You think women are the only ones who worry about spending a ton of money on a fantastic outfit for an event, only to show up and find someone else wearing the same thing?
Ha!
It was two men – Frontier Airlines spokesman Andrew Hudson and Volunteers of America community affairs manager Jim White – who were identically attired at VOA-Colorado’s signature fundraiser, Western Fantasy. “I might have to arm-wrestle him for the exclusive rights,” White said with a wink as he adjusted the cuffs of the distinctive yellow-and-black snap-front shirt that he and Hudson had purchased on separate shopping trips to Denver’s Rockmount Ranchwear.
“Oh, well,” Hudson countered, “I have (Rockmount family member) Steve Weil at my table.”
Western Fantasy, which has raised $13 million for VOA since Jean Galloway and Sharon Magness Blake started it some 12 years ago, is a night for Denver-area residents to unleash their inner cowboy. From the aforementioned shirts to the formal Western wear chosen by chaircouple Kristina and Jay Davidson (a made-to-order, dusty rose-colored suede gown by Barbara Grimes of Gossamer Wings for her; a Western formal tailcoat and pants, black Stetson and boots for him), the 1,100 guests had many interpretations of how the West is worn.
Arlene Hirschfeld, who shared Humanitarian of the Year honors with her husband, Barry, accented a black suede ensemble with turquoise jewelry; turquoise jewelry also was the choice for Diana Murdy, a past president of the Volunteers of America Guild. Her necklace had been made for her by Hyde Park Jewelers, whose owners, Steve Rosdal and Michael Pollack, donated the necklaces, earrings and bracelets that could be won in Panning for Gold, a $75-per-chance attraction conducted before everyone sat down for a beef tenderloin and rhubarb-apple crisp dinner by Epicurean.
Debbie Gradishar bought three chances and won two prizes: diamond earrings and a diamond-encrusted horseshoe pendant.
The current VOA Guild president, Herminia Vigil, hit Forever 21 for her black velvet broomstick skirt and matching jacket, while interior designer Jim Pfister’s Versace dinner jacket (“Versace, by way of Thailand,” partner Marc Roth explained) was fashioned from a cowboys-and-Indians print silk.
Both Rollie Jordan and Debra Abbott Baldwin went for the Miss Kitty-look with red satin, black lace and feathery boas. Baldwin, the regional chief for University of Phoenix, was introducing her fiancé, attorney Bill Pain. The couple had been high school sweethearts in Oklahoma and will marry in December at Denver’s historic Buell Mansion. Jordan, a member of the Stars & Spurs ticket committee, was with Brownell Bailey, who helped her get in the mood for Western revelry by tuning his car radio to a country station for the ride over to the National Western Events Center.
StorageTek senior vice president Eula Adams attracted lots of admiring glances with his fringed suede and leather coat, and his wife, Janet, beamed when he emerged as high bidder on a SeaDream Yacht cruise in the Caribbean.
Tom Allee, whose boss at Frontier Airlines, Jeff Potter, chaired the corporate committee with Great-West honcho Bill McCallum, paid tribute to the party’s patriotic theme by choosing a navy blue shirt with stars-and-stripes trim.
Country vocalist Lee Greenwood did double-duty by singing his signature “God Bless the USA” as Sharon Magness Blake presented the colors astride her Arabian horse, Thunder, and by serving as the night’s headliner. Special guests that night were three U.S. Medal of Honor recipients – Drew Dix, Peter Lemon and George Sakato – and Air Force flying ace Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie.
Others taking part in the festivities were Lt. Gov. Jane Norton; Bryan Pulte, chairman of the VOA board; Dianna Kunz, the charity’s chief executive; Barb Grogan, immediate past chair of the board; former event chairs Jeff and Jaylene Smith, who had come in from their new Phoenix home for Western Fantasy and a Fine Arts Foundation reception introducing them as the 2006 Citizen of the Arts Award recipients.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
More online: View additional pictures from Western Fantasy. denverpost.com.
