Experience a 3-night Stay in Nature to Be Still, Be Silent, and Be Restored. Christ in The Wilderness (CITW) is a retreat center with 3 hermitages (cabins) located west of Chicago in Stockton, IL. Nestled among the beautiful rolling hills of the Mississippi Valley, CITW is a sacred place to spend time alone in natural woodlands and prairies to refresh body, mind, and spirit. Each hermitage has a twin bed, a private bathroom with shower, a fully equipped kitchen, desk, and a screened in porch. There are over 4 miles of walking trails and abundant wildlife and quiet. This 3-night stay is for ONE PERSON, as this is meant to be a solitary personal experience. Retreatants provide their own meals. Retreat must be used by 06.30.24. www.citwretreat.com.

Break out those good hiking shoes! Up to 4 people will join The Conservation Foundation's President/CEO Brook McDonald on a guided hike at our Dayton Bluffs Preserve in Starved Rock Country near Ottawa, followed by some local wine tasting at Clark's Run Winery or August Hill Winery in Utica. Enjoy your adventure at Dayton Bluffs complete with waterfalls, ravines, Fox River frontage, restored prairie, Native American mounds, a pioneer cemetery and more, and then reward yourself with a glass of local wine. Sound like the perfect day? Bid, Bid, Bid!!

Join our President/CEO Brook McDonald for a guided canoe trip on the Lower Fox River. Brook is truly in his element out in nature, and you will learn so much from him and see several properties your support has helped protect along the way! Up to 6 people can attend.

Belrose Farm may just be the crown jewel of our land preservation accomplishments. Explore this freshly protected wilderness in LaSalle County on a private tour for up to 5 people with our President/CEO Brook McDonald. Boasting 183 acres of waterfalls, sandstone bluffs, upland forests. lowland swamps, 300+ year old oak trees, a unique slot canyon known as Hidden Shelter Canyon, almost a mile of Fox River frontage and a rare hill prairie, Belrose Farm captivates and is waiting for your group to experience it. When you've worked up a hunger and thirst after your adventures, head into Ottawa for appetizers and drinks at Tangled Roots Brewing Company.

The Field Museum is pleased to donate 4 general admission tickets to The Conservation Foundation in support of our Earth Day Benefit Dinner 2023.

You will explore the Earth and its people through the Field Museum's exciting exhibitions including SUE, Evolving Planet, The Ancient Americas, Inside Egypt and more!

Your group of up to 20 people will be both relaxed and rejuvenated by this guided Forest Bathing experience.

Forest Bathing (sometimes called Forest Therapy) is based on the Japanese practice of Shirin-Yoku. It is an immersive experience in nature in which participants mindfully connect to the outdoors through their senses. Participants are invited to interact with the natural world in a way that can support healing, wellness, and foster a sense of reciprocity and creativity. This guided experience will be led by Alison Paul, a certified Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) Guide and The Conservation Foundation's Vice President of Community Conservation.

Details: The experience can be up to 1.5 hours long and can accommodate up to 20 people. It and can be adapted for all ages and mobility levels and is a great experience for all seasons and can be offered in English or Spanish. This makes a great gift (and/or birthday party activity!) or a way to engage your friends and family

Location: Experience to take place at McDonald Farm or Knoch Knolls Nature Center, both in Naperville, at a time that works for the bidder and the guide.

Longtime member of The Conservation Foundation Dan Basore is a nationally acclaimed fisherman and holds Bassmaster status. Your group of up to 4 will join Dan for a half day of fishing on his Wheaton property pond, Basore's Bayou. Soak up the scenery and the endless knowledge and passion of your legendary guide, learn about the rich cultural heritage of the sport, and enjoy his antique lure and fly collection and historical fishing displays. In terms of life experiences, the winner of this package will be catching "The Big One!" Kids are welcome!!!

Get ready to tap into the power of traditional Chinese medicine!

Licensed acupuncturist and Board Certified Herbalist Amy Rieselman will do a full intake with a Chinese medicine exam of the tongue, pulses, and abdomen then the visit concludes with an acupuncture treatment.

The winner and up to 10 people will experience a unique hour of Crystal Bowl Healing. Relax and restore with the therapeutic sounds of crystal bowls. You will be surrounded by candlelight while the soft sounds and vibrations of crystal bowls fill the room, balancing your chakras and mood. A guided meditation will be presented. Please bring a yoga mat, blanket, bolster, or pillows, and wear comfortable clothing. No prior meditation experience needed. Offered by Trustee of The Conservation Foundation Ellen Von Ohlen and held at the winner's choice of the McDonald Farm in Naperville or the Dickson-Murst Farm in Montgomery. Expires 4/27/2024

Join our bluebird box caretaker, Trustee of The Conservation Foundation and bourbon connoisseur, Alvin Gates, for a 90 minute tour around McDonald Farm. Hit the Bluebird Trail of 20 bluebird boxes, learning about their habitat and why they are important to our ecosystems and organic farming program.

And do you know what depends on clean land and water? Bourbon! Along the walk, we'll have bourbon tasting stations. Enjoy this unique learning experience this fall when the air turns crisp and the farm is gorgeous!

