Live & Silent Auction

Join the Champagne Campaign! At our annual live & silent auction, you'll sip champagne and other refreshments, nibble on delectable hors d'oeuvres, and bid for exciting items and priceless experiences. Will you take the controls and fly a historic airplane with the Gauntlet Warbirds? Will you escape to “A Cabin on the Hill” for a quiet and peaceful weekend on 90 private acres? Or will you go behind the scenes of the U-505 Submarine exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry?

Proceeds support the award-winning collections and programs of the Pritzker Military Library, now open in a sparkling new facility at 104 S. Michigan Ave. At the Champagne Campaign, you’ll celebrate the opening of a new Chicago landmark and take home some terrific items!

Read on for some of this year’s possibilities...

Warbird Pilot for a Day

For the aviation enthusiast, this is the flight of your life – an opportunity to fly a World War II military aircraft under the guidance of an expert instructor! The aircraft is the North American SNJ-5, the Navy version of the T-6, which trained almost every Allied fighter pilot during WWII and into the Korean War. The SNJ has a 600 hp radial engine and is fully aerobatic, capable of performing its mission as a trainer, forward air controller, and light attack aircraft.

Upon arrival at the Gauntlet Warbirds training center, just west of Chicago at the Aurora Airport in Aurora, IL, you will be greeted by an expert instructor; fully briefed; attired in flight suit, helmet, and parachute; and strapped in for an electrifying experience. The mission profile begins with advanced handling and warm-ups, then progresses through aerobatic maneuvers from basic to advanced. Your instructor will demonstrate how to fly each maneuver and then you take the controls to try the maneuver yourself. From mild to wild, you decide how far you want to go!

The pilot must be at least 18 years old, under 250 pounds, and sign a liability waiver.

A Cabin on the Hill - A 5-Night Getaway for (2) in Historic Southeast Ohio

Take a road trip to the country and enjoy a relaxing five-night stay at “A Cabin on the Hill”, an authentic log church built in 1842, remodeled with all the comforts of home and all the historic charm of life in the 1800s. Visit Marietta, one of the loveliest historic towns in Ohio, with fascinating area museums such as Campus Martius Fort and a wonderful array of shops, from antiques to boutiques. The Cabin is located on 90 private acres in the middle of Wayne National Forest,  with plenty of hiking trails nearby and whitewater rafting at the New River Gorge just two hours away. A $50 gas card and gift card for lunch is included.

Charleston (South Carolina) 3-Night Luxury Getaway with Private Historic Tour, Culinary Experience, and Airfare for (2)

A living postcard of Southern antebellum grandeur, Charleston enjoys a gentler way of life. This historic city, located on the southern coast of South Carolina, is a friendly destination, offering clean beaches and stately restored homes from the 17th and 18th centuries. Savor the fine restaurants in a city celebrated for its cuisine with a continental European flair and the freshest seafood around. Famous golf courses, top-rated tennis courts, and pristine beaches barely scratches the surface of outdoor fun in Charleston. Take a trip back in time while roaming the cobbled streets of Charleston's Historic District. Discover the old city with its many churches, graveyards, monumental battleships, and historic buildings.

This package includes round-trip airfare on American Airlines and a three-night stay in an Executive Level Room at Charleston Place, an Orient-Express Hotel, in the heart of downtown historic Charleston. It’s the perfect starting point for your own Private Charleston History and Photo Tour. Your guide will customize the 2 ½ hour tour to what interests you most, which may include magnificent mansions, mysterious graveyards, graceful gardens, Revolutionary and Civil War sites, secret passageways, cobblestone streets, slave history, or various locations to capture unique photographs. Then choose one of these fabulous culinary experiences:

(1)  “Charleston Cooks!” Maverick Southern Kitchens – Enjoy (2) demonstration classes and (2) hands-on participation classes at this combination kitchen shop and cooking studio where amateur chefs can find the finest culinary tools while learning the secrets of using them.

(2) Charleston Grill – Enjoy a specially created 6-course dinner menu with expertly chosen wine pairings for (2) at this 4-star restaurant.

You’ll also receive two passes to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, which includes the aircraft carrier Yorktown and a submarine, the Clamagor. The Medal of Honor Museum is located on the deck of the carrier. Not only is admission included with the pass, but so is a personal tour of the museum with Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret.)

