Options & Advocacy Prom Night Gala
to sparkle Nov. 15 at Boulder Ridge
Fundraising evening will include dinner, dancing, silent auctions
LAKE IN THE HILLS — Both as a parent and as an elementary school teacher, Elizabeth Mauger has seen first-hand the daily miracles worked by Options & Advocacy for McHenry County (O&A).
Three of Mauger’s four children are on the autism spectrum, and two currently benefit from the vital resources that the Crystal-Lake based nonprofit offers, she said. Additionally, her now 21-year-old daughter underwent occupational and physical therapy in the agency’s early intervention program when she was 2. Her 9-year-old benefited from the early intervention program as an infant and toddler as well.
Through an O&A group for caregivers of those with disabilities, Mauger has found relief from occasional feelings of isolation and frustration. And she has witnessed — both for her own family and those of others in the McHenry County school district she serves — the positive outcomes of having O&A advocates back eligible students at individualized education plan meetings.
The Cary resident’s story is just one of scores of similar tales, said Winter Noe, executive director of Options & Advocacy for McHenry County, whose upcoming Prom Night Gala will be a chance for folks to enjoy an elegant evening while benefiting the nonprofit.
The event will be from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Boulder Ridge Country Club, 350 Boulder Drive, Lake in the Hills. The formal will include dinner, dancing and silent auctions, with entertainment by DJ Tim Hicks of Music in Motion. Emceeing will be Joe Cicero, a longtime Star 105.5 morning radio personality who now directs marketing and promotions for the McHenry Outdoor Theater.
“Options & Advocacy is such a Godsend for the families it serves,” Cicero said, “and like so many organizations, they really need the community’s support.”
Tickets for the gala are $150 each. A $30 discount is available to those who use the promo code “Community” at the ticket-purchase portal on optionsandadvocacy.org. Tables of 10 for $1,200 also are available, as are sponsorships, ranging from $250 to $10,000.
“It’s going to be a fantastic night,” O&A’s Noe said. “Whether you’re reliving your prom night or experiencing it for the very first time, this is your chance to dress up, dance and celebrate for a great cause – supporting incredible individuals and families right here in our community.”
O&A’s multifaceted programs and services assisted more than 2,000 individuals in fiscal year 2025. Keeping those programs afloat in the face of rising costs is a challenge, Noe said.
“As we plan for the future, we anticipate level grant funding from local dollars, and a significant risk for reduced or loss of state and federal grant awards,” she said. “Local contributions and fundraising will be vital to our sustainability.”
Options & Advocacy assists families and individuals through four core programs, including:
- Child & Family Connections, which offers developmental evaluations and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities;
- Helping Us Grow, a personalized parenting and family support home-visiting program tailored to the unique needs of expectant parents and young families;
- The Autism Resource Center, supporting individuals of all ages who have or are suspected to have an autism diagnosis, their families, and the community they live in; and
- Neuro-inclusive Counseling, offering direct clinical therapy for those who identify as neurodivergent and who are navigating mental health concerns.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of programs out there that support these parents in this way,” she said. “They help from the ‘my child just got diagnosed’ stage through to the ‘how do we transition them to adult life’ stage. The prom will help provide funds to keep these programs and resources going.”
If you go
What: Options & Advocacy Prom Night Gala
Where: Boulder Ridge Country Club, 350 Boulder Drive, Lake in the Hills
When: 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
Tickets, information: optionsandadvocacy.org
-
Winter Noe Executive Director
- October 22, 2025
- 815-477-4720 ext 230
- Send Email
