"March for Miracles" Fundraising Benefit in August

On Saturday, August 24, 2002, the ARDS Foundation gathered at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s for its annual fundraiser for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Though the threatening Chicago skies kept some walkers away, the clouds cleared and it was a beautiful day for the many who attended from near and far.

After registration, walkers picked up a ‘March for Miracles” T-shirt, with many inspirational phrases inscribed on the back, stopped off at the picnic area for a bagel, some fruit or something to drink, met some of the other walkers or volunteers, and then off it was to the beautiful and serene gardens.

Following the walk, there was music to listen to, hot dogs, chips, popcorn, cookies, snow cones, face painting, tattoos, soft drinks, water, and juices. It was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to share what their connection was to this devastating syndrome…to tell their stories and experiences and explain how they were affected by ARDS.

Eileen Rubin, President of the ARDS Foundation, welcomed the guests and volunteers and introduced Dr. Jane Dematte, from Northwestern University in Chicago, who has worked with the foundation since its inception and spoke about why a group such as the ARDS Foundation is so important to the community and those who are dealing with a loved one in ARDS crisis, those who are post ARDS, and also for the medical community to offer elements that they cannot give which is the patient and family perspective.

Dr. Steve Yarnall, who has written “Beyond Medicine” then spoke about his experience with getting ARDS and what motivated him to write his book, which deals with Love, Prayer, Humor, Touch, Music and Pets, the six elements of healing which deals with what one can get beyond medicine…hope.

Finally, Paula Blonski, Vice-president of the ARDS Foundation, whose sister Marybeth passed away from ARDS at the age of thirty-six, acknowledged all of those people who came to the walk and were walking in memory or in honor of a loved one. She, too, reiterated those words that Dr. Yarnall spoke of…hope, as she said that standing there among a group of survivors, though it made her think of, and sadly remember her sister, it also gave her hope that we were gathered there that day trying to do something to make change, to make improvement. Paula recognized the people who attended from out of town, Dee Storey, from Michigan, Colleen and Jim Shelstad and their two sons, from Wisconsin, and Meg Tapucol-Provo and Tom Provo & Steven and Lynn Yarnall, all from the state of Washington.

At the end of the day, all of the raffle prizes were raffled off and finally, the First ARDS Quilt was raffle off. The winner of the quilt was Gail Sype, from Saginaw, Michigan. And when Gail learned that she had won the quilt, she contacted the ARDS Foundation and has offered to donate this first quilt to the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago for display. How wonderful!

As many were helping to clean up, talk turned to next year’s fundraiser and what more could be done to raise public awareness and educate those throughout the country who have never heard of this devastating syndrome of course, many of us had not heard of until it struck home…. Kitty McAndrews, from the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago, who volunteered at the event and has been an enormous help to the ARDS Foundation since its inception, was in attendance and contributed her knowledge as well. With members, new and old, the ARDS Foundation will impart not only its knowledge, but its passion to educate others about acute respiratory distress syndrome, while support families who unfortunately are faced with the diagnosis of ARDS, giving them hope and understanding.

Raffle Prize Donations:
The following raffle prizes will by awarded during the event. Special thanks
to all local businesses for their generous donations.

Lester Lampert, Inc. Fine Jewelry
57 East Oak Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312-944-6888
$500.00 gift certificate
Lester Lampert, Inc. Fine Jewelry Circuit City.com
$100 Gift Card

Over The Top, Ltd.
1866 First St.
Highland Park, IL 60035
$25 gift certificate The Bergoff
17 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60603
312-427-3170
$50 Gift Certificate
Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding
230 W. North Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
Two tickets

Wilmette Theatre
1122 Central Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
Four Movie Tickets

Lutheran General Hospital
Fitness Center
1875 Dempster Street, Suite G01
Park Ridge, IL 60068
3 Month Short Term Membership
($123.00 value)

Morton J. Rubin, Attorney
3100 Dundee, Suite 502
Northbrook, IL 60062
847-272-1234
A Simple Will

Auditorium Theatre
50 E. Congress Parkway
Chicago, IL 60605
Tour of the historic landmark
Auditorium Theatre for a group of ten

Associates in Oral Health
Dr. John Edgar
4801 W. Peterson
Chicago, IL 60646
773-736-0815
A Teeth Whitening

Hair by Via Venato
181 Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
847-831-3770
Manicure ($18 value)

P.F. Chang’s
1819 Lake Cook Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
$20 ‘be our guest’ certificate
$75.00 ‘be our guest’ certificate

Chicago While Sox:
An Official Major League baseball autographed by Chicago White Sox player Gary Glover Lowes Cineplex Entertainment Two Movies Tickets Value $18.00 www.enjoytheshow.com
Grazniano’s
5960 West Touhy
Niles, IL 60714
$25.00 Gift Certificate

Lowes Cineplex Entertainment
www.enjoytheshow.com
2 Movies Tickets Value $18.00
Marie Flood
A Twig Bench Hand crafted by Marie

Chicago Prime Steakhouse
1370 Bank Drive
Schaumburg, IL 60173
847-967-9900
Three gift certificates for $25

Ron of Japan
633 Skokie Blvd.
Northbrook, IL
847-564-5900
Two complimentary Crown Dinners

Chicago Bulls
1901 W Madison Street
Chicago, IL 60612
Chicago Bulls baseball hat and
two Chicago Bulls CDs

Brinker International
www.brinker.com
$30 gift certificate for Corner Bakery Bob Chinn’s Crab House
393 S. Milwaukee Avenue
Wheeling, IL 60090
Two $25 Gift certificates

Royal George Theatre
www.latenitecatechism.com
710 W. Junior Terrace
Chicago, IL 60613
Late nite Catechism
Two Tickets valued at $30 each

J. Terri Ross, Ltd.
660 Vernon Avenue
Glencoe, IL 60022
847-835-9660
Hair color, cut & blow dry
valued at $110
Toshiba Thirteen inch colorTV/VCR combo and a ten pack of VCR tapes value $150.00
Donated by Mark Lowery
of West Roxbury, MA

Mendel Money Management
1200 Sermer Road Suite 312 Northbrook, Illinois 60062
847-564-0979
Free 1 Hour Financial
Planning Session

Sunset Foods
Highland Park, Lake Forest
Libertyville, Northbrook
$25 Gift certificate

Tong’s Hunan Chinese
Restaurant & Lounge
4145 W. Dundee Rd
Northbrook, IL 60062
Lunch for Two

Carissima Salons
2901 N Clark Street
Chicago, IL
773-935-7009
Spa Haircut with Tony

Handmaid Treasures
Custom Craft Creations
Gail E. Sype, Designer
2541 Shattuck Road
Saginaw, MI 43601

Necklace

Handmaid Treasures
Custom Craft Creations
Gail E. Sype, Designer
2541 Shattuck Road
Saginaw, MI 43601

Necklace

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
$75 Gift Certificate Wildfire Restaurant
www.wildfirerestaurant.com
$75 Gift Certificate Ben Pao
www.lettuceentertainyou.com

Harris Bank
500 E. Devon
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
$100 Saving Bond

Sponsors:
Thanks also to the following sponsors who gave generously of their time
and resources to help make this event happen.