitation of patients at the hospital and their overall rehabilitation experience. Art therapy is based on the belief that the creative process involved in the making of art is healing and life-enhancing.
RIC's Therapeutic Recreation Program, including art therapy, contributes to the rehabilitation process by improving and maintaining physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning - enhancing patients' independence and improving their overall quality of life.