Win the Wedding of a Lifetime - 1,353 feet in the Sky

 Today, Willis Tower, the iconic Chicago skyscraper, announced the return of its annual social media contest giving couples the opportunity to win a romantic Valentine’s Day wedding ceremony atop the highest observation deck in America -- Skydeck Chicago’s 103rd floor, 1,353 feet in the sky. Beginning today, Monday, January 9th, couples can submit video entries for a chance to win the ultimate wedding ceremony above the majestic Chicago skyline. The contest will run until Thursday, February 2, 2017.Wedding ceremony/vow renewals take place on Sunday, February 12^th.

Adventurous couples looking for a unique way to tie the knot or renew their vows can enter the Skydeck Chicago Wedding Contest by submitting a video entry at the Skydeck Facebook page. In two minutes or less, contestants should explain why they should win the wedding ceremony of a lifetime atop Chicago’s most iconic landmark. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, couples are encouraged to share their most romantic stories; how they met; why they want to spend their lives together, or how their love has stood the test of time. Submissions can be uploaded now through Tuesday, January 31^st. Four couples will be selected and notified on Thursday, February 2, 2017. (One entry per couple, maximum two minutes in length.)

Winning couples will exchange vows from The Ledge’s glass floor balconies that extend 4.3 feet from the skyscraper’s famed 103^rd floor. Accompanied by up to eight guests, each couple will enjoy a private 15-minute ceremony with the Chicago skyline as the backdrop. Each picture-perfect couple will receive a complimentary photo on The Ledge taken by Willis Tower’s in-house photographer. At the ceremony’s conclusion, the newlyweds and their guests will celebrate with a champagne toast and receive wedding gifts from Chicagoland-based lifestyle brand, Crate and Barrel.

Willis Tower and Skydeck Chicago are no strangers to Love on The Ledge. Last year, couples submitted videos for their chance to win a wedding ceremony at the Skydeck. Five couples were selected for four weddings and one vow renewal. Five couples were selected for four weddings and one vow renewal. In addition to winning this unique wedding ceremony, couples also received a fantastic prize package that included a romantic two-night weekend stay in a suite at the Hyatt Centric the Loop Chicago.

To date, there have been 867 marriage proposals, 89 weddings, 15 vow renewals and hundreds of private “Pie in the Sky” dates on The Ledge.

USA Gymnastics meets the Harlem Globetrotters

What happens when Rhythmic Gymnastics meets the Harlem Globetrotters?  Two stars of the world famous team found out during a visit with 17-year-old Camilla Feeley of the U.S. National Team.  The hilarious video below shows Globetrotters female star Ace Jackson and her teammate Bull Bullard trading tricks with Feeley at the national headquarters for U.S. rhythmic gymnastics in the Chicago area.

Featured in the video is Ace, only the 13^th female in the Globetrotters’ 91 year history.  Ace joined Bull, who has proven his versatility by making the finals of “American Ninja Warrior” on NBC and trying out for the New York Jets.

Feeley is a resident of Highland Park, IL, and was the alternate for the 2016 Olympic Games.  Feeley is the 2016 U.S. clubs champion, all-around & ball silver medalist, and hoop bronze medalist.

The Globetrotters are set to tip off their new world tour next week, including four games in the team’s birthplace of Chicago on Dec. 28-29. The Globetrotters will play over 340 games in over 250 cities starting Dec. 26 through the end of April.  Ticket information and the schedule are available at www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

