The 29th Annual Columbian Ball: October 23, 2009
On Friday, October 23, 2009, the Museum of Science and Industry celebrated its 29th Annual Columbian Ball – A Celebration of YOU! Mind, Body and Spirit. The evening was full of excitement and a true success – thanks to the support of all our guests and sponsors. By reaching our fundraising goal of $1.6 million, the Museum will continue to inspire children to achieve their full potential in science, technology, medicine and engineering.
We express our sincere gratitude to our honorary co-chairs, the Honorable and Mrs. Richard M. Daley; our ball co-chairs, Cathy and Bill Osborn and Barbara and David Speer; and our auction co-chairs, Ann and Dennis FitzSimons and Christina and Ron Gidwitz. It is through their work and dedication that we were able to achieve our goal.
This year's Columbian Ball paid homage to the Museum’s newest permanent exhibit, YOU! The Experience. During the cocktail reception, guests were invited to tour this exhibit, where they could see their pulses displayed by the Giant Heart, walk in the Hamster Wheel or test their relaxation abilities in a game of Mindball. Dinner was held in a colorfully decorated tent on the front lawn, where guests were thrilled by the Jesse White Tumblers and entertained by our live auctioneer, Bill Kurtis. In addition, the live auction included a special fundraising effort for the Museum’s Center for the Advancement of Science (CASE). The evening concluded with dancing and dessert in the rotunda.
The Museum extends a special thanks to our Principal Sponsors
BP America; The Edgewater Funds – Andrea and Jim Gordon; Illinois Tool Works, Inc; MacLean-Fogg Company; Merge Healthcare – Jacky and Michael Ferro, Jr.; The Northern Trust Company; Cathy and Bill Osborn; Reyes Holdings LLC and United Airlines — the Exclusive and Official Airline of the Museum of Science and Industry.
More Information
For more information on the annual Columbian Ball, please contact Denise Hicks at denise.hicks(at)msichicago.org.
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The Museum of Science and Industry opened its doors in 1933 and is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere.