Candlelight dining and cabaret-style entertainment made for an elegant soiree on Sunday, September 26, when more than 250 people gathered at North Shore Senior Center to attend the Annual Benefit for the House of Welcome.

The event, held at the Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus in Northfield, helped raise funds for the adult day services program at the House of Welcome (HOW), which serves people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of memory loss. "We are pleased to announce that this year's benefit grossed more than $205,000," said Jordan Luhr, executive director of the North Shore Senior Center. "The House of Welcome is able to serve as a trusted resource for families because of this level of financial support from our friends in the community. Proceeds from the annual benefit also make it possible for HOW to provide the types of high-caliber programs that consistently earn it national recognition."

Margo Oberman, of Mettawa, served as the event Chair. Oberman and the benefit committee transformed the Center into a cozy nightclub, filling it with fresh floral arrangements, and draping it in autumn-themed linens. The welcoming atmosphere was a perfect backdrop for pre-dinner cocktails and the sumptuous dinner, which featured cuisine by Food for Thought, Chicago Catering & Hospitality.

The evening also included live entertainment by E. Faye Butler, the award-winning star of Ella, Dinah Was and Caroline or Change. Butler showcased her considerable vocal talents with a variety of jazz, blues and classics from the American Songbook. She also sprinkled her set with personal anecdotes about her experiences as a Chicago actress and singer.  

A silent auction and the Grand Raffle allowed some lucky revelers to go home with prizes as diverse as a weekend stay at the Talbott Hotel on Chicago's Gold Coast; a 19-inch TV; Florida and Las Vegas vacation packages; a handmade heirloom quilt; and a prize of $1,000 in cash.  The Center also offered a separate "Mystery Box" drawing which yielded a premium "Scout Seating" package for a 2011 White Sox game at U.S. Cellular Field. 

Sponsors for the Annual Benefit for the House of Welcome included: The Margaret & William A. Maloney Family Foundation; William Blair and Company; CJBS; Crain-Mailing Foundation; Glenview State Bank; North Shore Community Bank & Trust Company; NorthShore University HealthSystem; Vi at the Glen; Wells Fargo Private Bank; and Whitehall of Deerfield.

To learn more about the House of Welcome and its programs for persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of memory loss, visit www.nssc.org.