Amdur Productions Announces Brand New May Art Market At The Daley Plaza

The May Art Market May 6-7, 2016 takes place at the Daley Center, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL on the Friday and Saturday from 8am-6pm before Mother's Day. If you are looking for last minute Mother's Day gifts, this is the art market for you! Find mom the perfect pair of earrings, a beautiful necklace, a painting that you know mom would love, or a sculpture to add to moms collection. This Friday and Saturday show is set in Chicago's famous Daley Plaza in the "Loop", the heart of downtown Chicago. More than 500,000 people live in, work in, and visit this dense area every day. Standing 50 ft. tall, the Chicago "Picasso" located in Daley Plaza is one of the most famous sculptures in Chicago. This show is free admission. Shelly Lawler  Rahmon Olugunna                                                   "We are pleased to have the May Art Market in Daley Plaza.  The Art Market is an example of a wonderful new amenities that serves the needs of our large employment base but also acknowledge that over 15,000 people live in the Loop." says, Michael Edwards, President & CEO, Chicago Loop Alliance. Children can also enjoy the youth art tent where they will be able to make clay masterpieces to take home. Enjoy free souvenir photos to take home with you as well! ABOUT AMDUR PRODUCTIONS For more than thirty years, Amdur Productions has crafted and curated a selection of the country's most prestigious juried art festivals, including the Chicago Botanic Garden Art Festival, Gold Coast Art Fair, and Port Clinton Art Festival. Founded by Amy Amdur in 1983, Amdur Productions attracts thousands of guests to explore and enjoy a showcase of artists' work in a free and fun environment. Several of Amdur Productions' festivals have been selected as Sunshine Artist magazine's top 100 best fine art and design shows. In addition to festivals, Amdur Productions produces city-wide food and music events. For more information, please visit amdurproductions.com, call 847-926-4300, or email us at info@amdurproductions.com. Looking for additional information about a specific festival? Find them online at amdurproductions.com/art-festivals/or visit their social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Nominations Being Accepted for the BBB 2016 Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics

Nominations are now being accepted to honor exceptional businesses with the Torch Awards from the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois.  These awards are presented annually to outstanding businesses in recognition of their commitment to high standards in relationships with their customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, and the surrounding communities.

Like the BBB Torch logo, the Torch Awards honor and help to illuminate the importance of a corporate conscience and the responsibility for creating a fair and honest marketplace.

The Torch Awards nomination process is open to all for-profit Chicago and northern Illinois based businesses. Nominations can come from individuals or businesses.

An individual may nominate the company he or she works for, owns or is affiliated with; as well as any company that individual does business with, or any company, which the nominating individual believes, meets the Torch Award criteria.  A company can also be nominated by an organization (i.e., Chamber of Commerce, academic institution, ethics organization, trade association, etc.).

Candidates for the 2016 Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics will be evaluated by a prestigious independent panel of judges from the business and academic communities against these criteria:

• High ethical standards of behavior toward customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees, and communities.
• Demonstrated ethical practices surrounding their buyer/seller relationships.
• Marketing, advertising, communications, and sales practices which reflect a true representation of what is being offered in the market place.
• Acknowledgment of ethical marketplace practices by industry peers and in the communities where they do business.
• Management practices and policies that give long-term value to shareholders, customers, employees, and vendors.
• Training programs that assist employees in executing ethics policies.

Companies are judged in five categories based on the following employee numbers: 1-9; 10-99; 100-999, 1,000-7,499 and 7,500+.  Recognition and awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, November, 19, 2015 – 11:00 a.m. at Loews Chicago O’Hare, 5300 North River Road, in Rosemont, IL.

To nominate a company, or for detailed information on judging criteria, go to www.bbb.org/chicago and click on the torch award link on the lower right side of the page. You may also e-mail Nina Castle at ncastle@chicago.bbb.org  or mail to BBB Torch Award, 330 N. Wabash Ave., #3120, Chicago, IL 60611.  Entries must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, September 30, 2015. Winners will be selected by October 16, 2015 and will be notified by phone following completion of judging.

FREE Family Activities in the Chicago Area!

We have been hard at work lining up some great promotions for you and your family this summer. Just wanted to share some of the FREE activities that you can take advantage of as well as share with family and friends! 

• AMF Summer Unplugged- Kids Bowl FREE all summer.
• Orbit Skate Center- Free Summer Skating for Students.
• My Gym- Free membership till June 30th. (Plus 30% off classes)
• LegoLand Discovery Center- Free child’s admission with paid adult admission.
• Elite Kids- Free Baby Gymnastics Classes & FREE Toddler Dance Classes.
• Magic Waters- July 4th, Free admission with military ID.
• Reading Eggs- 2 Free weeks.
• Speekee TV- Free month trial.

Also check out all the coupons to save on family fun- http://www.windycitykidsguide.com/coupons.php.

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Roller Skate With Your Kids

Orbit Skate Center is the best place to roller skate in the Northwest Suburbs. Located 28 miles north of Chicago. Not many roller rinks have huge half acre wood floors for family skating!

This summer Orbit Skate is offering Free Summer Skating for Students which began June 12th. To Skate Free, simplly download a summer punch card and bring with you.

