“Amazing!” “Such a wonderful event!” “You could not have asked for a more beautiful evening!”
These were just some of the many reactions to this year’s Annual Dinner at Allerton Park. And what an amazing night it was! Over 200 PRN members, guests, and staff came to the place where PRN began 55 years ago. Not on a zoom call, not through a computer screen, but live and in person. It truly was an inspirational evening!
A Party to Remember
The night kicked off with a nature walk led by Allerton Park master naturalist Nate Beccue and PRN board members, who guided folks through the trees, past the mansion and its reflecting pond, and to the shores of the Sangamon River, the largest tributary of the Illinois River.
After the walk, guests were greeted to the sounds of the Jeff Magby jazz trio, and the party began in earnest with the arrival of more guests, cocktails and food courtesy of Michaels’ Catering, the silent auction, and our short program.
PRN Senior Water Policy Specialist Robert Hirschfeld set the celebratory tone by telling the story of PRN’s beginnings, and honoring the late Patricia Hannon and her activism. It was Pat Hannon’s early morning Allerton hike 55 years ago where she learned of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers plans to build a dam on the Sangamon that would have flooded hundreds of acres of the park. Pat and her husband Bruce spurred the community to act and save Allerton, and this was the start of the group that would become Prairie Rivers Network.
Sue Smith from Stand Up To Coal gave a wholehearted thank you to PRN members and staff, past and present, for their dedication to stopping the Bulldog Mine which was finally terminated earlier this summer.
But most importantly, the party was dedicated to you, our members and supporters who came out en masse to have a good time, visit, and support the important work of PRN. Each and every one of the PRN family, staff, and board members enjoyed being together for this wonderful occasion!
You Gave Big!
And lastly, your incredible outpouring of support at the Dinner was truly amazing! With bids on silent auction items and individual contributions, your gifts and pledges helped us raise over $95,000 and counting! We cannot thank you enough for your generosity, your dedication to PRN and our mission, and for opening your checkbooks to support the work we do every day. Thank you!
More Photos
More photos of this year’s Annual Dinner can be found at our flickr page.
