St. Vincent DePaul Center hosted its 15th annual Fleur de Lis Ball Saturday evening in the Hilton Chicago's International Ballroom. The fund-raiser honored three local philanthropists, including Table 52 chef and Common Threads co-founder Art Smith, painter and Common Threads co-founder Jesus Salgueiro, and DePaul University community-affairs director Fran Casey. Approximately 660 guests from Chicago’s civic, business, religious, and political circles attended the ball, and Mayor Richard M. Daley and his wife, Maggie, served as honorary co-chairs.
Jen Ridder, St. Vincent DePaul Center’s director of annual fund and special events, arranged for the evening to kick off with cocktails and a newly expanded silent auction that was organized in categories such as “The Children’s Room,” which showcased toys and board games, and “The Gentlemen’s Corner,” where guests could bid on cigars and top-shelf spirits.
Those groupings weren't the only prizes on offer. “We [also] wanted to have a live auction, so we saved that part for three can’t-miss items,” said Ridder. The luxury lots included a one-week getaway to Jamaica, 14 tickets to a Cubs game, and a private dinner for eight in Art Smith’s home, which pulled in the evening's highest bid of $11,000.
Despite the current economic climate, Ridder said that the planning committee did not have to make many significant cutbacks at this year's event. “We’re fortunate to have very generous donors like [ball underwriters] Pat and Vince Foglia,” she explained.
Nonetheless, Ridder still worked with St. Vincent DePaul Center’s co-chairs to cut costs where possible. For example, planners avoided postage fees by emailing ticket receipts instead of mailing them. They also substituted whimsy for elegance in centerpieces arranged in simple steel colanders—a nod to the kitchen-based profession of Art Smith.
Another Smith-inspired touch: the evening's hummingbird cake dessert, one of the chef's signature dishes and a staple on the Table 52 menu.
Correction: The text has been updated to accurately describe this year's silent auction.
