Nobody likes a crybaby, but if you don’t overdo it, good things can happen when a problem is brought to light.
I recently wrote about how the Central City Opera House Association Guild was having trouble getting sponsors for its L’Esprit de Noel holiday home tour. According to president Susan Stiff, her phone started ringing shortly after The Denver Post hit subscriber driveways.
“I wouldn’t say we received more offers than we could handle,” Stiff said, “but people really stepped up to the plate; enough so that L’Esprit is now in good shape. Very good shape.”
The Denver Newspaper Agency signed on as media sponsor. The wave of support continued when the chairwoman of L’Esprit’s patron party bailed. Sharon Whiton Gelt, who had scaled down her involvement with the guild the past several years, immediately stepped in when Stiff sought her help. Chairing the patron party is nothing new for Gelt; this will be either the 10th or 11th she’s done. “I’ve kinda lost count,” she admits.
The 31st L’Esprit de Noel will be Nov. 16-18 in Old Cherry Hills, with the traditional boutique taking place simultaneously at Kent Denver School’s Student Center for the Arts. The patron party is on Nov. 15; Perry & Co. is the presenting sponsor and Edna Chang- Grant is the chairwoman. Call 303-292-6700.
Big names, big news
Comedian Bob Newhart headlines the 27th Heart of Hearts Gala, a Nov. 17 benefit for the Rocky Mountain Adventist Healthcare Foundation … Barry Hirsch- feld, Maria Garcia Berry, Yvette Pita Frampton, Toti Cadavid, Jeff Campos and Josh Hanfling are among those on the host committee for “Havana Nights,” the Oct. 16 party at LaRumba that will raise money to help Project C.U.R.E. send medical supplies and equipment to Cuba. Buy tickets at … Susan Kiely, who is also on the host committee, is wrapping up a working visit to India, Thailand, China and London by sailing home with husband, Leo, on the Queen Mary 2. Her trip abroad was to help expand a sewing project that she has started to help impoverished women make life better for themselves … Plein air artist Melinda Smith Haymons and her mom, Shirley Smith, who also paints, are having a mother-daughter show of recent works in oil at the Susan Bell Gallery, 1573 S. Pearl St. It opens at 4 p.m. Oct. 18; preview it at .
