TLC’s 35th Annual Celebration is April 12!
Date: Sunday, April 12, 2-5:00 PM
Location: The Reserve at Black Oak, 19517 Lembcke Rd. Harvard, IL 60033
Celebrate the people and places that make TLC the vital organization it is, and enjoy an afternoon “high tea” catered by Hazel’s, which includes sandwiches, salad, desserts, coffee, tea and a cash bar.
At the celebration, you will have the opportunity to bid on exciting silent auction items, and of course take the time to connect with friends old and new. Invite a friend – this is a great opportunity to learn more about how TLC preserves land for life in McHenry County!
Tickets:
Before Feb. 28
$65 TLC member, $75 nonmember
March 1 and After
$75 TLC member, $85 nonmember
Sponsor Table of 10 with Wine – $1,000
Help support TLC by purchasing a table of 10 for you and your friends!
Includes premium table location and admission for 10, two bottles of wine, (one red, one white), recognition at the event, half-page ad in the event program, and on the event webpage.
Guest Speaker, Paula Whyman
Paula Whyman is the author of Bad Naturalist and a finalist for the Philip D. Reed Environmental Writing Award. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post and The American Scholar, and in journals including McSweeney’s Quarterly, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, and The Hudson Review. Her earlier book, You May See a Stranger, is an award-winning linked short story collection. She has been in residence at MacDowell, Yaddo, VCCA, The Studios of Key West, and Oak Spring Garden Foundation. Her work on this book was supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council. She spends her time on a mountain in Virginia with her husband and a mercurial standard poodle. You can find her atpaulawhyman.com, and keep up with news from the mountain via her Bad Naturalist newsletter.
Bad Naturalist is a journey of humor, humility, and awe as one woman attempts to restore 200 acres of farmland long gone-to-seed in the Blue Ridge Mountains, facing her own limitations while getting to know a breathtaking corner of the natural world.
When writer Paula Whyman climbs to a peak in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of an empty-nester home in the country, her plans for a tidy backyard ecology project quickly morph into a massive endeavor. Just as quickly, she discovers how little she knows about hands-on conservation work. In Bad Naturalist, Whyman struggles with conflicting advice from experts, an influx of invasive species, delayed plans, and the occasional rattlesnake—but none of it dampens her irrepressible passion for protecting this place.
Become a Sponsor of TLC’s 2026 Annual Celebration!
TLC’s Annual Celebration is your opportunity to make an impact and have an unforgettable experience by being part of the 2026 fundraising event! Beyond the food, friendship and fun, your support helps preserve land for life in McHenry County!
Hickory Sponsor (Table for 10 with wine!)
$1,000 – Includes premium table location and tickets for 10, two bottles of wine, (one red, one white), recognition at the event, half-page ad in the event program, and on the event webpage.
Hazelnut Sponsor
$250 – Includes one ticket to the event, recognition at the event, and name on event webpage and recognition in the event program.
Hackberry Sponsor
$500 – Includes two tickets to the event, recognition at the event, logo on event webpage and silent auction platform, and a half-page ad in the event program.
Bur Oak Sponsor
$1,500 – Includes premium table for 10, recognition at the event, logo on event web page and silent auction platform, “Sponsor Spotlight” post on Facebook, and a full page ad in the event program.
Program Sponsor – *Only One Available!*
$2,500 – Includes all of the benefits above, plus special signage at the event, showcasing business name and logo, recognition and 2-minute speaking opportunity at the event.
Program Sponsorships for 2026
$5,000 – Two great events! Be the program sponsor for TLC’s Annual Celebration and Art of the Land in 2026!
$10,000 – Four great events! Be the program sponsor for the Annual Celebration, Art of the Land and TLC’s Spring and Fall native plant sales!
Thank you to our sponsors!
The Wildflower Preservation and Propagation Committee
Mary Maurer
