A family that has provided important support to Denver Children’s Home since its founding in 1876 was honored when officials renamed DCH’s school the Margaret Dake Bansbach Academy.
A member of the Bansbach family has served on the DCH board since the beginning. Pam Bansbach – whose husband, Louis (Dutch) Bansbach III, is Margaret Dake Bansbach’s grandson – is the current representative.
“We are inspired by the Bansbachs’ commitment to caring for needy children in our community, which has never wavered in 129 years,” said Rebecca Hea, DCH executive director for development. The academy provides remedial and special-ed services in addition to Denver Public School curriculum to 250 students a year.
“We wanted to distinguish the school from the home since many of the students attend our day treatment and school-only education programs, and we want them to be proud to say they attended the Bansbach Academy,” Hea added.
DCH, 1501 Albion St., provides residential and outpatient care for deeply disturbed children, two-thirds of whom have severe mental illness such as clinical depression, bipolar mood disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis.
An honor, indeed
When it came time to present its 2005 awards for public service and corporate citizenship, the Smithsonian Institution’s Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars went to Denver. University of Colorado president Hank Brown and businessman-philanthropist Charlie Gallagher were honored at a dinner chaired by Pete Coors.
Worth checking out
The Volunteers of America Guild’s annual membership tea begins at 10 a.m. today at a Polo Club Drive home. 720-264-3322. … Verna Jackson’s annual Hat Fashion Show and Luncheon to benefit the John H. Jackson Scholarship Fund at Iliff School of Theology is 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the New Hope Family Life Center, 3701 Colorado Blvd. 303-366-8278. … Sheri and Will Gold open their home Monday to kick off plans for Reel Hope: Take 10. Sherri Goldstein, Marty Herzog and Francine Topelson are chairing the benefit for Jewish Family Service of Colorado. It includes a box supper and premiere of a major motion picture plus tributes to Lisa Taussig, recipient of JFS’ Jack Shapiro Community Service Award, and Don and Debbie Silversmith, the Kal Zeff Business Leaders of the Year. … On Tuesday, David and Lonna Fitzgerald welcome the Saturday Night Alive committee to their Polo Club home for a preview of the dinner and entertainment extravaganza put on by the Denver Center Alliance. Sharon Whiton Gelt is coordinating the kickoff; Keith and Cindi Burge are chairing the benefit itself. … Glenmoor Country Club is the setting Oct. 14 for Denver Ballet Guild’s annual wine tasting and silent auction.
303-759-4848 or 303-773-2117. … Asian Pacific Development Center celebrates its 25th anniversary by staging a dinner and program Oct. 15 in the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom. 7News anchor Bertha Lynn emcees the 5:30 p.m. event; tickets are $100. … On Oct. 19, the Mental Health Association of Colorado presents folk legend Judy Collins as the keynote speaker for its 24th-annual Tribute Dinner. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. at the Marriott City Center; dinner and Collins’ talk, “Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival and Strength,” is at 7. Tickets can be purchased from Chris Bray, 303-377-3040, ext. 29.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
