The Generation Project's summer launch tour--sponsored and hosted by Rugby Ralph Lauren--made a stop in the Windy City Wednesday night at the Rugby store in Lincoln Park. Over 75 guests enjoyed an open bar, catering from Chicago landmark (and Obama favorite) Minnie's, shopping incentives and, of course, the opportunity to become a philanthropist by designing gifts for kids in low-income areas. As always, the Rugby store employees's energy and enthusiasm helped make the event a tremendous success. A special shout-out goes out to Rugby associate (and theatre aficionado) Zach, who was so inspired by our mission that he created a $75 gift for low-income Chicago students to attend a play in the city. Some other gift highlights from the Chicago event included:
- -$30+ to purchase a Magic Johnson jersey for a high school varsity basketball player who writes an essay on "why passing is more important than shooting." (Full disclosure: this was from my old college point guard, Kyle Konwinski, who takes that maxim to heart)
- -$40 to help students "win at trivial pursuit for life" (through the purchase of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader books)
- -$60 to help students recognize their creative capacities by attending a show at Chicago's famous Second City Main Stage
- -Two gifts of $100 for students to start a vegetable garden
- -$200 for running shoes for a high school track team
- -$500 to start a forensics team in Detroit, Michigan
- -A $1000 college scholarship for a high school sophomore who has demonstrated leadership and academic excellence. This gift is meant to simultaneously expose students to the college admissions process early, and to give the winner motivation to finish high school on a strong note.
In addition, our Chicago event was a high-water mark in terms of fundraising for The Generation Project--thanks in part to a generous $2,500 gift from the Chicago-based law firm Baker & McKenzie. Now, after three successful events in DC, New York, and Chicago, our launch tour takes a short break before continuing in September with events at the Rugby stores in Boston and San Francisco. As always, your minimum $25 donation directly funds a gift you design, and gets you an open bar, free food, and a chance to win one of three shopping sprees from Rugby Ralph Lauren!
Login to our community section to see the full list of gifts, and check out our photo gallary from the evening after the jump. For DC pictures, see our earlier blog post or head on over to the Rugby blog and check out their gallary; for NYC pictures, check out our blog post here. More...