There are plenty of words to describe Dr. Reginald Washington, and each of them comes with “best” in front of it.
To Faye, his wife of almost 40 years, he’s the best husband. To his grown children, Danielle and Quinn, he’s the best father. And to the big guns at HealthOne, he was the best choice — the only choice, really — among dozens considered for the honor of becoming the first chief medical officer at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.
His wife and children decided a celebration was in order. So they reserved the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom and invited 250 family members and friends to join them for a night of dinner and dancing.
A much-lauded pediatric cardiologist (earlier this year he was one of five invited to interview for the post of U.S. surgeon general), Washington joined with nine colleagues 17 years ago to create a “hospital within a hospital” at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s that would provide what they considered the best possible maternal-fetal, newborn, pediatric and adolescent care. Last month, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, a free-standing facility on the P/SL campus, opened its doors to 300 physicians representing 40 pediatric and adolescent specialities.
HealthOne executives Jeff Dorsey and Mimi Roberson were among those at the celebration dinner. Other guests were federal judge Wiley Daniel and wife, Ida; former Mayor Wellington Webb and wife, Wilma; Denver Manager of Safety Al LaCabe; retired 9News president Joe Franzgrote and wife, Helenn; and such longtime friends as Donald Seawell, June and Dr. Johnny Johnson, Dick Campbell, Bob and Kalleen Malone, Jay and Kristina Davidson, Alan and Margot Frank, Ollie and Lindsey Hickel, Eddie and Susan Robinson, Brian and Crissie Snow, Judi and Marvin Wolf, and Larry and Jill DiPasquale.Camping it up
Going to YMCA camp this summer is going to be the experience of a lifetime for 300-plus kiddos from area low-income families. Raising the money to send them also let a bunch of grown-ups recall those carefree days of ghost stories and roasting marshmallows by the flickering light of a campfire.
Janet’s Camp, held at Janet Elway’s home in Cherry Hills Village, was populated not only by several hundred happy campers but also entertainers dressed as the Village People who kept things lively with repeat renditions of “YMCA,” and members of the Mile High Dive Club who showed their skills in the deep end of the pool. Broncos cheerleaders Perry Jackman and Romi Bean contributed to the night’s glam factor.
Familiar faces in the crowd: Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan and wife, Peggy; Heather and Glendale Mayor Larry Harte; Frances Owens; CBS4 weatherman Ed Greene and wife, Barbara (he emceed with comedian Sam Adams); Bonnie and David Mandarich; Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake; Phyllis Coors; Wells Fargo Bank’s Tom Honig with wife, Dianne; Kay Cline and Cynthia Petrus from Saks Fifth Avenue; and Cherry Creek Shopping Center sponsorship specialist Stephanie Sullivan with hubby, Dan.
