Club 400 plans initial ’24 event

HUNTLEY — Club 400, a Lake in the Hills based Chicago Cubs fans organization that raises funds for worthy causes, is beginning its 2024 season with an event this weekend.

A Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament will be hosted by Club 400 March 3 at The Breakers restaurant, 7726 Route 14, Crystal Lake. The event has in-person registration at 9:30 a.m. Its start is at 10 a.m., and the event will benefit Crystal Lake Girls Fast-pitch Softball and Baseball Organization.

“My daughter plays in the program, and they always need materials, so we decided to give something back to the league,” Club 400 founder Stewart McVicar said.

Club 400 is a 501 (c) (3) organization at McVicar’s Lake in the Hills residence. The theme of the group is “Cubs Fans Helping Cubs Fans.”

“When I first worked on the basement, it was just for a place to have friends over and watch Chicago Cubs games,”  McVicar said. “The year 2024 marks 10 years since we’ve been raising funds out of the basement. We’ve raised $850,000. I’ve had opportunities to raise funds in Chicago and bigger locations, but I always wanted to keep the events here. Our goal is to raise $1 million and hopefully we can do that next year or even this year.”

“When McVicar founded Club 400 in 2013, he had a dream that was inspired by his love for the Cubs, but more importantly, his love for people. This belief helped shape the focus, drive and trajectory of Club 400 into a well-respected, independent non-profit charity that fosters a community of like-minded people looking to help others in times of great need,” according to the Club 400 web site.

McVicar said the Sunday event is just the start for Club 400’s 2024 happenings.

“I have four or five ideas for this year. One will be a reunion of the 1984 National League East Division Champions. I contact players to see who would be most interested (in a fund-raising event),”  McVicar said.

McVicar said top items in the Club 400 headquarters include a custom-made Cubs themed bar and a statue of Anthony Rizzo which Cubs owner Tom Ricketts bought and gifted back to Club 400; and a Cubs kitchen.

“My mom kept tickets to the first Cubs game I attended, in 1982, it was against Montreal,” McVicar recalled. “I kind of found baseball by accident, watching TV one day for “Superman”, I was 8 or 9-years-old, changing channels and heard Harry Carey describe a line drive. I grew up in McHenry, met my wife Lisa at a rooftop party near Wrigley Field and we had a Cubs’ theme wedding.”

For more information on Club 400 or the poker event, visit the Club 400 web site, www.club400cubs.com.