More than 600 of Chicago’s business and civic leaders turned out to honor Rita and John Canning at the Big Shoulders Fund 2008 Humanitarian Awards Dinner, Thursday, April 10 at the Chicago Hilton.  The event raised over $1.6M, the proceeds of which will benefit the more than 25,000 children attending the 93 inner-city Catholic schools supported by the Big Shoulders Fund.

Recognizing the numerous contributions the Cannings have made to improve access to quality values-based education in Chicago, Big Shoulders Fund co-chairman, James J. O’Connor presented the couple with the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Humanitarian Award.  The Cannings currently are the Patrons for Holy Angels School and they provide scholarships to more than 100 students in 15 Big Shoulders Fund schools.  The event featured special guest speaker, Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig. Monsignor Kenneth Velo, president of Big Shoulders Fund, emceed the event lending his sense of humor to keep guests entertained, and premiering a video on the history and work of Big Shoulders Fund.

Notable guests in attendance were Renée and Lester Crown, Andy and Joanie McKenna, Ellen and Jim O’Conner, Ernie Banks, Napoleon Harris of the Kansas City Chiefs, Michael Ferro, Glenn Tilton, Miles White, John Buck, Pat Ryan, Jr. and Francis Cardinal George among others.