The Generation Project's second annual Rugby Ralph Lauren tour kicked off with a bang on Thursday, October 14, at the Rugby store in Chicago. We were greeted by enthusiastic guests who enjoyed an open bar sponsored by Chang, Balblair, and Mekhong, hor d'ouvres and pizza (it's Chicago--what else?), raffled shopping sprees from Ralph Lauren, and a live performance from local rock sensation Daphne Willis. In addition, guests at our Chicago event enjoyed shopping incentives from Ralph Lauren and a Chicago-focused video by our amazing videographer, Maicol Chavez. Guests also heard speeches from Chicago public school teacher Brendan Clarke--whose students have benefitted from multiple donor-designed gifts--as well as Jessica Rauch, co-founder and CEO of The Generation Project.
Most importantly, guests at our Chicago event had the opportunity to design personally meaningful opportunities for students growing up in low-income areas. Donors designed a wide array of creative gifts based around their personal passions, including: All told, over 100 guests combined to design 74 unique gifts for high-need students, totalling nearly $6,000 in resources for low-income classrooms and schools.
Check out our glamorous crowd below, and more amazing pictures after the jump! And Bostonians, San Franciscans, and DC-ians: stay tuned for information about The Generation Project's stop at Rugby stores in your city! (And check out more coverage of the event--and more pics!--over at khojodresses!)
The Big Board of gifts!
The bar...
Designing gifts...
Cocktails generously donated by
Mekhong
Beer generously donated by
Chang...
One always feels fashionable when surrounded by Rugby clothes
Delicious pizza, in the pizza capital of the world.
The raffle draw, for the amazing Rugby giveaways.
Inspiration strikes for an amazing gift.
Daphne Willis rocks!
One of our Chicago Expansion donors.
Jessica Rauch, co-founder and President/CEO of The Generation Project
The Chicago Generation Project video...stay tuned to this blog for when we post it!
You will NEVER find cuter kids than these. Just as cute, maybe. But not cuter.
Brendan Clarke, one of the many Chicago teachers who has used The Generation Project over the past year.
