The annual Taste of Skokie Valley was a big hit, this year, for the Rotary Club of Skokie Valley’s charities, raising over $12,500. President Nominee of the Rotary Club, Ralph E. Czerwinski and Event Co-Chair, says over 400 people attended this year at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.
Both the Skokie Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Skokie Valley presented the evening. Attendance increased by about 20% this year, over last, Czerwinski said. He credits many factors in the event success. It’s always a fun evening, with local business people, Village employees and great silent auction/raffle items, Czerwinski said. He also credits the attendance jump to Skokie Chamber Executive Assistant, Amanda Waldhauser for her on-line marketing.
Those in attendance were treated to about 18 local restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen, Sweety Pie, Village Inn Pizza, Bar Louie, Pinstripes, Maggiano’s, Tub Tim Thai and more offering their samplings. Event sponsor, Evanston Subaru in Skokie, provided live music by the Michael Lerich Orchestra.
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There were hundreds of silent auctions items from local business gift cards to Stanley Cup Chicago Blackhawk merchandise. The entire event was held in the spacious lobby of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
A raffle with a 50+ inch TV, an iPad, Chicago staycation package and a $250 Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Spree concluded the evening with oohs and aahs as the winners names were drawn.
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Corporation and event sponsors were, Westfield Old Orchard Evanston Subaru in Skokie, District 219 Niles Township High Schools, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie,
Print-Xpress, Holiday Inn North Shore, Glen Roter- Edward Jones Investments, Lincolnwood Public Library District, Skokie Public Library, St. Paul Lutheran Church and Bar Louie in Skokie.
The Rotary Club of Skokie Valley serves Lincolnwood, Skokie, Niles and Morton Grove.
Funds raised at the Taste of Skokie help local Rotary charities like, THE ARC, A Just Harvest Soup Kitchen, Niles Township Food Pantry, American Cancer Society, USO of Illinois, The Talking Farm, Metropolitan Family Service, Oakton Community College, End Polio Now, Orchard Village, Golf Marine Park District, Summer Foundation, Building Together, DECA, Skokie NorthShore Hospital, VITA and more locally and internationally.
The Rotary meets every Tuesday at 12:15 at McCormick & Schmick's Restaurant at Old Orchard Shopping Center. The meetings are short and productive often including a guest speaker with topics pertaining to members’ primary business or their Rotary involvement.
For information on joining Rotary, visit the Rotary website at http://www.skokierotary.org or on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SkokieValleyRotary
