Chicagoans of the Year Honored At The Peninsula

Last month six Chicagoans were honored for doing amazing things in the city of Chicago. Chicago Magazine’s ‘Chicagoans of the Year 2012’ focused on the good being done in a city whose headlines are sometimes less than positive. The honorees were Ken Vandermark (Composer and Saxophonist), Regina Taylor (Writer and Director of Crowns), Rony Monzon (Student at Phoenix Military Academy), Ann Lurie (Donor, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital), Donald Liu (Late Surgeon in Chief at Comer Children’s Hospital), and Donnita Travis (Founder of By The Hand Club for Kids).

These incredible Chicagoans were honored at the annual Chicagoans of the Year Luncheon at the Gold Coast five-diamond Peninsula Hotel. The event was sponsored by Spex, and CBS news anchor Bill Kurtis served as emcee. The late Donald Liu’s family was honored in his memory, he drowned while attempting to rescue two children caught in a strong current in Lake Michigan. These types of events are needed, especially in a world that too often focuses on the bad. It shows that whether you’re a “teen and a pediatric surgeon linked by acts of bravery,” an exceptional community-minded playwright, or a philanthropist helping children you can be an inspiration for good.

Source: Chicago Mag

Photos: Chris Guillen