50th anniversary gala nets $85,000 for Youth and Familhy Counseling
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding, more than 140 guests recently attended the Youth and Family Counseling Good as Gold Gala at Ivanhoe Club.
In addition to a night of entertainment and honoring the many people who have dedicated so much time and effort to YFC over the decades, the event also generated nearly $85,000 toward keeping YFC viable for another 50 years.
During opening remarks, YFC Executive Director Janelle Miller Moravek traced the organization’s history back to 1962, when a group of women identified the need for a community-based counseling service in central Lake County.
There were similar agencies in Waukegan and Highland Park, but the Libertyville area was underserved.
“These women believed that everyone — regardless of their ability to pay — should have access to quality mental health services, and so YFC came to be. Even though our world has changed dramatically since 1962, YFC continues to offer affordable counseling services to people of all ages,” Moravek said.
“I want to tell you about another group of women — a more contemporary group — who see the ongoing need for affordable counseling and believe in the work that we do. These women are helping us set a course for the next 50 years of service by taking our events to a higher level and securing the funds we need to offer fee subsidies for uninsured and underinsured families.
“This gala has been put together for YFC by our Auxiliary, and I would like to thank them for their hard work and generosity. Auxiliary Chair Anne Brandt, Patricia Bleck, Annette Freyman, Katie Han, Kathy Khang, Michelle Krumm, Kaarn Luce, Sharon Mullins, Lynn Patterson, Maria Rill, Julie Rochester, Casey Rooney, Sue Rudolphi, Kathleen Salemi, Alane Tallant, Jill Turco and Helen Zwirn.”
Moravek paid special tribute to Honorary Chairwoman Carol Piccolo, who introduced Moravek to YFC. Piccolo is credited with starting the annual golf outing, a 15-year tradition that has raised more than $672,000 for YFC.
Piccolo also has recruited board members, secured financial support from local corporations such as Baxter and Caremark, personally draws many people to YFC fundraisers and served on the YFC board for nearly 20 years, including a term as president.
In addition to her service to YFC, Piccolo has served on the boards of Riverside Foundation, the Guild of St Joseph Church, the University of Chicago’s Women’s Board and the Libertyville Juniors, among others.
The gala featured a raffle drawing, live and silent auctions and a Fund-A-Cause auction, through which attendees committed to sponsor specific aspects of YFC operations in order to make counseling services available to all children.
“We’ve learned tonight how YFC makes a difference in people’s lives,” said auctioneer Tucker Olson.
“Half of their clients have health insurance but half of them do not. These families have nowhere else to go for affordable counseling — YFC is the only general counseling agency in central Lake County that has a sliding fee scale and accepts clients without a referral. And one-third of these clients are children and adolescents.”
Youth and Family Counseling is a private, not-for-profit social service agency offering quality and affordable mental health counseling services to help people of all ages maintain and enhance their emotional and psychological well-being. The office is on the ground floor of Forum Square, 1113 S. Milwaukee Ave., No. 104, Libertyville.
Call (847) 367-5991 or visit www.yfc-libertyville.com. To schedule an appointment, email stephanie.gockley@yfc-libertyville.com.