It’s hard to imagine a gift more precious or personal than the gift of time. So when the Colorado chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association thanks the men and women who willingly give thousands of volunteer hours each year, staffers always plan something special.
This year it was an awards ceremony with refreshments and a special performance of “OFFice Broadway” at Denver Civic Theatre.
All volunteers received a special shout-out; those who had performed above and beyond were given Volunteer of the Year awards. Denver honorees were Seth Barnhill, Bill Bridgwater, Susie Frey, Vickie Mohr and Jim Shinto. Joyce Schoen of Colorado Springs; Cindy Lichliter of Durango; Carrie Coyne of Fort Collins; Nancy Buettner of Grand Junction; Eileen Smith of Greeley; and Tom Reyes of Pueblo also were honored.
Barbara Sandstrom, although unable to attend, received a special mention for being one of the chapter’s founding members as well as a 28-year volunteer.
“The Alzheimer’s Association is fortunate to have such highly skilled volunteers so willing to donate their time. They really are a key to our success,” said Rob Allen, the chapter’s volunteer coordinator.
As president of the chapter’s Young Professionals, Seth Barnhill helped organizer the first Polar Plunge, which raised nearly $19,000, and the Young Professionals Memory Walk team that sponsored the walk’s Purple Pancake Breakfast and was one of the top fundraising teams.
Bill Bridgwater was cited for what Allen described as “amazing efforts” to enlighten more people about Alzheimer’s and for his “tremendous fundraising skills” as a participant in such chapter activities as the Reason to Hope Luncheon, golf tournament, Memories in the Making and Memory Walk.
Susie Frey is the art program facilitator for Memories in the Making, a dinner and art auction featuring works by Colorado Alzheimer’s patients. Over the last eight years she guided multiple groups of artists at Lutheran Medical Center; the groups are so well structured that they are used as an observation site for new Memories in the Making volunteers.
Vickie Mohr is the instructor for the Alzheimer’s Association Savvy Care Giver education program and serves as an ambassador and sponsor of the Reason to Hope Luncheon. Jim Shinto is a featured member of the association’s Champions Campaign; speaks at the annual Diversity Symposium; volunteers for donor call nights; helps make centerpieces for Reason to Hope and hosts a table at the luncheon.
It’s all good
Friends of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation will be at Melly Kinnard’s home on Wednesday afternoon to shop the new and vintage pieces donated to the summer edition of Jewels for Hope. Refreshments for the 1 p.m. event include ice cream sodas and iced teas. Visit for details . . . The Denver Botanic Gardens’ signature fundraiser, Fete des Fleurs, takes place Friday night at the gardens . . . Warren Village is having a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 1300 Gilpin St. It’s a benefit for this nonprofit community for single parents working their way out of poverty . . . Joy Fahrenkrog, who had hoped to represent the U.S. in archery at the Summer Olympics, made it to Bejing after all. Though she’s not a competitor, the multilingual young lady is volunteering as a translator for foreign language-speaking athletes being interviewed by the press . . . Sept. 5 is the deadline for making reservations for the annual Friends for Families First membership luncheon. It’ll begin at 11 a.m. Sept. 10 at Libby and David Chernow’s Greenwood Village home. Call 303-745-0327 . . . A team of volunteers from Xcel Energy has taken on the pleasant task of chairing the Oct. 18 Dancing with Cleo Gala, which benefits Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also,