In addition, Orbit Skate is also a participating members of KidsSkateFree.com which is a nationwide effort to fight childhood obesity by offering children 12 & under 2 free skate passes each week via email. All you have to do is sign up at the website. Passes are good on certain sessions and do not include skate rental.

You can also take advantage of this exclusive coupon- Buy One get One Admission Free-http://www.windycitykidsguide.com/coupon.php?bid=11139&dealid=1209

This is an exclusive offer brought to you by WindyCityKidsGuide! Follow @ChicagoILkids and stay up to date on new coupons & events added to WindyCityKidsGuide

Turn Your Passion into a Mission to Help Others

English: Logo for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation as of September 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ever thought about entering the 2012 ING New York City Marathon, but needed a little extra inspiration to get you there? Or, maybe you tried to get into the NYC marathon through the lottery, but were one of the thousands who didn't get selected?

Well, today might be your lucky day! The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, dedicated to curing spinal cord injury and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis, is looking for enthusiastic, inspiring and committed people to run in honor of those who cannot. The Foundation has 30 coveted spots available on Team Reeve for the 2012 ING New York City Marathon, taking place on November 4, 2012. Participants are required to raise a minimum of $4,000 for the Foundation.

To apply for a spot, simply visit http://tinyurl.com/82auwxs to fill out the application. Applications will be vetted by the Foundation, with winners being notified within approximately one week of submission.

Additionally, Team Reeve has teamed up with exclusive training facility La Palestra in New York City, which will provide free coaching, strength training, nutrition counseling and training runs to all Team Reeve members. If you live outside of New York, the staff at La Palestra will provide tele-coaching.

So, to all you runners out there...Go Far. Be Inspirational. Do Good.

The information was provided by The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation through MyBlogSpark.

Great Saves for Chicagoland Area

	Today's Save: Via Veneto il Ristorante Today's Save:$20 for $40 worth of traditional Italian fare at Via Veneto Expires 11:59 PM - Apr 16, 2011
	Bonus Save: Dana Cafe Today's Save:$5 for $10 worth of crepes, coffee and more from Dana Cafe Expires 11:59 PM - Apr 14, 2011
	Bonus Save: 1928 Jewelry Today's Save:$20 for $40 worth of vintage-inspired jewelry from 1928.com Expires 11:59 PM - Apr 15, 2011
	Bonus Save: Shocking Goat Today's Save:$30 gets you a sleek, stylish watch from ShockingGoat.com ($80 value) Expires 11:59 PM - Apr 15, 2011

Chicago Monster Truck Nationals event

This weekend, my family and I will be attending the Monster Truck Show in Chicago.  I have never been to these shows.  My son is super excited to attend.  I will be doing a review.  Look for pictures next week.

Be Both Brainy and Beautiful—Don’t Be Taken Advantage by Modeling Scams

Modeling opportunities can be very enticing for fresh-faced individuals. Whether interested in a modeling career, looking to make a few extra bucks or think your child might have a future in acting or modeling, be on the lookout for scammers. The Better Business Bureau warns that some modeling agencies are just trying to make a fast buck and don’t deliver on promises of fame and fortune.

In the last 12 months alone, would-be models have researched agencies with the BBB nearly 8,800 times. Unfortunately, the BBB serving Chicago and northern Illinois received 68 complaints in that same time period from those who feel they were misled by an agency.

“Modeling can be a great, fun way to supplement your income, but signing up with a deceptive talent agency may be a waste of time and money,” said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. “Even if the agency tells you that you or your child have ‘the look’, always take the time to do your research and not just fall for empty promises.”

Katherine Roche of Chicago, Ill. stated, “I saw a posting on Craig’s List for movie extras. They just asked for a photo of me and $50 to get into their database. They promised that they could get you jobs in 3-6 months or they would refund your money. I live in Chicago and they sent me info on two jobs, one in Los Angeles and one in Atlanta. They were just mass e-mails with information on casting calls. I called to say that these were not in my area and the person said that they would try to send some closer to where I live. I never heard from them again. I have called and sent at least 75 e-mails and I want a refund.”

John Wang, another complainant from Algonquin, Ill. stated, “My wife and daughter went to see them. They asked if the company could get modeling jobs for my daughter and they said yes. We asked if she needed education or training and they said no. They took some pictures of her right in the office that were supposed to be professional photos and weren’t. They charged $500 for the pictures. My wife signed the contract without reading it. We looked online at the Better Business Bureau report a day or two after they went and when we saw how bad it was we called and asked to cancel and get a refund. They said no. They cancelled our right to go into their website and kept our money.”

