Celebrate Chicago!: 4th Annual Reeve Chicago Benefit at Mercedes-Benz of Chicago, Night of Veterans Day, 11-11-11, With CS Magazine

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Oct 21, 2011, 04:20 ET

Honoring Neuco, Inc. and Dr. Daniel Ivankovich

Recognizing Veterans and the Reeve Foundation's Largest Ever Chicago Marathon Team

Featuring Delicious Dishes from Gibson's, Chicago Cut and Brickstone Brewery

CHICAGO, Oct. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tickets are now on sale at www.ChristopherReeve.org/Chicago for Celebrate Chicago, the Reeve Foundation's 4th Annual Chicago Benefit. The event will take place on Friday, 11-11-11, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Fletcher Jones Mercedes-Benz, 1520 West North Avenue, Chicago. This spacious and modern venue brings a new element to an annual benefit made possible by some of Chicagoland's most generous corporate, individual and family sponsors.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100511/REEVELOGO)

Neuco, Inc. will receive this year's Reeve Chicago Friendship Award, with Wolf & Company Partner, Mike Senko, CPA, presenting this award to this longtime Chicagoland company and the Neustadt family. What started out as Neustadt Fuel and Supply over 100 years ago, surviving the Great Depression and World War II, innovated and evolved to become a leading distributor in HVACR controls. Putting employees first and giving back to the community is known as "the Neuco Difference," and the Neustadt family personifies this spirit. Julie Neustadt, a Naperville mother of two who has been living with spinal cord injury since 2003, will accept the award along with her husband and Neuco Vice President, Jon.

Daniel Ivankovich, M.D., will receive this year's Inspiration Award. Dr. Ivankovich, a 2010 Chicagoan of the Year, is the founder of OnePatient Global Health Initiative, a nonprofit based in Chicago that provides health care to the underserved. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Dr. Ivankovich assembled a team to bring people who had suffered spinal cord injuries to the United States for treatment. Dr. Ivankovich is featured in ESPN Magazine's 2011 Body Issue along with Chicago native Mike Williams, the former NBA player whose intensive rehabilitation inspired by Dr. Ivankovich's dedication has helped him regain the ability to stand and step. Dr. Ivankovich also happens to be a nearly seven-foot tall blues musician.

Tickets to Celebrate Chicago are $150 each and include delicious dishes from Gibson's and Chicago Cut Steakhouse as well as full open bar. Brickstone Brewery is donating a specialty beer for this festive occasion. Sponsorships of $1,000 and up are also available for groups, and sponsorships include an ad in the commemorative event journal. Entertainment will be provided by Gold Coast All Stars and DJ Corey Sanford. Modern Luxury, publishers of CS Magazine, is lead media sponsor for the event.

An auction presented in partnership with Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia as well as through donated items will feature a Romero Britto painting; a Gibson's In-home Experience for 10; roundtrip airfare on Southwest Airlines and several overnight stay packages; a White Sox Skybox package; other sporting event tickets and sports items; and wine, dinner, jewelry and beauty packages.

Corporate event sponsors to date include: O.C.A. Construction, Inc. ; Heneghan Wrecking Co.; Neuco, Inc.; Rose Worldwide, Inc.; Concept Laboratories; Trace Ambulance Service, Inc.; FactSet; Wells Fargo Private Bank; White-Rodgers; Wolf & Company LLP; and The Private Bank.

Individual and family sponsorships are also generously helping to underwrite event expenses, as the combined fundraising goal this year is $250,000 for Team Reeve Chicago through not only the event but also through the incredible commitment of this year's largest ever Reeve Chicago Marathon team who will be represented and commended at Celebrate Chicago. Also being recognized during the event are local veterans living with paralysis. Co-chairs Kelly Heneghan, Esq., and Jon O'Connor are joined by a robust committee of volunteer professionals and community members representing several sectors including law, health care, education, finance, business, technology , and real estate.

For more information and to purchase tickets or tables, please visit ChristopherReeve.org/Chicago or call 800-225-0292 ext. 7114. All proceeds will benefit the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's mission of curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.

Reeve Foundation programs include the Reeve NeuroRecovery Network, of which NextSteps Chicago of Willow Springs, Illinois, is a participating community fitness and wellness facility.

SOURCE Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation