The North Suburban YMCA is holding its 2024 Community Strong fundraisers that include the Community Strong Fundraising Dinner and Casino night on April 26 at Loft 21 in Lincolnshire, and the Community Strong Golf Fundraiser and Patio Party on July 18 at the Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling.
According to a news release, the Y’s Community Strong annual events provide the funding to make NSYMCA programs accessible to those in financial need, providing families with afterschool childcare, life-saving swim lessons, summer camp, special needs programs, senior support, and more.
With the community’s increasing needs, the two events allow the Y to spread out its fundraising goals so it can support its financial assistance programming while ensuring the Y’s future operations and facility, the release said.
“The Community Strong events are ideal opportunities for people to come together, support the community, and support the Y,” Kathy Fielding, CEO of the North Suburban YMCA, said in a statement. “The annual dinner and golf outing help us maintain the funds to help our local families with child care, camp, swim lessons, and other Y programs and services. It gives children and families a chance to be part of something educational and essential, and it offers them opportunities to have a better quality of life.”
The first of the two fundraising events, The Community Strong Fundraising Dinner & Casino at Loft 21 features live music, a seated dinner catered by Jordan’s Food of Distinction, casino, raffles, and silent and live auctions, according to the release.
This year’s auction includes tickets to see Billy Joel, an experience at the Autobahn, a media suite at the Chicago Fire Soccer, a private dinner event curated by Jordan’s Food of Distinction, styled by Ellie Styled, and music by Yazz Events, scout seats at the White Sox, suite seats at a Cubs game, vacation package to any Montage International Hotels and much more, the release said.
“The Y’s programs and services affect so many people, so we made it possible for those that can’t attend the dinner to contribute to the cause by participating in our silent or live auction which goes live on April 20th,” said Kim Nyren, Director of Community Investment and Events. “The auction has more than 200 packages and items and ANYONE regardless of attending the dinner can participate. There is truly something to bid on for everyone.”
The release said the event will also feature the annual presentation of the Ken and Alta Thiel Award for Social Responsibility and Leadership which will be awarded to the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. The Thiel Award was named in honor of the North Suburban Y’s founders Ken and Alta Thiel.
“IBJI truly believes in our communities, and we are honored to support the NSYMCA and help in its efforts,” Laurie Jensen, Marketing Manager of Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, said in the release. “The NSYMCA is an amazing organization and we’ve always stood behind their mission. IBJI is proud to play a role in the health and wellness of our community and are so thrilled to be recognized as a Thiel award winner.”
In July, the Community Strong Golf Event will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m., followed by a patio party reception from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., according to the release. The outing will feature the “Beat the Pro” contest, a chipping contest, longest drive contest and will also have the “best-dressed” team award. Last year, the event sold out, had over 40 sponsors and raised funds to help the Y and support families that rely on financial assistance to attend the Y’s programs.
The Community Strong mission is to raise funding for the 1 out of 5 participants at the North Suburban YMCA who receive financial assistance, the release said. The annual fundraiser raises about 50% of the $500,000 in scholarship needs for the year. To date, the dinner has raised over $4.5 million, helping over 2700 families annually receive the Y’s programs and services.
To learn more about the Community Strong Dinner and Golf Outing, visit https://www.nsymca.org/community-strong-dinner or contact Kim Nyren at knyren@nsymca.org. To purchase golf outing tickets or to be a Community Strong golf outing sponsor, visit https://www.nsymca.org/golf.
