Cruising in Chicago

The Sixth Annual Chicago Cruise for the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation was held June 27 aboard the Summer of George.

The Sixth Annual Chicago Cruise for the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) took place aboard the Summer of George on June 27. The weather was hot as predicted but luckily, as the sun set, cool breezes ensued. The event’s planning committee, comprised of Chairman Ed Chmielewski, Tom Sybert and Cornelius Walls were well organized, and registration went smoothly.

Four levels below, EESF Executive Director Barbara Allen and Captain Jim welcomed the 143 passengers aboard. Within minutes, most had refreshments in hand and were moving throughout the decks to watch the Chicago architecture pass by. For the first hour, the cruise drifted along the river beneath the street trestles – some passengers had to duck down to avoid hitting the monstrous beams beneath the overpasses. If the river had been any higher, some would have needed to hit the deck to avoid injury!

After an enjoyable time on the river, the captain announced we would be going through the locks and into Lake Michigan. While waiting in the locks, we were besieged by gnats; luckily, the wait was brief! On the lake, it was cooler, and as the sun set, we passed Navy Pier with all its lights aglow. Finally, we were far enough away from the city to see it in all its glory. In your author’s opinion, Chicago is “second city” to none – it is truly first class. When darkness fell, we were greeted by fireworks on the lake, which are scheduled every Wednesday and Saturday.

The Foundation raised over US$18,000 in donations and sponsorships, making this the largest fundraiser in the history of the annual cruise. One of the main reasons for the high payout was due to the support from the sponsors: Platinum – Adams Elevator Equipment Co.; C.J. Anderson & Co.; Formula Systems North America, Inc.; and Smartrise Engineering; Gold – Oliver Wyman; and Silver – Canton Elevator, Inc.; Draka Elevator Products; Dupar Controls, Inc.; Dykema Gossett PLLC; EMS Group, Inc.; Innovation Industries, Inc.; MEI-Total Elevator Solutions; The Peelle Co.; and Performance Elevator Consulting, LLC.

A great time was had by all.