A toast to friendship and fundraising: Service Club of Chicago’s Valentine’s Day Tea

The Service Club of Chicago brought back a much-loved tradition, its annual Valentine's Day Tea. Back in the day, this idea was brilliantly brought to life by the much loved man-about-town, Bunky Cushing, who hosted the event every year, usually at the Ritz, and always benefiting the Howard Brown Health Clinic.

Women (and some men) would clamor for the coveted invites to this well publicized event. The invites always insisted on red attire, with Bunky clad in his signature bow tie. The event was always covered in every social magazine.

For the third year, The Service Club of Chicago continued this “sweet” tradition. The bright, airy Atrium at the Ritz-Carlton was filled with over 60 excited guests, all wearing red and every shade of pink. President Bobbi Panter welcomed guests and asked attendees to gather for a first-time group photo that was overseen by the group’s favorite photog and friend, John Reilly. 

Champagne flowed and guests celebrated old and new friendships and new members. Flower-bedecked, three-tiered trays held colorful tea sandwiches and faux trees throughout the space had been decorated with tiny heart ornaments by member Kathy Mondelli. Other table hosts decorated their tables with all sorts of fun Valentine's Day-related trinkets making the room look so very festive.

Designed as a new event to fill the winter months, the Valentine’s Day Tea was, again, quite the success. Co-chaired by Donna Flynn and Maria Vathis this year’s tea party raised over $22,000 to support the nonprofit’s Philanthropic Grant Program which assists, improves and expands upon nonprofit agency programs in the Chicagoland area. Grant recipients operate in the areas of social service, cultural, educational, and civic fields and serve children, elderly, the abused and neglected individuals in our community.

The Service Club of Chicago is an all-volunteer women's organization founded in 1890. Mark your calendars now for the SC's popular Spring Hat Luncheon on Monday, May 8, co-chaired by Bethany Florek, Whitney Reynolds and Julia Jacobs, and the exciting Day on the Terrace Fashion Show & Luncheon on Monday, August 5, co-chaired by Jean Antoniou, Sharyl Mackey and Tracey Tarantino DiBuono.