Terra Cotta Fragment from the Historic Monroe Building - Home of the Pritzker Military Library

Take home a piece of architectural history from Chicago’s historic Monroe Building, home of the Pritzker Military Library – a beautiful, original 1912 terra cotta fragment, designed by the renowned architectural firm of Holabird & Roche!

Chicago Bulls Playoff Tickets

They’re the hottest team in the NBA, and they won’t rest until they’ve locked horns with another championship trophy. Join MVP candidate Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center for the start of what’s sure to be a spectacular postseason with two (2) Tickets to Game 2 of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.  Tickets are Section 111, Row 9 – lower level on the aisle at center court. Game is Monday, April 18th. And wear red to cheer on the Bulls!

And for the silent auction...

Sports

• Joakim Noah Autographed Chicago Bulls Jersey
• Jake Peavy Autographed Chicago White Sox Baseball and Photo
• Two (2) Infield Club Box Seats Cubs Tickets
• Four (4) White Sox Tickets with Parking
• Four (4) Club Level White Sox Tickets
• Photograph and Laser Autographs of Four (4) Chicago Bears

Activities and Tours

• Two (2) Admission Passes to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
• Airshow Pilot for a Day
  
• Gift Certificate to Chicago Hot Glass
  
• Two (2) General Admission Passes to the Art Institute of Chicago
  
• “Behind The Scenes” Tour for Five (5) People at the Chicago History Museum
  
• “Behind The Scenes” Tour for up to Eight (8) People at the Field Museum
  
• “Behind the Scenes” Tour for Six (6) of the U-505 Submarine Exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago
  
• Four (4) Special Guest Passes for Chicago Architecture Foundation Walking Tour
  
• Private Tour for Six (6) People of the Charnley-Persky House Museum
  
• One (1) Year Family Membership to the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)
  

Food and Wine

• Lux Wine Tasting for four (4) at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants
• Gift Certificate for Two (2) to a "Mix It Up" Cooking Party
  
• Cooking Class for Two (2) in Your Home with Chef Ron Geiger
  
• Two (2) Autographed Bottles of Mike Ditka's “Da'Coach” Merlot
  
• 1.5 L bottle of Orwin Swift's “The Prisoner”
  
• Pair of Waterford Crystal Toasting Flutes
  
• Two (2) $50 Gift Certificates to the Redhead Piano Bar
  
• One (1) $75 Gift Certificate to Rosebud Restaurants
  
• Three (3) $25 Gift Certificates to Petterino's Restaurant
  
• One (1) $25 Gift Certificate to Francesca's on Taylor
• Two (2) Bottles of 2005 El Nidoi, Bodegas El Nido S.L. wine

Entertainment

• Afternoon Cruise for Four (4) on Lake Michigan
  
• Pair of Tickets to Three (3) Concerts in Music of the Baroque's 2011-2012 Season
  
• Two (2) Tickets to Fall Series at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
  
• Two (2) Tickets to Steppenwolf to See “Middletown” and a $100 Gift Certificate to Landmark Restaurant

Hotel and Travel

• Hotel Stay, Dinner and Breakfast for Two (2) at the Union League Club of Chicago
  
• Weekend Stay at “A Cabin on the Hill” in Historic Southeast Ohio

Electronics

• Amazon Kindle e-book Reader
  
• Nikon Coolpix S4000 Digital Touchscreen Camera with 2GB Memory Card
  
• Sony Dream Machine iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock/Clock Radio
  
• Apple 8GB iPod Nano with Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds
  
• iLuv In-ear Sweat Proof Ear Clips with iLuv Nite-Glo Sports Armband
  
• Hamilton Beach Set'n Forget Six (6) Quart Slow Cooker

Potpourri

• Two (2) Hours of Studio Photography
  
• Executive Desk Chair from Paoli
  
• Lincoln “Perseverance” Motivational Poster Signed by Original Artist
  
• “Beyond Valor” 2010 Medal of Honor Convention Book & Autographed Postcards
  
• Michael Kors Hamilton Large Tote
  
• Two (2) Posters by Artist Jes Wilhelm Schlaikjer
  
• Red, White, and Blue Basket
• Rookwood Tile
• Framed Norman Rockwell "Freedom From Want" picture
• Beyond Valor: Medal of Honor Book, Pritzker Military Library DVDs
• WTTW gift basket