POLO FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT BEARS IN NORTH AMERICA
A unique fundraiser will be held at the Oak Brook Polo Grounds on Saturday, August 18. This event, called “Ponies Playing for Bears,” will commence with a classic Argentine polo match, and will conclude with a silent auction and dinner under the stars. This will be a novel opportunity to watch a world-class polo match and help save endangered bears in the wilderness.
“Ponies Playing for Bears” will be in support of the Ursus International Conservation Institute, founded in 1997 by Rupert Pilkington, a Scotsman who is one of North America’s foremost bear naturalists. He has devoted his life to the harmonious coexistence of bears with humanity. Pilkington’s dream is to create a modest but much needed research and education facility in the heart of the greatest grizzly population in Alberta, Canada. Information on Ursus International is available at www.ursusinternational.com.
Benefit co-chairs are Peggy and Jim Drury of Pinecroft Farms, Barrington Hills, Illinois.
The event will begin with an Argentine polo match at 3 p.m., with the Pinecroft Farm team (Tomas Eduardo Collingwood, Francisco Bilbao, Antonio Galvan and James Drury) playing Villa del Lago (James Zenni, Augustin Obregon, Marianito Obregon and Rafael Obregon) in a United States Polo Association-sanctioned tournament.
A silent auction, dinner and music in the field-side tent will follow the match. Guest of honor will be Rupert Pilkington. Tickets are $150 per person, which is 100% tax-deductible. For information, contact Catherine Garrett at (312) 654-6708.