Six Mill Creek residents help plan a gala event

Embarking on the third annual "Winter Wine Festival" fundraiser to benefit the Living Well Cancer Center in Geneva are Mill Creek residents Judy Kaseeska, Jennifer Sommers, Angie D'Angelo, Lisa Paul and Lori Hanson, who all help to make this successful event a reality.

"This is an extraordinary event, receiving rave reviews from those who have attended in the past," said Sue Mielke, Mill Creek resident and event chairperson who is a cancer survivor and one of the original four founding members.

"Someone came to me and said they had a vision to build this resource center and I thought 'this is exactly all the things I needed but couldn't find all in one building when I was diagnosed' so I thought if we can offer this to our community, what a useful gift it would be," Mielke said.

Jennifer Sommers of Mill Creek expresses a similar real life encounter that fuels her energy for the Living Well Center fundraising event.

"My mother-in-law was suffering from ovarian cancer, a battle she fought for five years. When I was asked to help organize the Wine Festival, I just knew this was a cause I wanted to support."

Sommers goes on to say "the center helps heal the mind and soul which is very important when undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. People love coming here, it's a friendly, warm environment where everyone can relate to one another."

One hundred percent of the funds raised are used to facilitate the programs that help cancer patients and their families cope with the disease and improve the quality of life once they are diagnosed. The Living Well Center offers a wide variety of support options ranging from counseling, a comprehensive library, mind, body and fitness programs including art expression, yoga and nutritional classes.

The date of the event this year is Feb. 23, held the same weekend every year. What makes this event unique is that it is always hosted at an estate home in the Fox Valley area. This year it will be held at Pat & Marrie O'Rahilly's residence in St. Charles.

There will be musicians from local high schools who will fill the home with music. A string quartet will greet guests in the entrance as everyone arrives and makes their way through the mansion. Another musician will serenade them with sounds from the piano. In years past, they have featured a jazz trio.

There will be tasting stations strategically placed throughout the sprawling homestead while hors d'oeuvres are served butler style. This year, attendees will savor creations donated by many local restaurants.

Then there are the wine selections and auction. The wines are provided by local wine shops as well as some privately owned wineries in Napa Valley, featuring exclusive labels that cannot be acquired locally.

The auction offers experiences people can not buy themselves like golf at private clubs, fighter jet rides, sail boat tours on Lake Michigan, a day of racing, a Chicago-based tour guided by Hugh Hefner's daughter of the finest artwork collection from the Playboy Mansion, and front row seats to a concert with back stage passes, to name a few.

This is an invite only event, costing $500 a couple or $250 per person.

If you are interested in an invitation, call Cheryl at the Living Well Center at (630) 262-1111.