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Black Tie
International:
Step Up 4 Vets Hosts Veterans
at Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker
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USMC Cpl.
Aaron Mankin, Travis Coursey and Patricia Kennedy on the
vintage trolley that carried guest from the Auditorium
Theatre to the Palmer House for the Joffrey Nutcracker
Family Dinner.
Photo by:
David Crotty/Patrick McMullan Company
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Step Up 4 Vets
Hosts Veterans at Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker
Founder Patricia
Kennedy Welcomed Vets & their Families for Performance &
Holiday Party
Thanks to the efforts of philanthropist and veterans
activist, Patricia Kennedy, founder of Step Up 4
Vets, a not for profit organization whose mission is to
partner in the transition of our returning veterans as they
readjust, redirect and rebuild their civilian lives, 55
veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan made up for many missed
holidays with an all day family celebration centered around
the acclaimed Joffrey Ballet’s renowned Nutcracker.
The
festive day began with an elegant private luncheon hosted by
Ms. Kennedy in the opulent mezzanine lounge of Chicago’s
historic Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University.
Everyone was in the holiday spirit and even USN STG Jay
Somers' German Shepherd service dog Kodie sported a
huge pair of reindeer antlers! For Ms. Kennedy and Step
Up 4 Vets it was the Joy of Giving Back
celebration for those who have sacrificed so much for our
country.
The
main mission of Step Up 4 Vets Joy of Giving Back program is
to provide our injured warriors the healing power of the
performing arts and bonding experiences with their families
to make up the missed holidays while serving our country far
from home in harm’s way.
Many
of the veterans attending the festivities receive care from
the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC)
in North Chicago, IL. The FHCC is the only integrated DoD/VHA
facility in the country that serves Active Duty, their
Dependents and Veterans. There were also representatives
from the US Marine Corps. Wounded Warrior Regiment
in the Midwest Region that attended this event to honor
those who gave up so much for our
country.
Midway through the luncheon, Ms. Kennedy, a former board
member and longtime supporter of The Joffrey and other dance
organizations, took a few moments to explain her transition
from “ballet slippers to combat boots”. Joking that “they
both lace up”, Ms. Kennedy explained how her work with
Career Transition for Dancers’ which aids dancers who have
suffered a career-ending injury and must transition to a
second act career served as both model and motivation for
her to help our heroes transition to the new normal of their
civilian lives.
A very special presentation
followed when Step Up 4 Vets Founder, Ms. Patricia Kennedy,
presented her organization’s “Peace One Earth
Medallion” to retired Marine Cpl. Aaron Mankin.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom
in May of 2005 a roadside bomb attack killed six of his
fellow Marines and left him burned over 25% of his body.
The most significant injuries were to his face.
Cpl. Mankin was invited by
philanthropist Ronald Katz to be the first patient of
Operation Mend at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center. He has
endured nearly 60 surgeries and is a spokesman for the
program.
"I've been involved with
plenty of organizations that want to take care of me. Step
Up 4 Vets and Ms. Kennedy want to care for me. And they do
that by taking care of the things I care about, my family
and the memories we make together now." Mankin said. "I'm
honored to wear this medallion and it has already become a
family treasure."
Ms. Kennedy created the
Peace One Earth Medallion to express gratitude to the
defenders of our freedoms while acknowledging the hope for a
world at peace.
The
Peace One Earth Medallion depicts a dove alighting
upon the earth’s twin hemisphere. A single drop of blood
falls from the dove’s heart symbolizing the “last drop” of
blood to be shed for peace, The words Education, Equality,
Ecology, Economy and Equity surround the central image and
are the “5 Es”, the essential elements for a peaceful and
productive society.
In the past few years, the Peace One Earth
Medallion has been presented to a number of prominent
Americans and unsung heroes from the military and their
families including entertainer and USO champion Wayne
Newton, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, actors Hugh
O’Brian, Stefanie Powers, Kate Linder,
Gary Sinise, Ed Begley, Jr., and Mike Vogel, John
Wordin, Executive Director Fitness Challenge Foundation,
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Rick Monday, Los Angeles Kings’
Luc Robitaille and Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio
Villaraigosa, Connie Mendoza-Piper in honor of
Staff Sgt Christopher Neal Piper killed in action in
Afghanistan June 16, 2005, Tiffany Smiley wife of
Capt Scotty Smiley, the first blind active-duty Army
officer, injured in Afghanistan April 6, 2005
.
Eve Bucca in honor of her husband military veteran
and FDNY Fire Marshal Ron Bucca who perished on 9/11
and the Metherell Family in honor or Mark
Metherell former Navy Seal Team 5 killed in Iraq April
10, 2008.
