Chicago Parks Foundation

On June 27th, the Chicago Parks Foundation will celebrate the magic of the parks and the people who bring them to life at our inaugural gala.

Hosted at the Obama Presidential Center, The Parks Gala will mark one of the first major celebrations within this historic new landscape.

What makes our parks so special? The people! People truly bring our parks to life.

Introducing this year’s Foundation Award Honorees. They have been part of our story and yours.

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Carey Pinkowski has served as CEO of Chicago Event Management and Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for over 36 years. The Chicago Marathon brings more than $600 million in revenue to the city and to hundreds of nonprofits via their dynamic charity program, which gave the Chicago Parks Foundation a critical running start and continues to support us today.

Tracy Raoul serves as President of the Jackson Park Golf Association and was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in 2024 along with her husband, Philip. A true community anchor, she creates opportunities for young people in Jackson Park to experience the transformational power of golf.

Tatsu Aoki is a Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist, educator, filmmaker and creative improviser trained in traditional Japanese music. For over a decade, Tokyo-born Aoki has been instrumental in providing enhanced cultural experiences at Jackson Park’s Osaka Garden through traditional Japanese arts as founder and Executive Director of arts non-profit Asian Improv aRts Midwest.

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We invite you to be part of the magic of the parks! Learn more at the link in our bio, or contact us directly [email protected] ✨