Kathy and Rob Klugman stay in shape by working out at the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center. However, their dedication to lifting weights, swimming laps and doing set after set of jumping jacks isn’t why they were honored at the JCC’s annual dinner.
For 30 years, the Klugmans have been valued members of the JCC “family,” leading outreach, education and fund- raising initiatives relating to a host of JCC-sponsored programs. In particular, those having to do with early childhood education and senior citizens.
One of their most precious memories is when they were seated in the JCC’s Shwayder Theatre, waiting for a play in which their son had a role to begin, when an announcement was made that the curtain was being held because Terence Klugman had lost his first tooth.
Years later, when he was coping with the illness that would later claim his life, Terence became disoriented while trying to find his way home and called his mother for help. “He was trying to describe where he was,” Kathy recalled, “when all of a sudden he paused, then exclaimed: ‘I can see the JCC. I’m OK!'”
Five hundred of the Klugmans’ friends, including Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, were on hand for the dinner chaired by Scott and Trina Reisch and held at the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom.
Their daughter, Maura, a Harvard Law grad and second-year associate at the Kirkland & Ellis law firm in New York, flew in, prompting Hickenlooper to recall some of the ties the two families share.
Rob Klugman, then a senior vice president at Coors, shared “all sorts of valuable advice” when Hickenlooper was preparing to open his Wynkoop Brewing Co.; Terence Klugman was the first to sign on as a campaign volunteer when Hickenlooper ran for mayor; and Maura Klugman bought her first car — a Saturn — from him.
Representatives from other organizations in which the Klugmans are active — the Anti-Defamation League, Colorado Agency for Jewish Education, Denver Botanic Gardens, the YMCA, Volunteers of America and the Alzheimer’s Association — also were there, as were members of the Saturday Morning Breakfast Club, which Rob has belonged to from the start.
Doug Seserman, president/CEO of Allied Jewish Federation, was there with his wife, Sue; so, too, were Gary Wagner, president of the JCC board; Gay and Barry Curtiss-Lusher; Jerry and Lorna Gray; Hank and Bobette Robinson; Vance Wagner; Steve Summer, president of the Colorado Hospital Association; Dan and Robin Grossman; Jim and Debbie Shmerling (he heads The Children’s Hospital and she’s on the JCC board); attorneys Ellen Stewart and Jim Kurtz-Phelan; Dawn Nakamura-Kessler; Mimi Weil; Sam and Zoni Pluss; Dr. Ray Gottesfeld; David Foster; Sandy Wolf; and the JCC’s namesake, Bob Loup, with his wife, Robyn.
Coming right up.
The Oak Ridge Boys headline the 29th Heart of Hearts Gala, a benefit for the cardiac care programs at Avists, Littleton, Parker and Porter hospitals, Saturday at the Sheraton Denver Downtown … Same night: Ron and Nastassja Zappolo are to receive the 2009 Wednesday’s Child Award for their support of The Adoption Exchange. The presentation is part of the 22nd Fantasy Ball that begins at 6 p.m. in the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom. Brad and Carol McNealy are chairing it with BJ Dyer and Guenther Vogt; entertainment is by singer/songwriter Kelley Hunt. visit or call 303-755-4756 …
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, davidson and GetItWrite on Twitter