Before signing up with a modeling or talent agency, the BBB recommends:

• Do Your Research – Illinois requires a talent agency or modeling school to be licensed and bonded; confirm the company meets those requirements. Always check the company out with the Better Business Bureau by visiting www.bbb.org
• Beware of Big Promises and High Pressure Sales Pitches – In the modeling world, income is never guaranteed and jobs can be sporadic. Consider it a red flag if the sales pitch promises many jobs and big earnings or uses high pressure tactics to get you to sign up. If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Read the Fine Print and Get Everything in Writing – Take time and read the agreement or contract carefully, paying close attention to details regarding refunds and options if dissatisfied. Make sure that all verbal promises are in the agreement. 
• Complain if You’ve Been Ripped Off – If you feel you’ve been misled by a modeling or talent agency, file a complaint with your BBB at www.bbb.org  

For more advice on finding businesses and services you can trust, visit www.bbb.org 

LIBERTY MUTUAL TO KICK OFF “NATIONAL CONVERSATION DRIVE” IN CHICAGO

WHAT:           Liberty Mutual Insurance, the eighth-largest car and home insurer in the U.S., will kick off its “National Conversation Drive” at a day-long event at Chicago’s Millennium Park.  Members of the public will don movement-restricting “senior simulator suits” and wear special vision-impairing glasses to help simulate the effects of aging on driving ability; participants in the experience will also be asked to complete an online pledge to have conversations with their elderly parents and family members about senior driving safety, as well as transportation alternatives for seniors. 

Also on hand will be representatives from ITNAmerica and ITNChicago, Liberty Mutual’s partners in providing safe, alternative transportation to seniors; and the Macklin Intergenerational Institute, which consulted with Liberty Mutual and specializes in intergenerational awareness and acceptance.

WHO:             Driving safety experts and executives from Liberty Mutual

Representatives from ITNAmerica and ITNChicago

Representatives from the Macklin Intergenerational Institute

WHEN:           TUESDAY, September 21, 2010 from 9am to 5pm

WHERE:         Millennium Park

CHICAGO

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Chicago Attorney Specializing in Domestic Violence, Martin Dolan, Fights for Victims’ Protection and Offers Tips for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Chicago, IL – One in every four women is beaten or raped by a partner during adulthood and three women are killed each day by a current or former intimate partner according to National Network to End Domestic Violence. In an effort to call attention to this grave issue, and reach out to victims and advocates, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Chicago attorney Martin Dolan of Dolan Legal is a defense attorney with over 19 years experience. Dolan is currently fighting a district court decision that dismissed a claim that Chicago police violated the right to equal protection by failing to enforce the protective order of Mercedes McCauley against her ex-boyfriend, who later shot and killed her. Dolan is filing an appeal to the decision, fighting to have victims of domestic abuse recognized as a class of people who deserve higher protection under the law

“Domestic violence is serious issue that deserves heightened attention, which can be seen in the case of Mercedes McCauley” Dolan explains. “I am dedicated to the issue and hope that these tips and my work with this case will help to prevent and protect victims of domestic violence.”

Dolan offers these signs of domestic violence and safety tips for those in an abusive relationship:

WARNING SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - Your partner:

· Has unpredictable temper

· Makes threats and/or hurts you

· Sees you as a sex object

· Threatens to commit suicide if you leave

· Acts overly possessive and/or controlling

· Keeps you away from family or friends

RED FLAGS - Tactics used by an abuser include:

· Dominance

· Humiliation

· Isolation

· Threats

· Intimidation

· Denial/blame

LOOK FOR THE TYPICAL “CYCLE OF VIOLENCE” (Resource--http://helpguide.org)

· Abuse

· Guilt

· “Normal” behavior

· Fantasy/planning

· Set-up

SAFETY TIPS

· Know your abuser’s red flags

· Identify safe areas in your home

· Make a list of emergency contacts and be prepared to contact them when warning signs and red flags appear

· Always be prepared to leave

For more information on domestic violence law go to www.DolanLegal.com. For additional resources and assistance, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-787-3224 or 1-800-799-SAFE.