March Madness 2009
Thank you to all who helped
coordinate and who supported our 7th Annual March Mania Fundraiser.
The event successfully raised funds for 2009's Save Our Summer Project
. Every youngster deserves a safe and decent summer, something
difficult to find in Chicago's Garfield Park neighborhood. All efforts
and money raised ensure that summer camp will continue to be a long
standing tradition for these well deserving kids.
A special thanks goes out to our host, the Spread, our sponsors, and all the friends of the Off the Street Club Junior Board.
March Madness2008
March Madness proved a madhouse indeed. Overflowing from our designated
room in the back of Tin Lizzie, 2458 N. Clark Street, over 200 people
attended a fun night of cheering their alma maters as the opening round
of the annual NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament got underway. Boasting
multiple big screen televisions, every game, early and late, was
available for viewing and as the beer flowed and the crowds cheered,
the money came in for the kids. Raising nearly $5000, event co-chairs
Tom Simon (Kansas) and Stephanie Stephens (Texas) were glad we were
able to get off to such a great start, even if neither of their teams
won the big party. (The only board member cheering was VP Leslie Engel,
a Syracuse alum.). Actually, the biggest winners that night were the
lucky raffle prize winners who went home with two tickets to the final
game in New Orleans. An NBA basketball autographed by David Robinson,
and two ticket packages to see the Cubs and the Sox were also awarded,
and we thank board member Tariq Hassan and his friends at Gatorade and
Sports Illustrated for their generosity. In the end, a great time was
had by all, and we are all looking forward to this year's Hoops Hoopla,
once again at Tin Lizzie. Mark your calendar for Friday, March 19, and
join us as we take over the whole bar. Raffle prizes to be announced
soon, and we promise they're worth taking a chance!
Improv Night
In October we had a very special evening, Improv Night planned at The
Playground Theater on North Lincoln Avenue. Exclusively for the benefit
of Off the Street Club, the comedy troupe put on a fundraising show for
board members and their invited guests. All 60 audience members had an
entertaining evening and we are looking forward to having another
comedy night again in 2004. Many thanks to Rene Duquesnoy, manager of
The Playground Theater, and his troupe of quick-witted comedians.
Disney on Ice
In September we had an event for the kids alone, a trip to see Disney
on Ice at the United Center. Each Junior Board member graciously
contributed enough money to pay for three tickets: one for themselves
and two for the kids. It was a fun afternoon for all and another chance
to spend time with the eager, happy young "huggers" from the Club.
(What's a hugger, you ask? Read "What's With All the Hugging?" for your
answer!)
Fall Into Winter Festival
As fall marked the end of 2003, we went out with a bang at our Fall
Into Winter Festival. Knowing that wine tastings are popular all over
Chicago, but wanting to give a creative twist to an old favorite, Event
Chair and wine affficionado Susan Hammersley put together a party at
Goose Island for the rest of us: beer drinkers. On Thursday, November
6, the Off the Street Club loyal gathered to taste the best of what
this local brewery has to offer in our very first Beer Tasting. By last
call, we had sipped our way to over $2500 in profit for the Club.
Holiday Toy Drive
When the holidays come around, and Santa is on his last revision of his
Naughty and Nice list, what child doesn't dream of having the perfect
present under the tree on Christmas morning? While we wish it wasn't
true, the sad fact is that most of the OTSC kids won't have a tree and
won't get their coveted toy or book. That is why the Junior Board
decided to support OTSC Director Ralph Campagna's vision of a dream
come true for a Club Kid. "Every child should have the chance to walk
into a room of endless toys, knowing that they get to pick out the
thing they want most for themselves," he said. Giving stipends to the
kids and taking them shopping never did seem to work out. Most of the
children, with little to call their own, spent what they had on a gift
for their mother or brother, father or sister, but rarely on something
for themselves. Wanting to "transform the Club's game room into
Marshall Field's toy department" was Ralph's vision and every year, on
Christmas Eve, he does just that. This time around, with help from
Board Member Tim Streit, a Holiday Toy Drive was established. Using
Amazon.com as a link, generous donors were able to send toys directly
to the Club with just the click of the mouse. So many of you
contributed so generously that we could never thank you all, but much
like Santa Claus, know that the smallest thing that you did put the
biggest smile on the face of a child on the most magical night of the
year.