Armed with shovels, snowblowers and salt, we on the homefront are left to fight the blizzards of winter while our snowbird friends bask in the sun wherever they can find it. They left us shortly after Christmas, some waiting for New Year’s Eve celebrations, but hark, hark, those of us who are left behind are carrying on, keeping the homefires burning, doing good for society, sometimes by dancing the night away, sometimes helping neighbors.
On Jan. 27 the brave gathered for the annual Riverside Auxiliary Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago’s Rhythms of the Night fundraiser, held at the Wyndham Drake Hotel Oak Brook.
The party began with complimentary valet parking, followed by hors d’oeuvres, spirited bidding on a silent auction, dinner and dancing. Gail Seegers and her committee, Susan Kucera and Jacqueline Kohns decided to warm the night with a Latino dance band, The Bandoleros, who enticed dancers with rhythms of the salsa, cha cha and rumba.
Among the dancers most inspired by the Goddess of the Dance, Terpsichore was Eddie Walz of Riverside, who, after dancing with his wife, the graceful Vilja, whirled with any lady still able to follow. The lady voted with having the smoothest dance routines was Infant Welfare president Olga Sylvester.
Among those seen enjoying the evening were village of Riverside president Jack Wiaduck and his wife, Joan. Wiaduck gave the invocation prior to dinner.
The Eagans were there, as were the Benoys and Chip and Karen Cornelius. At a table close to the dance floor were Deanne Kalamaras and her escort, Kenneth Bade, and Dr. Joseph V. Jackson and his wife, Colleen of Oak Park. At the same table was Joseph Yaley, lifelong resident of Riverside, with Patricia Hemesath of Wheeling. Yaley spent an especially joyous evening as one of the winners of the cash prize drawing, as was Boon Chai Lee of Greenwich, Conn. Maureen Colvin served as silent auction chair, and Michelle Hullihan sold huge flowers for the flower prize drawing.
Bonnie Petrzilka, former Riversider attended. Cynthia and Bill Vitek were there. Cynthia is not only a board member of Infant Welfare, but serves as president of the Riverside Junior Women’s Charity.
The Infant Welfare Society has grown in its nearly 100 years of helping the underserved children of Chicago. According to president Gail Seeger, who enlisted the aid of husband Rich George to stage the successful event, Rhythms of the Night money earned will contribute to helping the needy children and their mothers served by The Infant Welfare Society of Chicago and its auxiliary chapters.