By Dee Longfellow
ECPA Board chair Jeff Budgell welcomed all the guests following dinner and announced that the ECPA made an agreement with Ryan Companies to begin the planning and building of the development that will one day be a state-of-the-art venue for live music, theatre, dance, comedy, and events to serve the western suburbs.
A crowd of supporters gathered at the River Forest Country Club on Saturday, Sept. 14 when the Elmhurst Centre for Performing Arts (ECPA) hosted its annual Spotlight Giving Gala.
At the gala, the ECPA announced a partnership with Ryan Companies to begin development of the ECPA’s space in downtown.
Ryan was specifically selected for its experience in designing and building smart, well-planned, mixed-use developments, some of which are in Elmhurst.
The announcement was made to a crowd of between 250-300 people who helped raise funds to aid ECPA in its next chapter. The evening included an elegant cocktail reception that offered gathering places inside as well as on the outdoor patio looking out over the lush greens of the golf course. Silent auction items were on display during the reception.
Attendees then enjoyed dinner with wine at the tables after which a live auction was held. While it is too early to confirm the number of dollars raised at the event, the live auction alone brought in $20,000.
“It is because of our community, their generosity and commitment to this vision, that we have reached this milestone in our journey,” said ECPA Board chair Jeff Budgell, who spoke after dinner. “We are thrilled to be taking this significant step forward and officially establishing our partnership with Ryan Companies.”
After dinner, everyone was invited to the adjoining ballroom for swing dancing, including lessons.
For more information, visit ECPA-Elmhurst.org.
