When it comes to fundraising, you have to know how to cater to your audience so they can dig deep, give, give, give and make those donations rain like Drake does in Las Vegas and in the case of the Shedd Aquarium’s gala ‘Metamorphosis‘ co-chaired by Katie and Brent Gledhill, Julie and Jim O’Connor, Jr., they did such raising approximately $2 million, setting a new record for the amount of money raised in the annual gala’s 20-year history.
The Metamorphosis Ball coinciding with their new Amphibians exhibit, barring the pouring rain, was held at the Shedd Aquarium the evening of June 20 welcoming Chicago’s philanthropic leaders, Former Shedd Board of Trustees Chairman Ty Fahner with wife Anne Fahner, Shedd trustees- (Kym Hubbard, Rick Erwin, David Epstein, Bill Sick, Robert Livingston, H. John Gilbertson, Mary Smith, Nancy Searle), corporate partners, members and many more.
- From left: Darrell Hubbard, Ebony Hubbard, Shedd Trustee Kym Hubbard, Jayson Jackson, Erica Hubbard and Jackson Pallas
Guests began the evening with cocktails, nosh and encounters with the sea lions, beluga whales, penguins, as well up-close view of the new exhibit. As Shedd stands out in the crowd of Chicago galas vying for those much needed private donations, they went a different route when it came time for the paddle raise portion of their program. Instead of waiting until the end of the evening once guests were well libated and satiated, the paddle raise commitments commenced right after the brief cocktail reception and aquatic show emceed by Bill Kurtis featuring local Chicago band, Cowboy Jukebox. They performed along to a “Rainbow Connection” of sea lions, beluga whales, Pacific-white sided dolphins and rescue animals including dogs, owls and red-tailed hawk, and a special “Jerimiah was a Bullfrog” penguin parade with rockhopper and magellanic penguins. A video montage of all that the Shedd does when it comes to conservation, animal rescue and rehab was played. And the paddle raise began all the way down until $280,000 was raised going towards Shedd Aquarium’s global initiative.
- Committee Member Laura Ferris (JP Morgan Managing Director)
Dinner catered by Sodexo in the aquarium’s galleries, Caribbean Reef rotunda and Kovler Family Hall and playing on the exhibit’s theme, guests were served Kona coffee-rubbed tenderloin medallions, a coconut-ginger crab cake with Polynesian sweet potatoes and tricolor carrots with toasted macadamia nuts. Dessert was an edible terrarium of “dirt” mousse, edible flowers, chocolate rocks, hand painted chocolate frogs and raspberry infused chocolate twigs.
Dancing to the Gentlemen of Leisure band and late night gourmet snacks capped off the evening. Congrats to Katie Law and her team!
- Shedd Auxiliary Board member Drew Gravitt and Meghan Mitter
- Karen and Tuey Connel
- Gala Committee member Janet Halpin and Matthew Halpin
- Jill Beattie and Shedd President/CEO Ted A. Beattie
- Shedd Gala Chairs Julie and Jim O’Connor, Jr
Couldn’t make it to Metamorphosis? cause $$$$, check out these Must Attend Auxiliary Board Events This Summer that’s mostly under $250.
Photo credits: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez/Eva Ho/Bob Carl
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