There was a lot to celebrate at the Chicago Cubs Charities’ 5th annual Bricks and Ivy Ball, held at Union Station on April 8 with 700 guests in attendance. The Cubs had their first win of the season and the event raised a whopping $1.35 million to support its community programs.
The walls of the Great Hall were covered in “ivy” thanks to the magic of creative lighting as Chicago Cubs radio announcer Pat Hughes welcomed guests and presented a video tribute to “Mr. Cub,” the late Ernie Banks. “He played the game he loved as a lifelong Cub for 19 years and is the first player in Cubs history to have his number retired,” said Hughes.
Tom Ricketts, Cubs Executive Chairman, shared his goals for the club. “We’re working to build the best organization in baseball with these three priorities — win the World Series, preserve and improve Wrigley Field and be a good neighbor,” said Ricketts.
Cubs television broadcasters Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies introduced team members, coaching staff and alumni in attendance. Cubs manager Joe Maddon offered a toast and directed some tips to the players assembled onstage: “Don’t ever let pressure exceed pleasure and respect that 90 feet!”
Live auction items included a sleepover for 20 kids on the field at Wrigley (three packages sold for $24,000 each) and the opportunity to sing during the 7th inning stretch (sold for $16,000). A Soldier Field private suite for 20 at the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary concert sold for $47,500. A surprise auction offering was a one-year pass to use the VIP restroom at Wrigley Field, which brought laughs from the crowd and sold for $2,400.
Laura Ricketts, Cubs co-owner and Charities board chair, introduced Courtney Bingham, a senior at Loyola Academy, as a 2014 Cubs Scholar. “Through Cubs Charities, I found the hope I needed to persevere through my hardships and grow as a leader. It’s given me the tools to inspire my three siblings and myself to strive for a college education,” said Bingham, who will be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the fall.
Last year, the Cubs and Cubs Charities combined to contribute more than $4.5 million and thousands of autographed items, experiences and tickets to nonprofit organizations. The team’s charitable efforts support increased access to sports opportunities and target improvements in health, fitness and education for those at risk.
Freelance writer Candace Jordan is involved with many local organizations, including some whose events she covers.
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![Four years into cannabis legalization in Illinois, celebrations of the April 20 informal weed holiday known as 420 are getting bigger and more widespread. Named for the time of day a group of friends met to get high, 420 has become a chance for marijuana users to publicly share a previously illegal drug and the counter-cultural atmosphere surrounding it. The main event in downtown Chicago likely will be the second annual 420 Sesh Fest, at Green Rose Dispensary. The party will include live music, a magic show, carnival games, food trucks, pop ups, and product discounts. It also will feature Grammy-nominated […]](https://www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ctc-l-Illinois-marijuana_175925141.jpg?w=546 "Four years into cannabis legalization in Illinois, celebrations of the April 20 informal weed holiday known as 420 are getting bigger and more widespread. Named for the time of day a group of friends met to get high, 420 has become a chance for marijuana users to publicly share a previously illegal drug and the counter-cultural atmosphere surrounding it. The main event in downtown Chicago likely will be the second annual 420 Sesh Fest, at Green Rose Dispensary. The party will include live music, a magic show, carnival games, food trucks, pop ups, and product discounts. It also will feature Grammy-nominated […]")
