Aibi Honors Donna Lapietra

Candace Jordan, NBC Chicago Street Team

Local icon and all around incredible woman, Donna LaPietra, was honored Thursday night  by the Apparel Industry Board at the Casino. The event benefited the Stanley Paul-Raelene Mittelman Scholarship Fund which awards scholarships to college students from Greater Chicago and/or Illinois who are studying in a fashion design program. The evening’s master of ceremonies, a legend himself, Bill Zwecker, called Donna “Chicago’s treasure” and Leslie Hindman called her “the Mrs. Potter Palmer of our time.” I agree wholeheartedly on both counts. Her list of philanthropic endeavors are too numerous to even mention but suffice it to say Chicago would be lost without her. Her significant other, Bill Kurtis, recounted their lives together in a humorous video presentation that included testimonials from Maggie Daley, Gary Sinise, John Bryan, Rick Bayless, Paul Sereno, Victor Skrebneski, Walter Jacobson and Bernie and Jane Sahlins. Special guest entertainers included 11 year old piano prodigy Emily Bear and Asya Taylor who wowed the crowd with their unique abilities. Over 250 friends attended this joyous celebration of Donna’s amazingly full life including Alderman Ed Burke and Judge Ann Burke, Shelley Farley, Grace Barry, Ginger and Dell Hall (who produced the wonderful video), Michael Kutza, Lynne Jordan (who performed), Peggy Lombardo, Dennis Minkel, Carol Prins, Abra and Tom Wilkin, Dori Wilson, Helen Melchior, Amelia Silva, Myra and John Reilly, Mamie Walton, Hazel Barr, Zarada Gowenlock, Susan Ellefson, Greg Hyder, Jim Smith, Skip Grisham, Andrea Schwartz, Richard and Michelle Klarcheck, Boots Nathan and many more. May it never end! Congrats Donna! We love you and thank you for making our world a better place! J

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