Following the lunch, guests welcomed by
Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater took
their orchestra seats in the magnificent theatre to view
the world's most acclaimed production of "The
Nutcracker" by the incomparable Joffrey Ballet.
Featuring
choreography by Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino,
score by Peter llyich Tchaikovsky and performed by
The Chicago Philharmonic, the Joffrey's awe-inspiring
Nutcracker has
captivated audiences for 25 years with brilliant costumes,
larger than life scenery, entrancing storytelling and
Tchaikovsky’s famous score.
At
the final curtain, Cpl. Aaron Mankin made a special
onstage presentation of the bouquet to ballerina
Christine Rocas, the lead dancer portraying The Sugar
Plum Fairy.
Trolleys then shuttled the families to the
historic Palmer House. The adults enjoyed cocktails in the
State Ballroom while being entertained by holiday carolers,
magicians and characters from The Nutcracker. The children
had the chance to participate in holiday themed Creation
Stations including Marzipan Magic Tricks, Bubblegum Bead
Station to make bracelets and necklaces, Candy Cane
Creativity Station where they decorated wooden soldiers,
crowns and pointe shoes with paint, glitter, feathers and
rhinestones, Nutcracker Party Photo Booth where they took
photos in front of the magical ‘Green Screen’ with Wes
Cleaver Photography, Rock Candy Mani’s, Palmer House
Pastries where the kids decorated sweet treats with the
Palmer House’s Pastry Chef Fabrice, Licorice
Lego Station allowing guests to use Lego building blocks to
create structures resembling all things Nutcracker and much
more. They also enjoyed personalized Nutcracker T shirts
hand painted by artist
Roy Adorjan of RNR
Airbrushing and Apparel
Following cocktails, guests were ushered into the
beautifully bedecked Grand Ballroom for The Annual
Nutcracker Family Dinner organized by The Women's Board of
the Joffrey Ballet and chaired by Carol Stone and
Laura Kofoid. The guests and especially the children
danced ‘till they dropped to the hip and hot sounds of DJ
Brad Blumenthal’s Energy Productions.
The following day, Ms. Kennedy and a small
group wrapped up the weekend with Mass at St. John Cantius
Catholic Church celebrated by Reverend C. Frank Phillips,
C.R. Built in 1893 just before the Chicago World's Fair,
the historic baroque
church is one of the finest examples of sacred architecture
in the city. It was also the site of Ms. Kennedy's
investiture in 2008 officiated by His Eminence Francis
Cardinal George. Lady
Patricia Kennedy, was recently promoted to Dame Grand Cross
of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George
for her philanthropy.
Dame Kennedy is
one of only six
women and the second American in the history of the order
to receive this highest honor.
For Ms. Kennedy, The Joffrey Ballet
Nutcracker is the continuation of a tradition begun several
years ago when she purchased a viewing party for the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade and hosted dozens of veterans and
their families for a balloon's eye view of the spectacular.
This year, she is sharing her passion for dance with her
veteran constituency recognizing the healing powers of the
performing arts. In 2013, Step Up 4 Vets will celebrate its
fifth anniversary and Ms. Kennedy will host additional
holiday centered events for our veterans including the
Joffrey Nutcracker and Family Party and the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade Brunch.
For
over twenty year’s Patricia Kennedy has had a deep impact on
the future of dance, especially in the ballet world as a
great supporter of the Joffrey Ballet. Indeed as the program
notes, "The Joffrey Nutcracker was made possible by the
extraordinary dedication to the vision of Robert Joffrey of
our former board member Patricia Kennedy NY/LA 1985-1993 who
spearheaded and underwrote the Joffrey Ballet 30th
Anniversary Poster in 1986 designed by artist Melanie Taylor
raising vital funds for this production".
Patricia Kennedy's efforts on behalf of our returning
veterans focus on ameliorating the many problems they face
upon returning home from battle. She believes it is a
national tragedy that many of these true American heroes
must contend with issues such as a homelessness, addiction,
and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and, that rather than
honoring their sacrifice, we as a nation have either
marginalized or forgotten those who have sacrificed so much
for us. Patricia Kennedy wants to make a difference and she
hopes that Step Up 4 Vets will be instrumental in giving our
veterans the future they deserve.
For more information and if
you wish to donate to Step Up 4 Vets Joy of Giving Back
program please visit
www.StepUp4Vets.org
YOUR SUPPORT
MAKES A
DIFFERENCE |
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