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OUT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 Blue Angels
The Third Annual True Blue Event in 2017 inspired a first- time attendee in from out of town. When walking back to his hotel afterward, photographer/artist David Yarrow thought about the stories he had heard of Chicago police bravery that night. Seeing the City lit up at night, Yarrow, who is famous for shooting photos of animals in the wild, got the idea to depict the wild of Chicago to honor its police.
He produced “Sweet Home Chicago,” a black-and-white pho- tograph of a wolf against the backdrop of Chicago at night and donated it for the live auction at this year’s event. After the pho- to produced a $10,000 donation, Arica Hilton, the owner of Hil- ton-Asmus Contemporary, the gallery that represents Yarrow in Chicago, felt the power of what the foundation can achieve.
“I didn’t understand what the police go through until being here tonight,” Hilton acknowledged. “I don’t think anybody does. It’s great to be part of this wonderful fundraising event that actually shows the care and the heart of these men and women who are protecting this City.”
The final big-ticket auction item was lunch with the super- intendent. Johnson upped it by adding a boat ride with the marine unit and a ride in a CPD helicopter, and the bidding accordingly intensified. It crescendoed during the paddle auc- tion, in which attendees contributed between $100 and $5,000 toward the purchase of LEMART kits.
It was easy to stand in awe of such support, and one of the people most awestruck was Michael Wood, who represented True Blue presenting sponsor Verizon.
“It’s humbling to think about the impact it can have on the community and the officers who protect us every day,” com- mented Wood, the director of government sales in Verizon’s
Great Lakes market. “This is a great opportunity to give back to Chicago police, and our initiative aligns very nicely with the Foundation: officer safety, enabling them through technology, better relations with the community.”
As music and dancing accentuated a gourmet meal and dessert bar featuring Eli’s Cheesecake, CPF Executive Director Mary Ann Rose surveyed the scene and considered what the evening had achieved. The fourth annual rendition broke all re- cords for attendance. And one by one, officers came up to Rose to thank her for the unprecedented showing of True Blue.
In turn, she wanted them to leave feeling this message:
“I just want them to know that we’re here for them,” Rose honored. “We’re 100 percent for you, and we will do everything we can to help you get the tools you need to do your job. The whole crowd is here because they care, and that’s the important thing.”
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