The co-sponsor of Sunday night’s event to benefit the Otis Wilson Charitable Organization is called Art of Men. Art of Men is a soon-to-launch digital platform that pairs the knowledge, experience and expertise of men with good works projects in their communities. Art of Men does not ask men to donate their money. They ask men to donate themselves; to donate their time. (To see video of Art of Men’s work with senior centers in NYC and the New York Yankees, CLICK HERE.)

Art of Men will be gathering volunteers Sunday night for two Chicago-based organizations desperate for the assistance. (For full event details, CLICK HERE.)

COMMON PANTRY

Common Pantry is Chicago’s oldest, continually-operating food pantry. On Friday December 20th they are receiving a shipment of more than 3,000 pounds of food to be served to the city’s neediest citizens. Their problem? They lack the man power (about ten people!) to unload the trucks and organize the food. From an email I received from the pantry’s Executive Director:

We are confirmed for the food drive pickup on December 20th.  It will be at Lane Tech High School at 10am.  The school is at 3500 N. Western Ave. We can have volunteers meet at the pantry (3744 N. Damen Ave) around 9:45a and then head over to the school.  It is only about a mile away from the pantry.  The process should last about 2 hours.  I have confirmed a large truck to use for transporting the food, volunteers will just need a vehicle to transport themselves (we can definitely car pool).

We’ll be signing up volunteers at the event and contacting them in the days after.

LEAVE NO VETERAN BEHIND

This is a truly unique organization to benefit Chicago’s veterans, providing educational and employment services to veterans facing economic hardships. Many organizations service the mental/physical needs of returning vets (though nowhere near to the extent they should) but LNVB helps them transition back into the working world. Here is an appearance the organization did on Windy City Live:

What we are attempting to mobilize is 2-3 individuals to work with veterans on mentor level. We’d like two or three men to meet regularly with a veteran or two and provide guidance on all those elements that aid in the transition to the working world: resumes/cover letters, interview approach…etc.

It is going to be a terrific night. I hope many of you will join us and help us make Chicago a better place to live.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS! (ONLY $10)

Thanks to Bears beat writer Adam Jahns our event received some promotion from Emily McFarlan Miller in the Sun-Times:

Did No Shave November work out really well for you?

Have you been looking for an opportunity to bust out your favorite sweater vest and stogie?

Then have we got an event for you: The Mike Ditka Look-a-like Competition at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The event, presented by DaBearsBlog and Art of Men, will benefit the Otis Wilson Charitable Association. It also includes a Christmas toy drive and a performance by the Black Oil Brothers.

Anyone can enter the Mike Ditka Look-a-like Competition, and each entrant will get a moment to walk the stage for celebrity judges, including 1985 Super Bowl champion Otis Wilson and Bears legend James “Big Cat” Williams, according to the event page on Ticketfly. The winner will receive two tickets to the Chicago Bears v. Dallas Cowboys game on Monday, Dec. 9, where the Bears will retire Ditka’s No. 89 jersey at halftime, it said.

Anyone who brings a toy to donate to the Christmas toy drive at the event also will be eligible to win an signed Otis Wilson jersey, it said.

The Otis Wilson Charitable Association provides an all-inclusive health and fitness program for at-risk youth to educate and empower them to lead healthy lifestyles, according to its website.

DABEARSBLOG STILL HAS ROOM ON OUR COMPLIMENTARY RSVP LIST. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS EMAIL ME: JEFF@DABEARSBLOG.COM

After the jump you can once again experience the event’s amazing poster art…

Read More …

On Sunday night, December 9th we’ll be co-hosting an event with the Otis Wilson Charitable Association at the Double Door in Wicker Park. Tickets are $10 – with all proceeds going directly to OWCA. At the event we’ll be having a Mike Ditka Lookalike Contest with the winner receiving a pair of tickets to the following night’s contest between the Bears and the Cowboys.

As a Thanksgiving gift, DaBearsBlog has 20 complimentary tickets to give away! All you need to do is send me an email to Jeff@DaBearsBlog.com letting me know who you are and who you’d like to bring. I will select the winners by the end of the week.

Otis Wilson and James “Big Cat” Williams will be confirmed celebrity judges and you’ll have a chance to meet and take a picture with both.

To support this wonderful cause and purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about the entire event, CLICK HERE.

DaBearsBlog will be co-hosting a charitable benefit in Chicago on Sunday night, December 8th with Bears legend Otis Wilson. The event will be a Mike Ditka Lookalike Contest, celebrity judged by Otis Wilson, James “Big Cat” Williams and other Chicago luminaries. The contest winner will receive two tickets to the following night’s Bears v. Cowboys game, featuring the Ditka jersey retirement ceremony at halftime.

The event will be co-hosted by a new organization called Art of Men (pairing men with volunteer projects across the country) and raise money for the Otis Wilson Charitable Association.

TICKETS WILL ONLY BE $10 and will include drink deals. All proceeds will go directly to the OWCA.

Any attendee who brings a toy for the Otis Wilson Charitable Association Christmas Toy Drive will be entered into a raffle to win a signed jersey. There will also be other Bears-related raffles for charity.

When.

Sunday Night, December 8th. Doors Open at 7:00 pm. Contest begins at 8:00 pm.

Where.

Double Door. 1572 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago. Wicker Park.

 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.

After the jump you can see the glory that is the event’s poster…

Read More …

OFFICIAL POST WITH TICKET INFORMATION WILL COME TUESDAY!

SAVE THE DATE!

DaBearsBlog will be co-hosting a charitable benefit in Chicago on Sunday night, December 8th with Bears legend Otis Wilson.

The event will be co-hosted by a new organization called Art of Men (pairing men with volunteer projects across the country) and raise money for the Otis Wilson Charitable Association. TICKETS WILL ONLY BE $20 and will include drink deals. All proceeds will go directly to the OWCA.

What.

To celebrate the following evening’s Mike Ditka number retirement ceremony, we’ll be hosting a:

Mike Ditka Look-a-Like/Impersonation Contest.

Come dressed in your best Mike Ditka costume and bring your best Grabowski-laced voice.

Celebrity judges will include Super Bowl Champion Otis Wilson and other members of the 1985 Chicago Bears. 

Contest winner will receive two tickets to the Monday night Bears game vs. the Dallas Cowboys, including the Ditka jersey number retirement ceremony at halftime.

There will also be a Christmas toy drive and various raffles for Bears-related memorabilia as well as large screens showing the Sunday night game featuring the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.

When.

Sunday Night, December 8th

Doors Open at 7:00 pm.

Where.

Double Door

1572 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago

Wicker Park

To visit the venue’s website, click here.

_______________________________________

Tickets will be available for purchase in the next week or so through the Double Door’s website. I will update when that time comes. For any questions regarding the event, please email me: jeff@dabearsblog.