- March 7, 2027 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- The Abbington, 3S002 IL-53, Glen Ellyn, IL, 60137, United States
Celebrating 50 Years of Inclusion, Impact, and Inspiration!
You Did It — Our 50th Anniversary Bash SHATTERED RECORDS!
Because of YOU, our milestone celebration didn’t just shine… it SOARED!
We are thrilled to share the incredible, history‑making results from our 50th Anniversary Bash. Your generosity, passion, and belief in our mission made this the most successful event in our five decades!
Here’s what YOU made possible:
Close to 500 guests filling the room with energy and excitement
A record number of sponsors standing strong behind our mission & vision
The most successful Raise‑the‑Paddle in our history
Our endowment goal fully funded
A record 16 new members joining the Possibilities Society
And there’s more…
Thanks to your overwhelming Raise‑the‑Paddle gifts — paired with a generous $15,000 matching gift from the Harbaugh Family, AND a surprise $12,500 match from the Scott and Trish Karll Charitable Fund, AND a surprise $10,000 paddle raise from the Van Wyk Charitable Foundation — that portion alone skyrocketed to an incredible $106,250!
In all, a total of more than $250,000 was raised to advance our mission & vision!
Your support didn’t just break records—it strengthened our future. Every dollar fuels opportunity, independence, and empowerment for the participants and families we proudly serve.
We are humbled. We are grateful. And we are again inspired by this amazing community.
Thank you for making our 50th anniversary a celebration we will never forget!
Want to see the highlights?
The Bash Photo Gallery
Catch the brightest moments, biggest smiles, and best highlights from the night… visit The Bash photo gallery at https://my.guestpix.com/guest/access/135353/FAA237E9.
Opening the Evening with Fireworks!
We kicked off the evening by featuring our incredible participants and a few fireworks! Opening Video
Reaching Higher!
We celebrate our incredible participants—each one pushing boundaries, lifting one another up, and reaching higher than ever before. Here’s to the courage to grow, the strength to try, and the joy of achieving more than we imagined. Let’s keep reaching—higher, stronger, together! Raise-the-Paddle Video
We have an exciting evening planned just for you, including
Open bar, dinner, Premier auction, LIVE auction, Raise-the-Paddle for the Mission & Vision
NEW this year! Vacation Station (purchase a vacation of your choice) and Cheers to 50 Years! Punch Wall (punch for a prize)
Plus… Spirit Pull, Sip & Serve Ou…
Listed by WDSRA. View details / register
About this event
The Bash – Supporting Participants & Families is featured on the Project Awaken Get Active calendar as part of adaptive sports, recreation, arts, and community programming for people with disabilities across Chicagoland. Project Awaken brings together listings from trusted Chicago-area partners so people with spinal cord injuries, mobility disabilities, and visual impairments can find welcoming ways to get active, connect with others, and try something new.
Events like this typically welcome participants of varying abilities along with their families, friends, sighted guides, and volunteers, and many are free to attend. If you are new to adaptive sports or recreation, it helps to reach out to the host organization ahead of time with any access questions, ask whether specialized equipment is provided, and bring a companion if that makes you more comfortable. Taking that first step — showing up, asking, trying — is what getting active is all about.
Please confirm the date, time, location, cost, and any registration requirements on the official event or organizer page before attending, as details can change. To find more opportunities, explore our full events calendar, browse Get Active grants and resources, or join the Get Connected peer-support community.
