It’s said that money can’t buy happiness. Which may be true. But if you ask anyone associated with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, they are likely to say that depends on how you define happiness.
For them, happiness is finding a cure for this chronic condition that even with careful monitoring can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, amputation, blindness, even death. And finding a cure takes money. Lots of it.
The record $624,628 raised at the JDRF’s recent Dream Gala will be funneled to researchers, such as those at Denver’s Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, who are optimistic that a cure is on the horizon.
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JDRF board members David Spira and Julie Roitman chaired Dream Gala 2005, a dinner and auction with entertainment by Nina Storey and the New Philharmonic Orchestra. John Hopkins, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Health Plans, was the honoree.
Rocky Mountain Health Plans made a $25,000 donation to become the presenting sponsor; in addition, the company gave $100,000 to Fund-a-Cure, JDRF’s annual gift to researchers at the Barbara Davis Center.
Several of the foundation’s child ambassadors wore Japanese kimonos and hapi coats to greet the 600-plus guests arriving at the Marriott City Center. The attire was inspired by the pre-dinner entertainment, music by the Denver Taiko drummers and Junko Shigeta of Koto Colorado.
Among the guests were Rob Ruiz Moss, president of the JDRF board, and his wife, Bev; U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette and her husband, Lino Lipinsky; Dr. Ronald Gill, director of research at the Barbara Davis Center; Regina and Charlie Biederman; Cathy and Lawrence Covell; board member Melanie Howard and her husband, Ty; Margaret and Merk Berzins; and decor coordinator Fiona Halfon.
Dr. Stephen Shogan concluded his term as chairman of the Rose Community Foundation board of trustees by passing the leadership title to Arlene Hirschfeld and welcoming five new members to the 10-year-old foundation’s governing body: Marjorie Gart, Doug Jones, Helayne Jones and Neil Oberfeld … Human Services Inc. has changed its name to Parent Pathways to better reflect its efforts to help teen parents become educated and employed in order to raise healthy families. Toward this end, the Denver-based nonprofit needs to raise $51,000 by June 30 to continue funding its programs, which include the Florence Crittenton School for pregnant and parenting teen moms. Call 303-321-6363.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
