The 2005 Celebration of Hope is going to be so good that it took two preview parties to spread the word around.
Two-time Grammy winner Rita Coolidge will perform, and actor Leslie Nielsen (“Airplane,” “Naked Gun”) will be honored at this Aug. 17 dinner and auction sponsored by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America and benefiting the Huntington’s Center of Excellence at Colorado Neurological Institute in Englewood.
Ralph and Anne Klomp of Trice Jewelers are the honorary chairs, Douglas Kerbs is the gala chair and Roselyn Saunders is coordinating the dinner. They were introduced at a cocktail soiree at The Palm for members of the corporate committee and again at a general kickoff Pamela O’Neal put together at Kerbs’ Denver home.
Corporate chairmen Pam Krotchko, Josh Hanfling, Rob Alvarado, Brent Kline and DaVita Bruce said the Denver Broncos are the gala’s presenting sponsor, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network is the title sponsor, and Michael and Sue Burke are the entertainment sponsors.
Honored guests: Carmelo, LaLa
Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony and fiancée LaLa Vasquez are to be the guests of honor at a June 29 cocktail supper held at Mark and Ellen Robinson Schwartz’s home. It’s being held in support of Family Resource Centers. … Museum After Dark is the name of a new fundraiser for Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and plans for it were discussed Wednesday at a cocktail party hosted by Eric and Susan Sipf. … Plans for the Denver Botanic Gardens’ signature fundraiser, Fête des Fleurs, will be announced at a June 6 kickoff party in the lobby of presenting sponsor UMB Bank. Mary Elliman and Bonnie Grenney are chairing the Aug. 26 gala; the patron thank-you is set for Aug. 4 at the Vernon Taylor Jr. estate in Lakewood. Members of the Fête steering committee are Barbara Baldwin, Terry Biddinger, Melinda Couzens, Margaret Cunningham, Steve Edmonds, Ginny Freyer, Carol Gossard, Sally Harvey, Lorraine Higbie, Marty Jensen, Heather Kemper, Carol Tierney, Marion Woods, Janice Woods and Scott Wylie.
Updates
Friends For Families First has elected Cindie LoSasso president for 2005-2006; Diane Sweat is president-elect. Fundraisers will be chaired by Gail Johnson (Spring Gala); Brenda Clement (Culinary Crawl); and Patti Maurer, Sally Newcomb and Daphyne Reiff (Drive for Community $Change$). Deb and Cindy Sturm will be in charge of the Fore Families First golf tournament. … Sheila Marquez has retired as executive director of the Colorado SIDS Program, and the agency’s new leader is Tena Saltzman … Susan Noble, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker/Devonshire, has been elected president of the board of FACES, a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to eradicating child abuse and neglect.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-820-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
