Back 2 School

Make sure to support Illinois Currency Exchange Charitable Foundation (ICECF) with its Back 2 School initiative, providing free school supplies to children in need.  Visit your local currency exchange or donate online at www.icecf.org.  NBC5's Stefan Holt did a fabulous job again emceeing this year's kickoff event and Executive Director Matthew Kurtzman pulled off another awesome luncheon honoring exceptional educators, great corporate partners, a phenomenal high school graduate/college scholarship winner and more. Congrats on this 10th year initiative.  Louise Edwards PR team enjoyed attending!

Also, congrats to Andrea Metcalf for launching a Healthy Minds/Healthy Bodies Boot Camp to get 700 kids in shape through this new foundation program with ICECF.  And, best wishes to Daniella Guzman/NBC5 who helped with this program for the past two years and has just relocated to L.A. for her new NBC morning post.

 It takes a village to build outstanding programs. Thanks to everyone involved that continues to move ICECF forward.

 

Icebreaker Blast

What happens when a New Zealand brand comes to Chicago's Gold Coast?  We SHOP!  Thanks Icebreaker, we loved creating your opening party and publicizing your brand. (We even forgot how rotten winter was because we were layered up in fabulous Merino Wool apparel from Icebreaker!)

Check out just some of the publicity... CHICAGO  SOCIAL/the gorgeous Trench coat!

And FrontDesk feature!

and Splash/Chicago Sun-Times...

and Chicago Magazne....

Plus Chicago Tribune, NBC5, WCIU TV, Womensforum.com, purewow.com, tackedchicago, TCW magazine, Skyline, Sauganash Sounds and more!

Thank You Chicago P.D. and Icebreaker Merino

Congratulations to Jason Beghe and everyone on NBC's "Chicago P.D."  It's great having so many crews filming in Chicago and Jason and the cast have really embraced Chicago.  (Sorry about the weather!) Special thanks to Jason Beghe who is a big fan of Icebreaker Merino and attended our grand opening party at the New Zealand Merino clothing store at 44 E. Walton on the Gold Coast.  How fun to shop / chat with this amazing actor...I had a ball planning this Icebreaker VIP party! 

And some of the cast and supporting crew are surviving the cold wearing Icebreaker.  It was model/actress Allie Papp that created the heat wave.  Sophia Bush and others couldn't believe she wasn't cold on the set and liked the stylish clothes.  Layering and Merino wool from the Southern Alps is great to keep warm on those outdoor sets and so perfect for Chicago!

Jason was a great investigative shopper, he explored and learned a lot about layering and had a ball at the Icebreaker store. He looked fab in a blue hooded jacket and so many other Icebreaker items. A few folks posed photos with Jason and and were texting pictures of all their bags together with Jason.  It was hysterical... He is a true delight and seems to be loving Chicago!  All the store staff are huge fans after that great surprise visit.

I love Chicago P.D.   I love Icebreaker.  A double addiction for me this winter!!! 

Keep up the great work fighting crime, Jason Beghe.  And, thank you Jeremy Moon (and amazing Merino sheep from the Southern Alps of New Zealand who gladly donate their wool via infrequent haircuts).

Thumbs up "Chicago P.D." and Icebreaker.  Who said winter is so bad?  We're armed and ready!

 

 

 

RSSI Chicago is Ending Homelessness

Many thanks to all supported "Music to Our Ears: Ending Homelessness in Chicago."  The annual fundraising gala for RSSI Chicago.  NBC 5 meteorologist Alicia Roman and news anchors Allison Rosati and Rob Stafford did an incredible job as emcees.  Local models and personalities Allison Papp and Magdalena Martinez added beauty and fun, and the talented synchronized "Harp Twins" helped rock the party.  We loved helping to develop this event.  Stay tuned for future fun.  Together, we can end homelessness in Chicago!

Chicago Countdown to Icebreaker TouchLab Opening

Allison Papp takes a break during a fun day at a filming of the new NBC show "Chicago PD" in the Windy City. The local model was featured as a jogging stroller mom and was decked out in Icebreaker. "Everyone kept asking me why I wasn't cold, " she laughed. "I kept saying because I'm wearing Icebreaker!" Soft, not scratchy. Breathable. Merino from the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

And so the countdown begins. Just 30 days away. Icebreaker TouchLab in the Windy City. 44 E. Walton. Opening Dec. 5. www.icebreaker.com. 

Back 2 School 2013 Scores High

What an honor to work with the Back 2 School program created by the Illinois Currency Exchange Charitable Foundation.  This year's event was bigger than ever --and it's already the largest program in Illinois.  We held it at the Broadway Armory in Chicago.  Many thanks to returning supporters Stefan Holt of NBC 5 (2nd photo), fitness guru and TV inspiration Andrea Metcalf (bottom photo), nutrition and fitness gal Lisa Payne (4th photo), Windy City Reptiles and more!  Over 500 students in need were inspired to achieve and be creative, and they scooped up awesome school supplies.  Before the school year begins, we'll have distributed 750,000 school supplies to 25,000 kids.This includes the homeless, working with DFSS.  Plus, military families, working with Operation Homefront. Kudos to Executive Director Matthew Kurtzman and President Abby Hans and the countless volunteers who make the program work.

It was a feel great day...and the Chicago Tribune saw it worthy of page 4... and, that's why I love what I do!

 

 

ICECF "Back 2 School" Kickoff Another Success!

Summer is officially in gear when we help launch Back 2 School, the Illinois Currency Exchange Charitable Foundation's initiative to provide FREE school supplies for students in need.  Thursday's luncheon event was rewarding, with many thanks to our great emcees Daniella Guzman and Stefan Holt of NBC5 Chicago. 

New alliances were announced to help reach homeless families through DFSS and military families through Operation Homefront, providing additional school supplies to those in need.   Recognition awards were also given to Urban Prep Academies, Ounce of Prevention and Kits for Kidz.  And, the YMCA continues to be a valued partner.

 We're looking forward to the upcoming Distribution Event in August, where hundreds of kids get the first free school supply boxes.  A record year, 25,000 students in need will be given 750,000 free school supplies, empowering them with the necessary tools to learn. 

Congratulations to our client, the Illinois Currency Exchange Charitable Foundation.

If you'd like to help a child achieve at school, please drop by one of almost 400 Illinois Currency Exchanges in the area and donate $11 to fund a box full of supplies.  You will be smiling too!