If you think “ocean!” when someone says “shore,” then the Epilepsy Foundation’s Seafood & Sandals is your kind of benefit.
Shrimp, oysters and mussels flown in from the Atlantic and Pacific are just a few of the delectables served at this twilight supper chaired by Carol Ciluffo and held at Denver Botanic Gardens.
The $75,000 that was raised will be used to send 50 children with epilepsy to a one-week stay at the Jason Fleishman Summer Camp in Estes Park. A portion of the proceeds also go toward the services that the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado offers to patients and their families.
The camp is named for one of attorney Craig Fleishman’s sons, who had epilepsy and died several years ago from unrelated circumstances.
Spicing up the party this year was the Mexican Riviera theme, carried out in colorful attire, menu choices and one of the auction items. Tom and Brooke Gordon donated a stay at their vacation home on the Mexican Riviera, complete with swimming pool and housekeeper.
Among the 400-plus guests: U.S. Sen. Ed Perlmutter, who has a daughter with epilepsy; Dorothy Campbell, with her son, Rick and his family; Jane and Greg Birky; Candy and Brian Palazzo; Susan and Mark Johnson (he’s the sports director for KOA radio and served as the benefit’s emcee); Jacci and Scott Bainbridge; and executive director Gail Pundsack.Dedicated to Diabetes .
With a mother like time management guru Melly Kinnard, a woman whose organizational skills have benefited numerous local nonprofits, it’s a natural that Kerry Kinnard would not only find a need but fill it. With impeccable timing.
Kerry started Dedicated to Diabetes not knowing that moments after she’d announce its formation, Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler would make public his diagnosis of Type I diabetes.
No sooner than the words were out of Cutler’s mouth than she got him on the phone and explained her group’s mission of “advocate awareness and empower with education.” He was impressed, and said “Count me in.” Or words to that effect.
D2D’s first fundraiser is the Jay Cutler Celebrity Classic, presented by Western Union, which runs through Thursday at Pinery Country Club. Several of Cutler’s teammates are showing their support by attending Tuesday night’s kickoff, a Gary Allen concert at the Ogden Theater, and showing up today for breakfast, 18 holes and a cocktail reception/awards party. Things wind up with a barbecue Thursday night at Cutler’s home.
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Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, . davidson