Up to 20 people (think scouts, youth groups, birthday parties?) can attend a two-hour workshop that will teach participants to walk like a fox, hear like an owl, see like a cougar, and as a result observe more of what is out there in the natural world. You will learn the concept of Concentric Rings - how your actions affect the other critters in the woods. And you will finish with an Awareness Walk, testing your newfound powers of observation. This workshop will be held on a mutually-agreed upon date and taught by our friends at Nature Education Programs, Ltd. Then put your new Earth Awareness skills to work at your group campout at our peaceful 60-acre McDonald Farm headquarters in south Naperville! Must be used by April 30th, 2024.

Enjoy a foursome of golf (or two different twosomes) at beautiful Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. Certificates must be used Monday through Thursday or anytime after 12:00pm on Saturday or Sunday. Each twosome includes a golf car. Must be redeemed during the 2023 golf season.

Your foursome will enjoy 18 holes of golf with two carts included at Hughes Creek Golf Club in Elburn. Come enjoy one of Kane County's most beautiful, picturesque courses!

A little something for everyone in this highlights of Itasca package! Enjoy a Monday or Thursday foursome of golf with a cart at the acclaimed Itasca Country Club course, a box of 12 golf balls, a limited edition bottle of Itasca Bank & Trust Company's 75th Anniversary Reserve Blend wine from Lynfred Winery (60% Carmenere, 40% Petite Sirah blend), and a bank-branded reusable wine stopper, although you won't need it with wine this good!!!

Indulge in an exclusive dinner specially crafted for you and your guests, up to 10 people, at our 60-acre McDonald Farm in Naperville prepared by Chef Paul Virant and his teams from Vie and Vistro Prime. The dinner will begin with a reception, including signature cocktails, followed by a 5-course dinner featuring organic vegetables grown right at McDonald Farm by our Green Earth Harvest program, served family style with beverage pairings. A unique experience that is nourishing in every way.

Treat yourselves to a night away enjoying a delicious dinner, the magic of live theater at the Marriott Theatre, an overnight stay for 2 at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, and buffet breakfast in the morning. Available shows:

Damn Yankees
Opens April 2023

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Opens June 2023

Gypsy: A Musical Fable
Opens August 2023

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Opens November 2023

Additional performances announced in January 2024.

Package is good through June 2024 season.

Included:

~1-Night Stay for 2 at Marriott Lincolnshire Resort

~Two Tickets to Current Musical

~Dinner for Two at Wright's Brew & Bistro

~Buffet Breakfast for Two (weekends only)

Ready to level up in the kitchen? This downtown baking experience is for you (and a friend).

Two people will get to take a 2 to 4-hour class at Bettie's Chicago, a unique 1950's diner-style event space and baking school located in Chicago's River North District. Get hands-on in a topic of your choice, from breakfast pastries to French macarons, cake decorating, bread-making, focaccia art, Sourdough for Beginners and more. You'll also receive a signed copy of Baker Bettie's Better Baking Book.

A unique and fun date excursion, opportunity to bond with a friend or your teen, or your favorite kitchen buddy. Would also make an amazing Mother's Day or Father's Day gift!

Cheer on your Chicago Cubs at the greatest ballpark in the world, historic Wrigley Field. The Cubbies are on a ROLL this season!!! Your group of 4 will take in exciting baseball action at the Sunday, May 7th 1:20pm game against the Miami Marlins from your seats in Section 209, Row 1. Root, root, root for the Cubbies!!

Four seats are:

SECTION 209 ROW 1 SEAT 5
SECTION 209 ROW 1 SEAT 6
SECTION 209 ROW 1 SEAT 7
SECTION 209 ROW 1 SEAT 8

Tickets will be forwarded to the winner via email after the event.

Cheer the Chicago Bears to victory with a fellow fan at a 2023-2024 regular season game of your choosing (excluding Packers games). Your pair of North Endzone tickets are Section 252, Row 6, Seats 6 & 7.

Bear down, Chicago Bears!

Aurora nature artist Cheryl Holz is well known for the inspired art she creates using traditional art supplies and materials gleaned from nature. Her downtown Aurora studio is a work of art in itself, and your group of up to 10 is invited for a private Happy Hour in her studio overlooking the Fox River. And dogs are not only welcome, but encouraged!

Cheryl will greet you with your choice of a signature cocktail, wine or beer and then let you roam about the studio with a curated soundtrack playing in the background. Most visitors love to check out her "specimen wall", where she stores specimens of everything from wasp nests to ammonites to pressed leaves sorted by color.

Grab some Gouda and prosciutto, check out her gallery wall, and ask questions about the print table. You'll receive the coffee table book "Artists Homes and Studios" as well as 20% off any art purchase you make, in addition to the charcuterie and cocktails and answers to all of your art and nature questions. Happy Hour will be held at a mutually agreed upon date.

Cheryl Holz's studio is located across from the Paramount Theater at:

Aurora Artist Studios
50 E Galena, #201
Aurora, IL

Her studio is on the 2nd floor with no elevator so is not wheelchair accessible.

