Dearest Hinsdaleans, welcome back to another exciting social season!
I don't know about the rest of you, but summer seemed to fly by, especially with the excitement surrounding our local baseball and softball teams. Now, with the first signs of fall nipping at our heels, it's time to start marking your calendars (and preparing your budget) for this year's lineup.
Femme, Fierce, Leather & Lace
At the top of the order, we have the Hinsdale Junior Woman's Club Fashion Show: Femme, Fierce, Leather & Lace. Just around the corner on Sept. 20 at Pella Signature in Burr Ridge, this event unites top city and suburban designers and stores. With a combination of professional models and community members working the runway, this is one event people will be talking about. Guests will enjoy lunch, shopping and luxury raffles while benefiting educational scholarships and grants for organizations that uplift women and children.
"When I joined HJWC last year, I experienced lots of meaningful ways to give back to the community, while having fun and meeting new friends," Emily Campbell of Hinsdale said. "I decided to co-chair the education committee this year, as higher learning is near and dear to my heart. The fashion show is an exciting way to raise funds for educational scholarships, and it has been such a joy to plan this wonderful event."
Co-chair, Denise Marron of Clarendon Hills agreed.
"The women of HJWC are deeply passionate about making a difference," Marron said. "While we raise substantial funds, we're also hands-on in our efforts, demonstrating the true power of our collective commitment. So when we thought about choosing a theme, we wanted to celebrate the incredible strength of women-especially the remarkable impact we achieve when we come together."
You can find out more and get tickets at http://www.hjwc.us.
Hope Grows at Wellness ball
Of course, the Wellness House Ball is always the talk of the town and this year's event certainly looks dazzling. Guests will gather Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Old Post Office in Chicago where they'll enjoy cocktails, dinner, a live auction and paddle raise, followed by dancing into the night, all surrounded by art deco details in a lush landscape.
The cause is close to the heart of one of this year's co-chairs, Pamela Pontakis of Hinsdale.
"My involvement with Wellness House stems from the amazing support they offered my family after the loss of my father to cancer nearly five years ago," she said. "The toll cancer takes on a patient's emotional health and the mental well-being of their family is often overlooked. Wellness House offers a community for everyone affected at no cost to help heal those wounds.
"Our theme 'Hope Grows' builds on this value that there is hope and growth throughout everyone's journey with cancer," she continued. "This year our goal is to raise enough awareness and funds to reach more than the over 50,000 people Wellness House has already served."
If you're new to town, you may not know that Hinsdale is home to Wellness House, an organization that provides free cancer support for individuals and families throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond. For tickets, visit http://www.wellnesshouse.org.
Looking ahead
Now that we're off and rolling, I'd like to say that I thought a lot about community over the summer and what it means to be in society here. So, this year, yes, I'll certainly be highlighting some of the big events (I'm lookin' at you, Holiday Ball), but I'd also like to shine a spotlight on some of the smaller things happening around town that all weave into the tapestry of our lives. After all, what is a society without the energy of our youth, the wisdom of our elders or the ambition of those in the middle? Stay tuned!
- Allison Peters of Hinsdale is the paper's society columnist. Readers can email her at [email protected].
