Paul Michaels Events recently had the pleasure of providing Celebration of Life DJ services for Bill’s Celebration of Life at Hillsdale Golf Club. In addition to celebrating his life, this event also posed as a fundraiser in conjunction with Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities. Around 150 of Bill’s friends came out to golf and celebrate his memory, including a few ex-MLB players.
Coming straight from the golf course, everyone entered the banquet hall to partake in the reception part of the evening. For cocktail hour, DJ Wes had some of Bill’s old favorites playing, including Temptations, Rolling Stones, Commodores, Drifters, Spinners, Eagles, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and James Brown. He kept the music at a manageable level, however, so guests could still carry a conversation amongst themselves.
During dinner, DJ Wes provided some visuals including Bill’s old baseball clips and his family montage, which added a personal touch to the event. Guests enjoyed a delicious buffet while chuckling amongst themselves, fondly discussing Bill’s memory. The music and visuals were a perfect complement to the occasion, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Following dinner came a memorial for Bill. Tom, the Master of Ceremonies, did an excellent job on the microphone, keeping the event flowing smoothly and engaging the audience. He shared a wonderful speech in honor of Bill and also invited some other special guests to give their tributes. In addition to this, Tom also announced the winners of the silent auction and 50/50 raffle, adding to the excitement of the event.
Though there wasn’t any dancing, the atmosphere was still filled with great energy as guests joined in on the fun and echoed the sounds of laughter throughout the space. Before the night ended, DJ Wes made sure that Harry Caray’s “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was played for everyone to sing along to. As everyone chimed in, it was almost like being at an actual baseball game! The evening finally concluded with one of Bill’s favorite songs, “Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones.
From everyone at Paul Michaels Events, we’re honored to have been a part of this special occasion. We thank Bill’s family for considering us for such an important event, and are so glad we could be a part of making the evening so wonderful. If you’re looking for a DJ company that can provide exceptional entertainment services for your next event, whether it be a celebration of life or any other special occasion, we’d love to speak with you!
Vendors we had the pleasure of working with:
Venue & Caterer: Hilldale Golf Club
Emcee: Tom Shaer
Check out some of our candid pictures below! The pictures below were taken by us, and not by the event photographer.
