Co-chairs Cate Waddell, Colette Smithburg and Maria Smithburg
Chicago’s summer social fundraising season has been off to a great start thus far and one of the must attend events of the season welcomed 350 guests under a beautifully adorned tent designed by HMR Designs.
The black tie event with guests such as Caryn Harris, Cathy and Michael Busch, Elizabeth Ryan in their best attire interpretation of “The Language Flowers” theme, started with champagne reception in the English Walled Garden followed by an intimate Calihan Catering catered dinner under the tent in the rose garden and a night of dancing courtesy of City Lights Orchestra. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s annual Summer Dinner Dance, co-chaired this year by Maria and Bill Smithburg, Colette and Tom Smithburg, and Cate and Rick Waddell was underwritten by Northern Trust Bank raising over $500,000 that will help support children’s programs and plans for the new Learning Campus display garden.
With ticket prices at $750 indivuals or tables at $7,500 The Chicago Botanic Gardens supporters and philanthropists in the northshore, Chicagoland, Western suburb community such as Bill and Vicki Hood, Trish Rooney Alden, Susan and Michael Canmann, Greg and Margy Werd, Lindsey Axel, Margie Stineman and many more were in attendance to help raise funds for the organizations continued initiatives.
*ALL images: Bob Kusel
