Let’s get right to the point:
Colorado’s first lady, Jeannie Ritter, joins Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, 9News anchor Adele Arakawa, and City Librarian Shirley Amore among those who’ve volunteered to take part in a textbook record-a-thon hosted by the Rocky Mountain unit of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. I’m also going to participate in the event that begins Saturday at RFB&D’s studio on South Colorado Boulevard. For details, call executive director Betsy Boudreau, 303-757-0787.
Opera Colorado’s newest support group, the Business and Professional Women of Opera Colorado, will hear soprano Heidi Stober discuss her role of Oscar in the upcoming production of “Un ballo in maschera” at a luncheon meeting held Thursday in the Chambers Grant Salon of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Opera board member Rene Morgan started the new group and reports that prospective members can contact Heather Tinley, 303-698-2334.
The 25th anniversary Denver Antiques Show & Sale, benefiting the Central City Opera, opens with a $150-per-ticket patron preview Thursday at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. Public hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on April 20 and 21, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on April 22. Chairwoman Jody Phelps says the patron event includes complimentary Pimm’s Cup cocktails and a buffet supper catered by Whirled Peas. The British theme continues throughout the show with “The Most Beautiful Gardens in England,” a lecture and luncheon taking place on Friday and an English country breakfast and Antiques 101 talk on Sunday. Call 303-806-5109.
Former All-Pro running back Christian Okoye, the founder and CEO of the Rancho Cucamonga-based Christian Okoye Foundation, is the keynote speaker for the April 20 Love Our Children Luncheon benefiting the Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth. It’s chaired by Wayne Vaden and Landri Taylor and begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Okoye, who was with the Kansas City Chiefs, will talk about his foundation’s mission to capture the passion children have for sports and direct that energy toward fulfilling their educational and personal goals. Tickets start at $70. Call 303-337-2515.
Washington Post columnist Joel Achenbach discusses “Living in the Age of Information” when he speaks at a May 2 luncheon benefiting the University of Denver Women’s Library Association/Friends of Penrose Library. Patron-level ($125) guests will receive an autographed copy of one of the six books he has written, plus an invitation to a meet-and-greet reception that begins at 11 a.m. at Cherry Hills Country Club. General admission is $75. Call Barbara Powers, 303-871-3405.
Actor Henry Winkler is the special guest May 5 when Denver Academy stages Reach for the Stars, a dinner, dance and auction held at the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom. Channel 2 news anchor Asha Blake emcees the 5:30 p.m. event that is expected to raise $300,000 for the academy’s scholarship fund. Tickets can be purchased online at denveracademy.org or blacktie-colorado.com.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com. She also contributes at denverpostbloghouse.com/Davidson.
