Advocacy Celebrated at Big Fish Ball

Hundreds of supporters, civic leaders, and partners gathered to celebrate the amazing wonders of the Chicago-Calumet River system and their tributaries at our 16th Annual Big Fish Ball on May 31 at the Westin Chicago River North hotel overlooking of the Chicago River. Presented by McDermott, Will & Emery, the Big Fish Ball is our largest fundraising event of the year and raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

Big Fish Ball revelers – including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward), Ald. Walter Burnett (27th Ward), State Rep. Kimberly Neely DuBuclet (5th District), Yumeka Brown, MWRD Commissioner, and Daniel Pogorzelski, MWRD Commissioner as well as other civic leaders – celebrated the action and advocacy of Friends as the voice of the Chicago-Calumet River system.

“The Big Fish Ball is a special evening to recognize our accomplishments and re-commit ourselves to the amazing recovery of the river system with more bold action and creative solutions,” said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. “There is a growing awareness that if everyone works together we can transform the river system into a blue-green corridor of connected natural open space with clear health benefits for our communities, habitat, our wildlife and the protection of the global environment through local action.”

At the gala event, attendees experienced a unique opportunity to get up close to mostly native wildlife including owls, a Blanding’s turtle, a porcupine, an opossum, a skunk, and a Burmese python. A beautiful After Party Cruise down the South Branch capped the evening.

The Big Fish Ball is an accumulation of the hard work and commitment of our gala committee, co-chaired by board members Ryan Christopher Green and Jo Trahms, as well as volunteers, donors, and partners who are committed to the improvement and protection of the Chicago-Calumet River system.

A special thank you to our Big Fish Ball sponsors including our Presenting Sponsor McDermott Will & Emery and the more than 30 sponsors whose generosity made the celebration possible.