McCormick Club: Artist Mackenzie Thorpe Teaches Expressions through Art
1st Annual McCormick Boys & Girls Club Domino Tournament
McCormick Club: Volunteers give Cadet & Art Rooms a makeover
McCormick Club: Thanksgiving, Haunted
House
McCormick Club: Art of Fashion Conversation Series
McCormick Club: Chicago Paint & Coatings Association
McCormick Club’s Members “Plant the Future” 2006
McCormick Club: Artist Mackenzie Thorpe Teaches Expressions through Art
Artist Mackenzie Thorpe teaches special art session with McCormick
Boys & Girls Club members.
Internationally renowned artist Mackenzie Thorpe donated his time
to future Uptown artists by teaching two classes at the Robert
R. McCormick Boys & Girls Club of Chicago on Friday August
22, 2008. Mackenzie shared his struggles with school and how he
was able to communicate through images. He also talked about his
career as an inspiration for the students who want to be artists.
Club members were directed to create drawings conveying their
feelings and emotions through images. The two sessions had 10
to 12 students between the ages of 9 to16. Atlas Galleries and
the Chase Group donated items for goodie bags for each of the
students, which included art supplies, cards, and buttons. The
artwork created during the classes was exhibited alongside Mackenzie's
work at his opening night exhibition that evening at Atlas Galleries
located at 900 N. Michigan Ave.
The artist also provided a special work of art to be auctioned off at the exhibition. Proceeds for the piece, a serigraph on paper titled “Secret Garden” will be donated to Boys & Girls of Chicago (BGCC) to enrich their arts programs. The BGCC is honored to be acknowledged by Mackenzie Thorpe and appreciate the generous donation of the proceeds of one of his outstanding contemporary pieces of art.
Mackenzie Thorpe works with children’s charities in cities hosting his exhibitions, telling his own story of “triumph over adversity” to learning disabled and disadvantaged children. Through his art enrichment programs, Thorpe works one-on-one with children to inspire them to pursue their dreams. These children relate to his experience of overcoming dyslexia and economic hardship, and see his success as hope for overcoming their own adversities.
1st Annual McCormick Boys & Girls Club Domino Tournament
The 1st Annual McCormick Boys & Girls Club Domino Tournament was held on Friday, June 6th from 3:30pm-6pm. The Domino program is run by volunteer Tracy Dixon, a World Champion Domino Player who comes to the Club to teach and coach the game to Club members from six years old to Club staff members.
In addition to the program, Club members have been preparing to participate in the World Championship of Dominos being held in Alabama later this year. Tracy is looking to start domino programs at other Boys & Girls Clubs so they will be able hold an agency wide competition. Please contact Mike Anderson, McCutcheon Club Site Director at (773)271-8400 ext. 4304 if anyone is up for a game of Bones!
McCormick Club: Volunteers give Cadet & Art Rooms a makeover
On Thursday, February 21, 2008, twenty-one employees of Financial
Strategies Network, LLC closed their office doors and spent the
entire day at the McCormick Boys & Girls Club. The volunteer
group assisted with the beautification of the new Cadet Room for
6 & 7 year olds and the new additional space for the Bea Pounian
Academy of Arts Program. The entire volunteer group were from
the firm of McCormick Club Board Member Craig Richart. The group
donated their creative ideas, energy and time to help bring to
“life” the new program spaces. In addition to the
painting project, they also cleaned the outside of the third floor
windows. Financial Strategies Network, LLC also will provide a
financial donation to cover the expenses associated with the indoor
beautification project.
McCormick Club Members receive early “Thanksgiving Dinner Treat”
On Tuesday, October 30, 2007, The McCormick Boys & Girls Club’s Women’s Auxiliary sponsored the Annual “Thanksgiving Dinner” at the Robert R. McCormick Club. Over 100 people attended the event which featured special poems, singing and dancing presented by Club Members. Each Women’s Auxiliary member and Board of Manager’s member sponsored dinner for 2 club members to attend!
“Haunted House” on McCormick Hill
Over 600 members and friends of the Uptown Community visited the
Annual Haunted House Tour at the McCormick Boys & Girls Club
on Friday, October 26, 2007.
McCormick Club benefits from a “Northside vs. Southside” Challenge
NIKE, Inc. partners with McCormick Boys & Girls Club and the Chicago White Sox Foundation for the 2007 Chicago Marathon’s “Northside vs. Southside” Challenge.
The McCormick Club received a check for $30,000 and an additional
$20,000 worth of Nike products for their participation as the
Northside charity for the challenge. Teams of runners logged in
their practice miles all summer to help raise support for their
charity. The team of runners represented the Northside logged
in more miles leading up to the Marathon and helped to secure
a greater portion of the $50K award.
McCormick Club: Art of Fashion Conversation Series
The Fashion Group Foundation International of Chicago kicked off the “Art of Fashion” conversation series for Robert R. McCormick Boys & Girls Club members. The six week series started on April 17th and end on May 22nd 2007 and are held at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. Along with the coordination of the project, The Fashion Group Foundation of Chicago donated a check for $500.00 to the McCormick Club for the purchase of sketchpads and pencils.
The goals of this series of workshops with industry experts are to expose McCormick Club teen members to the many facets of the fashion industry. Speakers will cover several topics of the fashion industry including: the world of design, fashion show production, modeling, beauty and wellness, retailing and public relations/marketing. Guest speakers include: Lisa Lenoir, writer for the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago designer, Tennille White, Stephanie D’Ambrosio, Mart Fashion Productions, along with Alyssa Dilts, Elite Modeling Agency. The ashion Group Foundation of Chicago is very pleased to be part of this exciting initiative for the McCormick Boys and Girls Club in the Uptown community. For more information on The Fashion Group International of Chicago, Inc. please visit the web site at www.chicago.fgi.org.
McCormick Club: Chicago Paint & Coatings Association
On Saturday, August 12, 2006, 125 volunteers affiliated with the Chicago Paint & Coatings Association spent a day improving the interior look of the Robert R. McCormick Boys & Girls Club of Chicago. The group of volunteers provided all the paint and materials necessary for the project. They painted the gymnasium, lobbies, first, second and third floors of the club. There were plenty of refreshments on hand and a Disc Jockey who played “smooth music” while veryone painted to the beat. There was also a raffle with all proceeds benefiting the McCormick Club.
McCormick Club’s Members “Plant the Future” 2006
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On Saturday, May 20, 2006, Board Member Mary Hess and several club members worked extremely hard to replant and beautify the club’s outdoor garden. The garden is dedicated to the McCormick Club’s Board President Peer Pedersen. Perennials, sunflowers, nasturtiums and other seeds were planted. A section of the grass outdoor was removed also and replaced with mulch to invite the children to play. The landscaping work was done by Villarreal Landscaping Company.
On Tuesday, May 9, 2006, The Women’s Auxiliary held it’s annual “Fashion Show” at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at the Water Tower Place. The event was the largest ever with over 500 people attending. The event featured a Luncheon, cocktails, silent auction, music by Cameron Pfiffner Trio and a fabulous array of fashion models. A portion of the funds raised at the “Changing Scene” will help to fund the McCormick Club’s Bea Pounian Academy of the Arts Program which is named in honor of Bea Pounian for over thirty years of fundraising and leadership to the McCormick Boys & Girls Club.
