SEALS supporters show their true colors
by lee litas Trend Columnist January 19, 2012 5:12PM
Margaret and Bill Riley of Wadsworth. | Lee Litas~Sun-Times Media
Navy SEAL Foundation, 1619 D St., Building 5326, Virginia Beach, Va.; (757) 363-7490 or nswfoundation.org | Magellan Development Group, 225 N. Columbus Drive, Suite 100, Chicago; (312) 469-8054 or MagellanDevelopment.com
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Updated: February 20, 2012 8:46AM
The Event: More than 450 guests showed their true red, white and blue colors at the Navy SEALs Foundation benefit held Jan.14 inside the grand ballroom of the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago.
The event’s lighthearted theme, Dancing with the SEALs, added a bit of levity to the otherwise critical effort to support the Naval Special Warfare Command’s active-duty personnel, their families and veterans of NSW.
This is the second benefit for NSF since 2008 sponsored by Chicago-based Magellan Development Group, which “saw a need and just thought it was the right thing to do,” said David Carlins, Magellan president and event co-chair.
Cause Célèbre: “We wanted to honor [the SEALs] by showing our support for all they do for our country,” said co-chair Rebecca Carlins, explaining that the impetus for the fundraiser began immediately after the Chinook helicopter crash in Bagram, Afghanistan, which killed 31 Americans, mostly SEALs, on Aug. 6, 2011.
More than 20 SEALs from as close as Naval Station Great Lakes and as far away the Coronado Naval Base in San Diego came out for the event.
“It’s a really big honor to have everyone come out and support us,” said SOC Chief Marty Taylor, who has been a SEAL for 24 years and is now stationed at the Naval Station Great Lakes. “We take it for granted sometimes that there are still patriots out there.”
Tina Spinoso, baker and owner of Long Grove-based I Want a Cake, spent two weeks designing and creating a 36-inch cake, which she donated to the event.
“My husband was a Marine and I believe in our military. I am so excited and pleased to give my time because they give their lives,” Spinoso said.
Bottom Line: The event raised more than $100,000 for the Navy SEAL Foundation.
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