2011 Live Auction
US Empowered is proud to unveil the exciting Live Auction packages we will feature at our Third Annual Graduation Gala on May 4, 2011. If you are unable to join us but would still like to place a bid, please submit our official Absentee Bid Form no later than Wednesday at 10am to ensure your bid counts!
The Second City Conquers The Big Apple
You and your guest will head east to New York City for a three-day weekend (Thursday -
Sunday) of laughs and highly coveted, cutting-edge, hot-ticket entertainment in the city that never sleeps. After settling into your loft-like room at the luxury Andaz Hotel on Fifth Avenue, your first stop will be at one of two live television show tapings of your choice. You and your guest will attend the live taping of either The Daily Show with Jon Stewart OR the Late Show with David Letterman at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. On Friday, you'll enjoy all NYC has to offer its tourists, as the Andaz is just steps from Central Park and the Empire State Building, and is smack in the middle of the fashionable, convivial, walkable Bryant Park neighborhood in Midtown - host to a decade's worth of Fashion Weeks.
On Saturday night you and your guest will make your way to 
30 Rockefeller Plaza to attend a live taping of a dress rehearsal for Saturday Night Live. SNL is the longest-running show in NBC's history, and we are assured that the comedians are at their funniest during the rehearsal before the live taping! Go see firsthand where Second City veterans John Belushi, Bill Murray, Tina Fey and Steve Carrell helped put Chicago at center stage, and give an extra cheer for current cast members (and Chicago natives!) Paul Brittain and Vanessa Bayer.
To help you and your guest get to New York, we've also included two round trip tickets on American Airlines.
While US Empowered will help facilitate the booking of this trip, it is solely the job of the winner to travel on a weekend where tickets are available to both the SNL taping and David Letterman OR Jon Stewart. Blackout dates for SNL include the season premier, the season finale and the Christmas show, and we expect they will issue their schedule for the 2011-2012 season by mid-summer. Finally, trips must be booked at least six weeks in advance and occur within one year of May 4, 2011.
Take Me Out To The Ballgame &...Fore!
ow by diving head first into pro golf and baseball! You and a friend will fly roundtrip to Boston, MA for a five-night stay at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel over Labor Day Weekend 2011 - Wednesday, August 31 thru Monday, September 5. Upon arrival on Wednesday, you will check in to your hotel in Historic Old Boston, take a stroll down to Faneuil Hall Marketplace and grab a quick bite at a restaurant overlooking Boston Harbor. That night, you'll head over to the landmark Fenway Park to witness one of the best rivalries in baseball - the Yankees vs. Red Sox - from two of the best seats in the house - three rows behind the Red Sox batters' on-deck circle.Luke Donald is currently ranked third in the world - ahead o
f Tiger, Phil Mickelson and others. He came in fourth at the Masters just this April, and won the World Golf Championship - Accenture Match Play in February. Without a doubt, he is having the best year of his career and is well positioned to win the FedEx Cup during playoff tournaments this fall, and the critical Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston. Grab a friend and come be a part of the excitement!
Beauty and Respite in Jackson Hole
Experience America's West like never before in Jackson Hole, Wyoming! Your group of six will enjoy a week-long, seven-night stay during the season of your choice in a private residence located within Four Seasons resort, directly adjacent to the Grand Teton National Park - and we'll provide 100,000 miles from American Airlines to help get you there!
- On day one, your group of six will fly into Jackson
Hole, Wyoming. You will make your way to the Four Seasons, where you will settle in to a private, luxurious three bedroom, three bathroom, ski-in/ski-out condo, complete with three fireplaces, private hot tub and shared outdoor pool, open year round. On your arrival night your party will enjoy fine Italian fare prepared by Chef Roger Freedman at Il Villaggio Osteria in the Hotel Terra. - Mid-week, we will make arrangements for your group to enjoy the best Japanese cuisine in Jackson Hole, at contemporary-yet-casual Nakai Sushi, located two blocks from the Jackson Hole Town Square.
- On one special day of your choice, we will book an outdoor experience on your behalf. If you travel in summertime, your group of six will enjoy a white water rafting excursion with the experts at Mad River. If you opt for a wintertime trip, your group will tr
averse the mountains and slalom through inches of pristine, powdery white snow with a day of lift tickets, equipment and passes. If you're timid about surmounting those black diamond trails, an experienced ski instructor at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will help you brush up on your technique during a private or group lesson tailored to your skill levels. Your group will end this special day with a dinner of decadent, gourmet food and wine at Snake River Grill, a landmark of Jackson Hole.
Soak up all there is to offer in this pristine part of the country, with an ideal balance of breathtaking nature and elegance. All in all, a week of incredible beauty, fresh air, luxury and respite. Gather up the troops and head out west for an unforgettable vacation!
