Lake Forest’s Sara Spain Helps Raise Funds and Awareness for Children with Special Needs

An enthusiastic crowd of more than 170 packed Galleria Marchetti on Friday, November 8, 2013, to support and celebrate National Lekotek Center at the organization’s 4th annual Lekotek Ambassador Ball, Light Up the Night. The fundraising fête helped raise vital funds and awareness for Lekotek, a division of Anixter Center dedicated to improving the lives of children with special needs and their families through therapeutic-based play.

The evening kicked off with a lively cocktail hour and sensational silent auction boasting a Chicago Cubs Dream Day, travel vouchers, gift cards to great Chicago stores and restaurants, a Tiffany bracelet, American Girl Dolls and much more. After the cocktail hour, guests learned more about Lekotek during a formal program led by the evening’s master of ceremonies Sara Spain, espnW columnist, SportsCenter Anchor for Chicago’s ESPN 1000 and reporter for ESPNChicago.com. The evening’s program included a moving video presentation and heartwarming story from a family who spoke candidly about how Lekotek has supported them.

After dinner, guests enjoyed a spirited Heads or Tails Raffle, which ended with the winner generously donating the mini iPad he won back to the organization. Lekotek supporters spent the remainder of the evening dancing to the sounds of Vintage Blue. A celebrated Chicago band, Vintage Blue performed a mix of covers and original songs, engaging guests late into the night.

Thanks to the generosity of the event’s Gold Sponsors, including Galleria Marchetti, Jones & Cleary Roofing and Sheet Metal Company, Jeannine Cleary and Frank Ten Brink, and The Daugherty Group/UBS, as well as those in attendance, the 4th annual Lekotek Ambassador Ball raised more than $100,000 to support Lekotek.

For more information about Lekotek, visit www.Lekotek.org. For more information about Anixter Center, go to www.Anixter.org. Interested in volunteering or other ways to show your support? Please contact Amy Laboy at alaboy@anixter.org.

About Anixter Center

One of the largest nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area serving people with disabilities, Anixter Center provides an array of services to help those with disabilities and related challenges live, learn, work and play in the community. Through 34 programs and services at 35 locations across the greater Chicago area, Anixter Center touches the lives of more than 7,300 individuals annually and advocates for the rights of children and adults with all types of disabilities to participate fully and equally in society.