Eastland Society marks 101st anniversary with events

Barbara and Ted Wachholz established the Eastland Disaster Historical Society in 1998, in memory of Barbara's grandmother, Borghild "Bobbie" Aanstad, who was 13 and onboard the Eastland when it capsized.

For the centennial commemoration in 2015, a company called 88 Brand Partners, a creative agency that builds, elevates and extends brands, spent nine months working with the EDHS - completely pro-bono.

"We wanted to give back to a local organization that didn't have a lot of opportunities to get their stories shared," said Michael McGuire, CEO of 88 Brand Partners. "Through (working with EDHS), we realized the importance of keeping that story as part of Chicago's culture and fabric."

On Sunday and Monday, July 24 and 25, the historical society, which is based in Arlington Heights, is sponsoring a 101st anniversary program in Chicago. Many events are free.

For details and tickets for events that require them, visit www.eastlanddisaster.org.