Blackout dates apply
Join Mr. Cub for the Ultimate Wrigley Experience
Break out that mitt, warm up your pitching arm and start 
practicing your curve ball! On June 1, 2011, you will have the experience that most die-hard Cubs fans only dream of. No, it's not a World Series victory - it's too early in the season for that - but we can invite you to throw the first pitch of the game and welcome you for the following incredible day:
- On Wednesday, June 1 at 12pm, your group of 18 will head to Wrigley Field for the Cubs vs. Astros game.
- Upon arrival at Wrigley, you and your group will make your way to a private, catered box.
- At 12:45pm, you and three of your guests will head down to the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game and take on-field photos.
- Once you've kicked off the game, Ernie Banks - Mr. Cub himself - will join you in your private box to visit and greet everyone.
Mr. Banks is a very warm and generous personality and will likely spend time trying to get to know you, but not to worry - there'll be time to ask him about what it was like to hit his 500th homerun at Wrigley in 1970, and how it feels to hold the Cubs record for games played (2,528), at-bats (9,421) and total bases (4,706). You'll likely even have time for a few photos!
Grab your friends and family and head to the ballpark - there's simply no better way to spend your time on a June afternoon in Chicago.
Hand-Selected Instant Wine Cellar
Our Board of Directors invites you to ready your corkscrew and 
decanter and indulge in a new tradition for US Empowered: The first of its kind, hand-selected Chairman's Wine Cellar. Spearheaded by our board chairman, Darrell Williams, an enthusiast of both US Empowered and fine wines, this package is fantastic both as the foundation of a new collection or as a unique addition to an existing one.
The Instant Wine Cellar starts you off with seven cases (84 bottles) of great value, must try and extra special labels, hand-selected by experts and organized by meal course. We have included everything from champagnes and buttery whites to robust reds and savory dessert wines. Also included are an ‘international' case and a case of terrific labels to grab before heading to a friend's house for dinner. The selection is evenly split between fine domestic and international offerings from more than 20 vineyards and nearly all of the selections have been rated 90 points or higher (on a scale of 100).
Selections include the 1988 Veuve Cliquot "Rare" Vintage Brut Champagne, the 2009 Diatom "Clos Pepe Vineyard" Chardonnay, the 2002 Vincent Girardin Chambertin Clos de Beze, the 2004 Sine Qua Non "Strawman" and the 2008 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf Du Pape.
To celebrate this incredible selection, we will also include a wine tasting party for eight in the private home of your choosing, hosted by Jeremy Adler, certified sommelier, and catered by Chef Ryan Poli. In partnership with the team from Mercadito, Chef Poli is opening Tavernita in River North this summer. He is former Executive Chef of Perennial, and you may recognize him on an upcoming episode of Bravo TV's Rocco's Dinner Party.
Finally, we will provide year-long storage for all seven cases at East Bank Wine Storage, at your choice of locations in the West Loop or River North.
And to kick off the springtime in style, we have included four tickets to Wine Spectator's Grand Tour at Navy Pier on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 7pm, where you will be able to taste from among 200 wines and mingle with winery owners and wine makers from premier labels.
Tuscan Villa for Eight
Vacation in a renaissance painting...at Il Rifugio. Your group
of eight will enjoy privacy, serenity and spectacular views in a 17th-century Italian farmhouse amidst lawns, ancient olive grove, vineyards, and woodlands. Surrounded by 56 acres of private land, Il Rifugio is the perfect experience for families and friends, a romantic getaway, and an ideal retreat. For one week, you will bask in the beauty of the surrounding countryside, which offers stunning valley and mountain views, winding walking trails, and miles of country road for bicycling or touring by car. Upon your arrival, you will be offered a brief tour and partake in a light buffet of traditional local cold cuts, cheeses, breads, olive oil, fruit, olives, and a fresh vegetable relish plate.
- On Sunday, we have arranged for a professional guide to lead you through the stone-lined streets of Cortona while sharing the long and colorful history of this Etruscan citadel.
- On Monday, a professional sommelier will share his knowledge of the fine regional wines of Tuscany.
- On Tuesday, you will enjoy a full meal cooking class at Il Rifugio designed to be fun, informal, and hands-on.
- Wednesday is your day to do whatever you like: visit Cortona; take a day-trip to a shopping outlet; explore another town (Siena, Arezzo, Florence, Perugia, Orvieto and others are all within easy reach by train); or simply relax and enjoy Il Rifugio.
- On Thursday morning, after a morning of market roaming and shopping at the Camucia outdoor market, let the owners meet you at a local cafe for a glass of Prosecco or a cappuccino and a fresh baked pastry.
- On your last night, you will be guests for a four-course dinner at Il Rifugio. Prior to departure you will awake to a traditional Tuscan style breakfast, after which you will bid a reluctant "arrivederci" to Il Rifugio.
This
package includes a one-week, Saturday to Saturday stay at Il Rifugio. Package must be booked within two months of May 4, 2011, and fall during the window of weeks starting Saturday, November 5, 2011 and Saturday, March 31, 2012. The winner will have at least four weeks from which to choose his or her week at Il Rifugio. We recommend booking as close to May 4, 2011 as possible to ensure the most flexibility in scheduling.
