Day 1 Survivors Fundraising Extravaganza

Calling ALL Bocce Loving players; WGN-TV's Channel 9 Noontime Anchor & Medical Reporter Dina Bair Maher & husband John Maher have announced a new date and location for the "Day 1 Survivors" nonprofit event they sponsor annually (see details at https://Day1survivors.com.). Tickets for participants and corporate/individual sponsors are available online at the nonprofit's and event's website.  Hundreds of Bocce Lovers (up to 400 this year due to the new location's space & accommodations) will be able to join this year's event Saturday, July 19th, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Lakefront Stadium, 2235 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL. 

Sponsors registered to date include:  Avalon Realty, Gene & Georgetti, Urbane Home, Joan Esposito, Onesti Entertainment, J.P. Morgan, and Airoom Architects * Builders * Remodelers.  Companies or supporters interested in joining this year's annual event as sponsors are welcome to join in, cutoff for this portion of the fundraising is the week of July 7th or so.  Anyone interested in participating at the sponsor level is welcome to contact Mary Murray Felish (merrymemoryco@gmail.com) from the Service Board to add their logos and names to Bocce Ball Lanes remaining, event signage, be listed on the website for the year, and more.  Based on sponsorship levels, comp event tickets are provided for sponsors to attend the event.  See the Day1 website for details about each sponsor level.  If anyone has questions or needs information; they're welcome to contact Felish.  There's still time to purchase tickets on the website https://day1survivors.com/.  The committee hopes to sell all 400 tickets available.  "We're grateful to be able to hold this 4th annual event for our Day1Survivors program to benefit the Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern's Martin Stadium," said Day1 Founder Dina Bair Maher.  Martin is such a lovely outdoor space and if the weather takes a turn; we will be able to move the entire event indoors and enjoy all the plans we have created for our attendees & sponsors to love," said Bair Maher.  "It's going to be such fun to be together with all our friends, family, and supporters of Day1 in memory of those we have lost to cancer, It's a win-win," said Bair Maher. 
 

  The Day 1 Survivors nonprofit program is designed to raise funds year round to help patients battle cancer while part of the Lurie Cancer Center's Survivorship Program, and we are so hopeful the event will be a great success and  so wonderful for all able to attend and enjoy," said Dina Bair Maher.  Bair Maher also shared, "We're so fortunate this year to have our very own WGN-TV Channel 9's Mike Lowe, a WGN-TV colleague and friend of our Bair Maher Family, serving as the July 19th event Master of Ceremonies," said Bair Maher. 

The annual event's Bocce Players will be participating and competing in the event's Bocce Ball Tournament from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  

This year's event includes FREE parking at Northwestern's indoor & outdoor parking lots; an open bar featuring champagne, wine, and beer; gourmet food truck selections from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm; and fun music shared via the Martin Stadium speaker system. 

The July 19th event's timeline also will include a Special Football Toss Competition, and open bocce lanes just for fun alongside the event's Bocce Competition to be held from 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.  

More details will be shared soon; anyone interested in attending, or companies or individuals hoping to be sponsors of the event, or anyone wanting to donate to the nonprofit; are invited to complete their interest and/or registration online at the nonprofit event's website or by emailing the Service Board's Mary Felish at merrymemoryco@gmail.com.  

For anyone unable to participate in this year's event but interested in donating to the nonprofit by regular mail; checks may be made out to day1survivors.com and mailed to 220 Margate Court, Lake Bluff, IL 60044, the nonprofit's office location.