Cheryl Holz's art has hung in the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Elmhurst Art Museum, and many corporations, hospitals and private residences. She's been featured in several books, including the aforementioned "Artist Homes and Studios", which the winner of this package will receive!

Enjoy a peaceful evening on McDonald Farm's 60 acres glamping in a luxury 38-foot RV. All the comforts of home and the beauty of nature in our own backyard! You'll also enjoy a $50 gift certificate to Traverso's Italian Restaurant, just minutes from the farm. Can be used in conjunction with your stay, or if you'd like to cook over the campfire and save your fine Italian dining for another night, you can do that too! This package is good for a one night stay for two at McDonald Farm in Naperville, headquarters of The Conservation Foundation. Must be used in 2023.

Your party of up to 4 people will enjoy this kayak trip on the Fox River with longtime member of The Conservation Foundation and experienced kayaker Mike Bond. 4 single kayaks or 1 tandem and 2 single kayaks, as well as paddles and life jackets will be supplied. We'll put in in Yorkville and see the Great Blue Heron rookery, bald eagles, and a myriad of other wildlife. Length of trip to be determined by the speed of the paddlers, but would likely be about 2 hours. Suitable for ages 13 and up and will need to be scheduled between May and September of 2023.

This sampler option is the perfect way to try-on The Conservation Foundation's Green Earth Harvest organic farmshare program. You'll come by our McDonald Farm in Naperville 5 times during our 20-week Main Season and select between 5-7 veggie "units" each time. Each week you'll receive our weekly farmshare newsletter with the anticipated harvest for the week and you'll decide, week to week, when you'd like to stop by to pick up your share of the Green Earth Harvest! Main Season pickups are on Tuesdays and Fridays from 3:00 - 7:00pm (6/13-10/27). Spring and Main Seasons are already sold out for 2023, so this is a unique opportunity to be a shareholder this season!

Host your next event at the beautiful Meadowhawk Lodge in Hoover Forest Preserve just outside of Yorkville. This gorgeous building with an architectural warmth and pristine natural surroundings is an amazing venue for birthday parties; showers; weddings or any celebratory occasion. Rental is good for four hours. Expires May 1, 2024.

Stay 2 nights in the beautiful Hoover Forest Preserve in Kendall County in an onsite bunkhouse, complete with kitchen, bathrooms, showers and beds for up to 30 people! Perfect for an extended family gathering, scout or youth group trip. Expires May 1, 2024.

Your group will also enjoy an Animal Tracking Workshop, which you can schedule to be held at Hoover during your weekend stay or at a different date and location. Perfect for a scout or youth group, birthday or graduation party or family gathering! This certificate entitles up to 20 people to attend a two-hour workshop that will teach participants to be aware of the presence of animals, even if the critters themselves remain unseen. The focus will be on the identification of wildlife footprints and gaits, i.e. identifying an animal by the tracks that it leaves and the way it walks. Experience must be arranged with instruction Ron Nosek of Medicine Hawk Wilderness Skills, a division of Nature Education Programs, and will be held at a mutually agreed upon location. Expires April 30th, 2024. Best for ages 12 and up.

Both experiences will need to be scheduled separately with the provided contacts.

Bearer is entitled to a 6 bottle live or virtual wine tasting for 14 to 18 people with a private Wine Advisor
Compliments of Wines For Humanity
Portion from tasting to benefit charity

Expiration date: August 27th, 2023 _____________________________
Bread is to keep our friendship
Salt is to keep it true
Water is welcome and
Wine that is for you

Bearer is entitled to a 6 bottle live or virtual wine tasting for 14 to 18 people with a private Wine Advisor
Compliments of Wines For Humanity
Portion from tasting to benefit charity

Expiration date: August 27th, 2023 _____________________________
Bread is to keep our friendship
Salt is to keep it true
Water is welcome and
Wine that is for you

A nature hike through the sandy habitats of the Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve in Braidwood for up to 8 people, led by The Conservation Foundation staff member Jennifer Hammer. We will be looking at plants, birds and dragonflies - bring your binoculars and dress for the weather. Date for hike can be scheduled on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning, best before the end of June. Relatively flat trails; easy walking.

Win 7 days and 6 nights at a private cabin in Three Oaks, Michigan. This cabin is located on five serene acres surrounded by restored natural areas, birds, butterflies and a sparkling pond. The cabin is conveniently located 10 minutes from New Buffalo, Michigan, 10 minutes from Four Winds Casino, and 5 minutes from downtown Three Oaks, Michigan. It sleeps 5 comfortably and is equipped with one full bathroom and kitchen as well as a washer and dryer, on demand water heater and Tesla charger. Your stay must be scheduled between June and December of the current year. Includes a BP gas card for your road trip gas and snacks!

John Gormely, Trustee of The Conservation Foundation and his wife June will host your group of up to 6 for a private themed dinner at their home in Downers Grove. Fresh produce grown at McDonald Farm by our Green Earth Harvest program will be incorporated into the meal, and the custom table settings, artwork and decor will celebrate the Art of Food. Must be redeemed by the end of October 2023 to take advantage of in-season produce from Green Earth Harvest.