“Still Alice,” Lisa Genova’s best-selling novel about a Harvard professor’s life after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, has touched hearts around the world, so much so that fans from as far away as Canada traveled to Denver to hear her speak at the 10th-anniversary Memories Lost & Found.
Four hundred people attended this luncheon benefiting the Colorado chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, drawn not only by the speaker but by an innovative marketing effort led by Marsha Barber and Judy Bowman.
Instead of relying entirely on response to mailed invitations, they and other members of AWARE (Alzheimer’s Women’s Auxiliary for Research and Education) made visits to libraries and book stores to distribute bookmarks that had information about the lunch on one side and warning signs of Alzheim- er’s on the other. They also sent promotional materials to as many book clubs as they had contact information for.
Debra Fine, author of “The Fine Art of Small Talk,” was there with friends from two of the book clubs that she belongs to; another 50 women indicated they were attending an Alzheimer’s benefit for the first time and were there because they’d been so moved by Genova’s book.
Pam Meyers Merrill, who lost her husband, Opera Colorado co-founder Nathaniel Merrill, to Alzheimer’s disease, arrived at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center after attending a ceremony at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. There, Mayor John Hickenlooper presided at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Nathaniel Merrill Founders Room.
Helen Ginsburg started AWARE 10 years ago as a tribute to the memory of her mother, Lillian B. Tucker, who had also died of Alzheimer’s disease. AWARE is now 300 members strong and has raised around $2 million for research.
The luncheon fell on Ginsburg’s birthday, and her husband, Morris, son, Noel, and daughter-in-law, Leslie, were there not only to help her celebrate but to applaud as master of ceremonies Ed Greene presented the Helen Ginsburg Visionary Award to Terrie Fontenot and her husband, Scott Richards.
Fontenot is a past president of AWARE and Richards is executive vice president of The Integer Group, which has produced educational films and printed materials for the cause for the past decade. For free.
Other guests were Phyllis Coors; Anna Sie; Jennifer Mandelson; Frances Owens; Gayle Ray; Myrna Mourning; Kathy Klugman; Herminia Vigil; Diane Fatheree; Cinnie Auer; Sandy Wolf; Debbie Davis; Joan Swinehart; Deb Smith; Susan Mostow; Debi Tepper; and Deanna Person.
More good stuff.
Colorado Ballet Auxiliary introduces its 2009 Nutcracker Sugarplums at a black-tie dinner taking place Friday at the Brown Palace Hotel. Aimee Sporer Caplis is chairing the event; the Sugarplum program is under the direction of Liz Arnold. . . . On Sunday, food and music will be served up New Orleans-style when Cancer League of Colorado hosts a Southern HospitaliTea at the Brown Palace. Festivities begin at 2 p.m. and reservations can be made at 303-322- 5097 or at blacktie-colorado . . . . Osmotics Cosmeceuticals is having a Holiday Glow party from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at 1444 Wazee St. Admission is free, says founder Francine Porter, and a percentage from sales will be given to The Gathering Place. RSVP to sameera@osmotics.com.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314; jdavidson@denverpost.com; davidson and GetItWrite on Twitter
