It’s that time of year again. It’s the Erika’s Lighthouse spring fundraiser! This year’s theme is “Field of Dreams,” as we will be paying homage to America’s favorite pastime, with nods to nostalgic baseball decor, refreshments, auction items and more! The event will be held Saturday, May 13th, at Sunset Ridge Country Club in Chicagoland’s North Shore.
The party will lead off with a cocktail hour, which will include a trading card raffle.The grand prize winner will go home with exclusive Chicago Cubs tickets for the 2017 season. Other prizes include a signed basketball from the 2016-2017 Chicago Bulls team and a Teddie Kossof spa makeover with Vera Bradley bag. Guests will enjoy noshing on ballpark appetizers like mini hot dogs, sliders and made to order popcorn.
On deck, there will be a delightful three course seated dinner, and a program that will include the premier of our new high school video-based program.
This winter marked the completion of our new high school depression awareness video, The Lighthouse Curriculum: Depression & Suicide Awareness for High School Students. This video is a sustainable and impactful educational vehicle that will touch the lives of thousands of teens in hundreds of school communities. Similar to our middle school video, The Lighthouse Curriculum will share the perspectives of six real and diverse young adults who courageously discuss their journey with depression and how they found hope and health. In this video, the young adults take us into a deeper look at depression and address complex issues related to depression such as bullying, anxiety, loss, divorce, trauma, as well as discussing depression in the context of their own culture, race and gender identity.
Why is this program so important?
- It reduces stigma – When myths are broken and facts are shared about depression, stigma is reduced and teens are empowered to talk openly – cultivating an environment that supports mental health.
- It promotes early identification – When students understand what teen depression looks like, we create a system of teen identifiers.
- It encourages early intervention – When everyone has the same mental health “language” and understands that like other medical conditions, depression requires professional support, help-seeking behavior takes place.
- It protects lives – When stigma is reduced and early identification and intervention occurs, we manage depression and protect precious lives.
Finally, there will be two types of auctions. The first will be a traditional live auction, featuring a private flight on a parachute plane to Madison, WI; a summer week vacation in Beaver Creek, CO; a one of a kind large scale modern painting; and 10 VIP tickets to a Val Haller backyard concert with your band of choice, including a pre-show VIP reception.
Our second auction will be a Fund-a-Need auction. A Fund-a-Need auction is when the auctioneer will ask for contributions at varying levels to support a specific program, such as supporting the new Lighthouse Curriculum, The Parent Handbook or Teen Club Stigma Busting Grants
After dinner, join us on the dance floor and let’s take it into extra innings with our closer, Gritman and Moran Band.
Gritman & Moran are a talented acoustic vocal duo that has been entertaining Chicagoland venues for over three years. They play everything from contemporary music to classic hits from the 60’s to today, so there should be something for everybody.
Of course, this event would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors. Our official MVP sponsor is the Compass Health Center!
Compass Health Center is a leading psychiatric facility providing hospital-level care in an innovative, supportive, non-hospital setting. Compass Health Center provides programs for children, adolescents, young adults and adults suffering from debilitating mood and/or anxiety disorders. Compass is located in Northbrook and Chicago.
Our other amazing sponsors include:
- Sheridan Road
- The Kelly Family
- The Seeberg Family
- The Estey Family Fund
- The Stewart Family
If you’d like to join the ranks of these esteemed groups and individuals, it’s easy. Just check out our sponsorship packet. Our official sponsor slot is filled, but we have availability for everything else!
If you want to attend this exciting event, the early bird registration rate of $150 per ticket ends April 16th if registering online. If mailing in registration, response forms must be postmarked by April 7th to access this rate. After April 7th, tickets will be sold through May 7th (or until space is full) at the rate of $175 per ticket. Go here to register online, or get the full pricing list. There is only limited space available, and we anticipate selling out!
We can’t wait to swing into spring at this year’s Field of Dreams event. We hope to see all of you there!