The Illinois Brews @ Bowes Creek fundraiser will take place Saturday at the Bowes Creek Country Club.
The Elgin Parks and Recreation Foundation is giving folks a chance to quaff some local craft beers while supporting local kids during its 11th annual Illinois Brews @ Bowes Creek fundraiser Saturday at Bowes Creek Country Club.
The event, which starts at 4 p.m., supports the foundation’s youth scholarship fund. The fund allows 700 to 800 kids from families who might not otherwise be able to afford some of the city’s parks programs to participate.
Parks and Recreation Director Maria Cumpata said the foundation was created in 2013 to be the fundraising arm of the Parks and Recreation Department. Before the foundation was formed, the department generally would run out of budgeted scholarship money about halfway through the year.
“We would have to turn families away because there were no funds available,” she said. “We have not run out of funds for youth scholarships since the Illinois Brews event.”
All of the proceeds from the event go to the scholarship fund. Organizers raised more than $17,000 last year. They hope to return to their pre-COVID highs of about $25,000.
Foundation board member Peg Corcoran says they certainly have a shot.
“We’ve had a great outpouring from the local breweries,” she said, pun noted. “Our pre-event ticket sales are better than we’ve ever had.”
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The 14 local breweries involved, as well as the Silverado Homebrew Club, are all donating beers in a variety of styles. The participating breweries are Energy City Brewing, Khaos Brewing, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Sew Hop’d Brewery, Obscurity Brewing and Craft Mead, Two Brothers Artisan Brewing, Hopewell Brewing Co., Maplewood Brewery & Distillery, Penrose Brewing, More Brewing Co., Riverlands Brewing Co., Miskatonic Brewing Co., Oswego Brewing Co. and Half Acre Brewery.
The general admission tickets, which cost $40, get attendees unlimited samples of all the beers available, and there will be food for purchase from Johnny’s Supper Club. Rock and country band Unscheduled Tour will provide music. There also will be raffles.
Tickets are available at elginparksfoundation.org/ilbrewsatbowes.
As a physical education teacher, Elgin High School coach and part-time parks and rec employee, Corcoran values what sports can offer kids.
“It really shapes the person you are,” she said. “To know we can provide those experiences that otherwise families might not be able to afford is really heartwarming.”
And the kids are what it’s all about for her.
“The funniest thing about this is, I don’t even like craft beer. I wish I did,” she said. “But I’m willing to keep trying.”
