More than 450 people recently came together to raise money for individuals with special needs at the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association’s annual charity auction.

We hope that each and every guest had a truly enjoyable evening. The fun and festivities were second only to the immense financial support our guests provided.

All the proceeds from the auction will allow WDSRA to continue to offer a variety of quality programs, trips and special events to more than 8,000 individuals with special needs each year. Programs range from Special Olympics and adapted sports to dance and art, as well as social clubs and camps. It will also be used with inclusion services for any program offered through a participating park district.

I want to thank our wonderful sponsors, including the many kind businesses and individuals who made this event a great success. With their contributions, we had hundreds of items for guests to bid on in both silent and live auctions, as well as for the many raffle baskets. This event could not have happened without their generosity! (A complete list of sponsors can be found at our Web site, www.wdsra.com.)

We also had many volunteers helping to plan and run this event. Thank you for your hours of hard work and dedication. It is wonderful to see so many people to come together to help others. Our volunteers are the backbone of our events!

My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone for making a difference in so many lives.

Cindy Allston, auction chair and development manager, Western DuPage Special Recreation Association, Carol Stream