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Health & Fitness

CASA names Mary Szela as chairman of its annual gala, "Seeds of Hope"

CASA names Mary Szela as chairman of its annual gala, "Seeds of Hope" to help abused, neglected children.

For more information please contact Joanie Bayhack at 847/383-6260 ext. 217 or Dan Friedlander at 847/855-6444

 

CASA names Mary Szela as chairman

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of its annual gala, “Seeds of Hope”

to help abused, neglected children                                    For immediate release

Find out what's happening in Wilmette-Kenilworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

CASA Lake County, Vernon Hills, announced that Mary Szela, chairman of Rib-X Pharmaceuticals and a former executive at Abbott, will chair its ninth annual fund-raising gala. The funds will assist 277 CASA volunteers to become advocates for neglected and abused children who through no fault of their own are in the Lake County Juvenile Court system.

The event, known in the past as CASAblanca, has netted $1,205,000. This year the extraordinary gala has “Seeds of Hope” as its theme to symbolize the commitment to both provide hope and a CASA advocate for every child who needs one.

WGN News Anchor Micah Materre will host the event that will begin with a reception starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 4 in the spectacular McGinley Gallery and Nichols Pavilion at the Chicago Botanic Garden, on Lake-Cook Road in Glencoe.

 The evening will feature cocktails, dinner, live entertainment, dancing, an impressive silent auction and the presentation of the Terri Zenner Award to Steffan Schubert, president of Lundbeck, Inc. for the pioneering work being done by his brain research pharmaceutical company to help CASA advocates and others to recognize child abuse behavior problems.

Szela, a member of the CASA board of directors, said “There is an increased need for advocates to provide a voice for abused children. We are committed to raise the funds necessary to expand our training programs.” She added, “Our 2013 fund-raising event reflects a renewed energy, new theme, venue and goal to substantially increase contributions and to raise community awareness of this invaluable organization.”

Corporate sponsors for the gala are Aon Hewitt, CDW, Lundbeck, and Fortune Brands Home & Security. Media sponsors are SPLASH, a Chicago Sun-Times Publication and the magazine Make It Better.

For information about attending Seeds of Hope, or about CASA to become an advocate for one of the abused children who appear in court or to make a donation, contact Joanie Bayhack at 847/383-6260 extension 217 or visit the web site at www.casalakecounty.com.

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