socialwhirl.com is honored to present Special Care & Career Services Home Page A Special Evening with Bonnie Raitt hosted by Alliance Data Let’s Give ‘Em Something To Talk About – March 9, 2009 Marinelle and Kip Sowden, Honorary Chairs Diana Hamilton and Lauren Maggard, Co-Chairs The live auction raised $11,000! Bonnie Raitt signed a guitar for each of the winners, George Kelly and Bill O’Connell. The winners and their friends met Bonnie Raitt while she personalized their guitars and took photos with them after the concert in a special meet-and-greet. Park Cities News publishes Party Pics from the Sponsor Party: Lauren Maggard and Diana Hamilton,, Event Co-Chairs Brad Oldham and his wife, Christi Coltrin. Brad has been creating the Milton P. Levy, Jr. Outstanding Volunteer award ever for the past five years. Park Cities News Party Pics ... This event was Party of the Week in Park Cities People Link to the Party Pics

Hit the spotlights for A Special Evening with Bonnie Raitt hosted by Alliance Data benefiting Special Care & Career Services

Announcement made at kick off party hosted by Marinelle and Kip Sowden at
The Residences at Palomar

Event Title:                A Special Evening with Bonnie Raitt, hosted by Alliance Data

Benefiting:                 Special Care & Career Services

Date:                     Monday, March 9, 2009

Time:                     6:30 to 7:45 p.m.               Reception, Cocktails & Hors d’oeuvres
8:00 p.m.                          Presentation
8:30 p.m.                          Concert  Event

Place:                     Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
2301 Flora Street, between Pearl and Leonard Streets

Attendance:            Approximately 2000 sponsors and concert attendees

Event Purpose:         A Special Evening with Bonnie Raitt hosted by Alliance Data is the eighth annual fundraising event at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center for Special Care & Career Services.  In addition to raising community awareness about the agency, the event will raise proceeds to assist Special Care & Career Services in continuing its 45‑year mission to provide services to children and adults with developmental disabilities so they can lead fulfilling lives in their communities.

Attire:                    Cocktail attire

Milton P. Levy, Jr. Award Recipient:      Ruth Altshuler

Alliance Data Corporate Champion Award Recipient:               
Grant Thornton, in recognition of excellence as an employer of SCCS client, Elizabeth Harber, for creative fund­ing to support Special Care & Career Services and staff volunteerism.

Honorary Chairs:       Marinelle and Kip Sowden

Event Co-Chairs:      Diana Hamilton and Lauren Maggard

SCCS Director:                   Cathy Packard (972) 991-6777 ext. 112
cathyp@specialcarecareer.org

Sponsor Levels:        Host – SOLD to Alliance Data
Presenting - $50,000
Additional levels: $25,000, $10,000, $5,000, $2,500, $1,500, $500

Sponsor Information: Contact         Susan Spradlin, Director of Development
(972) 991-6777 ext. 121
email            susans@specialcarecareer.org
website         www.specialcarecareer.org

Tickets: Open to the public for the concert only. Tickets can be purchased at www.specialcarecareer.org or call 1.800.595.4TIX (4849)
                                      • Orchestra - $225 & $175
                                      • Orchestra Terrace - $175
                                      • Dress Circle box seat - $150
                                      • Dress Circle - $125 & $100
                                      • Grand Tier box - $75
                                      • Grand Tier - $75 & $50

Sponsors:                Radio: KVIL 103.7 Lite FM and KJKK 100.3 Jack FM

Bonnie Raitt is a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose unique style blends blues, R&B, rock and pop. After 20 years as a cult favorite, she broke through to the top in the early ‘90s with her Grammy award winning albums, Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw, which featured hits such as, "Something To Talk About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me."
                             With nine Grammys under her belt and a long history of social activism, she tours regularly incorporating many benefit concerts into her schedule. In fact, Raitt has been on tour for the better part of the last three years, in support of her latest studio album, Souls Alike, which debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 in September 2005 and has earned widespread critical acclaim and the Bonnie Raitt and Friends live CD/DVD released in August 2006.

Special Care & Career Services:     Chartered in 1963, Special Care & Career Services’ (SCCS) mission is to help children and adults with developmental disabilities achieve their maximum potential and lead fulfilling lives within our community.
          To this end, they offer two age specific programs regarded as models for innovation by the community:  Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) which provides therapies and services to babies zero to three years old who exhibit any delay or disability and Supported Employment Services (SES) which matches adults with intellectual disabilities (such as Down syndrome, Autism spectrum disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury) to good jobs in the community that fit their abilities and meet the needs of the employer.

Alliance Data: Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) is a leading provider of transaction services, credit services and marketing services, managing over  105 million consumer relationships for some of North America's most recognizable companies. Alliance Data creates and manages customized solutions that change consumer behavior and that enable its clients to build stronger, mutually beneficial relationships with their customers.                             
           The company is an active corporate citizen through its "Neighbor of Choice" Program and is committed to initiatives that support education, health and welfare and civic enrichment.   For more information about the company, visit its web site, http://www.AllianceData.com

A Special Evening History

Benefiting Special Care & Career Services

2002  A Special Evening with Tony Bennett
Honorary Chairs – Margot and Ross Perot
Chairs – Anne and Steve Stodghill
Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Robert G. Pollock

2003  A Special Evening with Ray Charles
Honorary Chairs – Ruth and Kenneth Altshuler
Chair – Kate Rose Murphy
Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Nancy Ann Hunt

2004   A Special Evening with k.d. lang
Honorary Chairs – Linda and Bill Custard
Chairs – Laura and Ellison Hurt and Stacey and Nicholas McCord
Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Past SCCS Board Presidents

2005   A Special Evening with Tom Jones hosted by Alliance Data
     Honorary Chair – Caren Prothro
     Chairs – Jenny Wolf & Jay Fox
     Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Bob Blumenthal

2006   A Special Evening with The Doobie Brothers hosted by Alliance Data
     Honorary Chairs – Georgia and Doug Smith (with Jessica Smith)
     Chairs – Kristi & Jody Bare
          Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Ruth Golman

2007   A Special Evening with Dionne Warwick hosted by Alliance Data
     Honorary Chairs – Anne & Steven Stodghill
     Chairs – Nicole Kapioltas & Angie Hubach
          Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Jim Hanophy, MS CRC

2008   A Special Evening with Frankie Valli hosted by Alliance Data
     Honorary Chairs – Sara and Glen Agritelley
     Chairs – Leigh Anne Haugh and Kristen Johnston
          Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Todd Wagner

2009   A Special Evening with Bonnie Raitt hosted by Alliance Data
     Honorary Chairs – Marinelle and Kip Sowden
     Chairs – Diana Hamilton and Lauren Maggard
Milton P. Levy Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient – Ruth Altshuler
Alliance Data Corporate Champion Award recipient – Grant Thornton

The event achieved a milestone in 2008
with $1.5 million cumulative net income raised over its seven year history!