Some were definitely country; others showed more than just a splash of rock ‘n’ roll when the Gathering Place Association chose Denim & Diamonds for the theme of its 18th Brown Bag Benefit.
“Elegant Western” was the dress code for this dinner, concert and auction chaired by Holly Johnson and that was all the encouragement folks needed to haul out the cowboy hats and boots. Men pretty much stuck with the tried and true, but many of the women took the rhinestone cowgirl look and ran with it. All to good effect.
Johnson, for example, chose black with silver spangles; Margie Hunter, who was honored with hubby Dave, topped a broomstick skirt with a stylish denim jacket. Co-owner Nicole Rondinelli of Golden Nugget sponsor DS Additions went the little- black-dress route with associates Laura Finkelstein and Samantha Holloway.
Gathering Place Association president Dee Dee Parker was nifty in navy, while committee member Daria Kane was one of several in studded suede by Double D Ranchwear.
Event sponsors began arriving at the Marriott Denver Tech Center at 5:30 p.m. for the VIP reception given in their honor; this group included Brad and Kathy Coors, who were presenting sponsors with Tom and Cydney Marsico; Pam and Joe Ignat; Sandy and Gary Autrey; Brenda Roush and Tom Nickerson; and representatives from companies ranging from Community Banks of Colorado to Van Gilder Insurance.
After dinner and a live auction, master of ceremonies Mike Nelson of 7News introduced headliner Rebecca Henricks to the 400 guests. Hailed as a “modern-day June Carter Cash,” Henricks and her band, The Slackers, gave a concert of country music that drew even the shyest in the audience onto the dance floor.
The money raised at Denim & Diamonds supports The Gathering Place, Denver’s only day shelter for women who are homeless or in the throes of poverty. The Gathering Place serves as many as 300 clients a day by providing a hot meal, shower and other services.
Since its start in 1990, The Gathering Place Association has raised $1.5 million and grown to 300 members.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson @denverpost.com; also,
