Each year the Children’s Ball fundraiser takes place to benefit the Children’s Research Fund. Established in 1951, the Fund’s purpose is to raise money to advance medical research. In 1991, they began their affiliation with the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and they are now the principal benefactor of the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute.
Each year, the Children’s Research Fund hosts the Children’s Ball. This year’s ball, on December 5th, 2015, was the 57th Annual Children’s Ball. It was called “Imagine! – Brining Possibilities to Life” and was made possible by the generous contributions of people and organizations who purchased tables. These include: Beazley Group, Conifer Health Solutions, Baker Tilly, Jamie and Marc Pasquale, Tracey and Chaka Patterson and many others.
The celebratory event is the culmination of their campaign which raised more than $2.5 million in support of pediatric medical research. Co-chairs were Brent and Katie Gledhill and Eric and Kim Smith. The evening included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and a science fair to begin. There was entertainment provided by Ken Arlen Orchestra. Then there was the evening program, dinner, a special presentation and entertainment. Certainly, with the help of so many like Marc Pasquale, the evening was a great success.