The Red Wagon Ball took a walk on the wild side this year, and in so doing broke every attendance and income record set in the event’s nine-year history.
Four hundred fifty friends of Advocates for Children traveled to the Wildlife Experience Museum in Parker for the event chaired by Amy Leonard, raising $200,000 for the agency’s work on behalf of abused and neglected children in Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
This was the fifth year Leonard has chaired the Red Wagon Ball, and she and husband Jim, a partner with Faegre and Benson, were literally speechless when emcees Libby Weaver and Ron Zappolo of Fox 31 News announced the chairs were the recipients of the 2005 Speaking Up for Children award. In addition, former magistrate Theresa Spahn was given the Friend of Children Award.
Gary Corbett conducted the live auction, which featured a signed John Elway football that Simon and Shellie Moore, owners of event co-sponsor Town & Country Foods, bought for $2,000. The Moores also bought a handcrafted side table decorated by CASA kids for $5,000. A ruby ring went to Dr. and Mrs. Ben Lee for $700, while a
Thomas Mangelsen photograph of aspen trees sold to Hal and Connie Roth (he’s chief financial officer for the Colorado Rockies) for $3,000. Karen and Bill Young bought two round-trip airline tickets for $1,000, as well as Adidas clothing for $500. Ron and Nastassja Zappolo purchased a foursome of golf at Sanctuary for $3,500; an autographed Avalanche jersey fetched $1,400 from sports fans Scott and Beth Rigsby, who also purchased an autographed Lance Armstrong helmet for $1,800. Eric Matelski’s painted on-the-spot jazz quartet drew a winning bid of $1,750 from Marvin and Diane Kremer; Larry Pieters was the winning bidder at $3,000 for a full-sized playhouse; and Libby Weaver and Gregg Palmer won a gourmet steak package from Town & Country Foods with their winning bid of $2,000.
The live auction raised almost $26,000, with another $35,000 coming from special “sponsor a child” bidding.
Others taking part in the fun were state Reps. Ann McGihon and Nancy Todd; 18th Judicial District Judges Juanita Rice and Christine Chauche; Drs. Marshall and Joyce Gottesfeld; restaurateur Kevin Taylor and his wife, Marcie; Todd and Shannon Gervasini; Lyn and Dr. Michael Schaffer; Gayle Walker of the McCormick Tribune Foundation; Nathan and Carol Chambers; and police Lt. Lori Moriarty.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
