Advocates Installation Dinner set for February 16; early bird pricing ends February 10

The Advocates Society, the association of Polish-American attorneys, is holding its annual Installation and Award of Merit Dinner on Thursday, February 16, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., in the Oak Room of the Metropolitan Club, 233 S. Wacker Dr.

John J. Pikarski, Jr. will receive the Advocates Award of Merit at this event. Pikarski was appointed by President Clinton to the board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and to the United States Commission for Preservation of America's Heritage Abroard. A former member of the Chicago Plan Commission, Pikarski has also co-chaired the National Polish-American/Jewish-American Council. He is a member of the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee and the Democratic National Committee. Pikarski has practiced land use and condemnation law in Illinois since 1969.

Pikarski was originally slated to receive this award at an earlier event... but the event became a Covid casualty.

The Advocates will also install their new slate of officers at this dinner. The incoming officers are:

• Ann Melichar - President,
• Hon. Michael Chmiel - First Vice President,
• Eryk Wachnik - Second Vice President,
• Hon. Thomas Nowinski - Third Vice President,
• Julia Smolka - Secretary,
• Roman Drewniak - Treasurer, and
• Alon Stein - Historian.

Until February 10, tickets for this event will cost $175 apiece (after that, the price increases to $200). A reception-only ticket is $40 (there are receptions before and after dinner). Tickets can be obtained via this page of the Advocates website. There are sponsorships available, as well, although a number are already sold out. For a list of available sponsorships, click here.

There are opportunities to purchase congratulatory ads in the program book with or without the purchase of dinner tickets. Ads cost $150 and instructions for obtaining ads available at this link.