On Dec 6, at the Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield, the Rush Junior Auxiliary Board held their annual Rush Holiday Tea event.
The crowd at the event consists of girls of different ages. There are a lot of junior high girls at the event, who are “prospects” of the Rush Junior Board. There are many parents at the event, who are part of the board, that help set up the shop before the event.
The main crowds at the event are high school girls, many of who serve on the board. Together, there are a total of over 500 people at the event. So while there are many people at the event, there is still a lot of diversity when it comes to the age of the people in attendance.
During the event, many different activities happen. Charlotte Purcell, a member of Rush’s executive board, said, “There is a lot of small talk, which is always fun, but there are also many other fun activities for people of all ages.”
Some of these activities include shopping at the tea’s bazar, drinking tea or hot chocolate, and listening to New Trier’s swing choir perform.
The purpose of the Rush Holiday Tea event is to raise money for Rush Hospital in Chicago. While at the event, there are several different methods for raising money The first method is the admissions.
In order to get into Rush Holiday Tea, a ticket must be purchased. This way, everyone going to the event has already made a donation to the cause.
While at the event, there are a lot of more ways the group raises funds. Throughout the day they hold a silent auction, “We auctioned an iPhone 6 and Jingle Bash Tickets”, Purcell says.
Along with the silent auction, there are also booths set up that sell home made products, such as baked goods, and lip scrub. With all of these funding strategies, they hope to raise $22,000, which would match the amount that they have raised in past years.
The Rush Junior Auxiliary Board, who organized and ran the event, is made of a large group of girls. There are over 100 girls on the board alone, all who are juniors and seniors in high school.
On the executive board, there are 14 girls, who are exclusively picked by the board, and must be seniors in high school. Also on the executive board are 5-6 parents, who help supervise the entire group.
The group also hosts other events throughout the year. In the fall, the board holds their annual car wash, and in the spring, the girls put together a fashion show, to raise more money. Although the board’s main goal is to raise money, it is not their only focus. All girls on the board are able to volunteer at the hospital. While volunteering at the hospital, they solve puzzles, fill in coloring books, and watch movies with the children in the pediatrics centers.
From volunteering with the children, to raising money for the Hospital, the Rush Junior Auxiliary Board covers it all.