Bottoms Up for Babies supports diaper distributions
It's almost time for the third annual Bottoms Up for Babies at North Shore Distillery in Green Oaks.
The Oct. 20 benefit supports Twice As Nice Mother & Child's diaper distribution efforts in Lake County. The nonprofit organization is on target to provide 300,000 free diapers this year, said Ann Marie Mathis, founder of the 8-year-old agency.
"This is our biggest fundraising event of the year," Mathis said. "We purchase 60 percent of the diapers we distribute. With just 11 volunteers and no paid staff, we rely on this and other fundraising events, diaper drives and cash donations to fulfill our mission of ensuring that every child has a sufficient supply of diapers."
Bottoms Up for Babies will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at North Shore Distillery, 13990 Rockland Road, Green Oaks. The keynote speaker will be Maggie Morales, director of community leadership and investment for the Lake County Community Foundation, a Twice As Nice Mother & Child granter.
Tickets are $70 each, which includes two drink tickets, or $100 each for the VIP package, which includes three drink tickets, a distillery tour with spirits tasting and a full-sized, standard, 750-milliliter bottle of gin or vodka to take home.
The event also will include food, live music, a 50-50 raffle and a silent auction featuring everything from premier Chicago sports tickets to a Wisconsin Dells resort getaway, an introductory flight from Fly There Chicago, a Zerona laser fat-sculpting treatment, and a 60-inch, flat-screen LG television.
"The venue is amazing and the drinks are fantastic," Mathis said, adding that the Lloyd Stephens Band will entertain the crowd. "It's unlike anything you'll find in the Midwest."
The intimate setting has a maximum capacity of 150 people, so buy early before the event sells out, Mathis suggested. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com and at www.twiceasnicemc.org.
Between its on-site distribution center in Gurnee and the mobile diaper pantry that sets up twice a month in Gurnee and Waukegan, Twice As Nice has distributed 220,000 diapers so far this year. Mathis has set a $15,000 goal for the Oct. 20 fundraiser.
"Every dollar raised at Bottoms Up for Babies supports our diaper distribution program," Mathis said. "Safety net programs like WIC and food stamps do not cover diapers ... That's where we step in, so that parents can keep their children clean, dry and healthy."
Sponsorships remain available, ranging from $250 to $1,000. To inquire, call (224) 637-1644.
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