In people years, 30 is a pretty good place to be. You’re old enough to know better, but young enough to tear things up. In a good way, of course.
It’s a slightly different story when it comes to charitable fundraisers. A 30- year run is nothing short of amazing. There simply aren’t many events with that kind of longevity; fewer still that remain fresh and exciting.
Saturday Night Alive, the Denver Center Alliance’s signature moneymaker, is the exception.
SNA 30, chaired by Stan and Sarah Sena, sold out within weeks after it was announced that Motown legend Smokey Robinson would be the headliner. It also raised an amazing $622,000 for Arts in Education, one of the key outreach initiatives for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, thanks in large part to the efforts of corporate committee chairpersons Ed and Susan Mueller.
Ed Mueller, Qwest’s chief executive officer, “sold corporate tables to people who ordinarily wouldn’t have bought them,” Sarah Sena said. “He was so persuasive, in fact, that he managed to oversell, which was a nice ‘problem’ to have.”
After enjoying cocktails and silent auction bidding in the lobby of the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, the 800 guests took the escalator upstairs to Seawell Ballroom for an Epicurean Catering dinner served at tables decorated in a way that played off the entertainer’s first name.
BJ Dyer and Guenther Vogt of Bouquets used silver curly willow — highlighted with delicate silver, blue and purple bullion wire — to emulate smoke. They also arranged table coverings in light and dark shades of purple to further create an illusion of wisps of smoke.
Because it was a milestone year, a larger than usual number of past chairmen were there. We spotted Ralph and Anne Klomp, Ed and Gayle Novak, Walt DeHaven, Aaron and Sandee LaPedis, Roger Hutson, Jack Overstreet, Cindi and Keith Burge, Gail and George Johnson, Kristina and Jay Davidson, William Dean Singleton, Jaylene and Jeff Smith, Judi and Bob Newman, Margot Gilbert Frank, Joan Swinehart, Liz Frawley, Leslie and Howard Farkas, Jill Behr and John Proffitt.
John Proffitt was general manager of KMGH-Channel 7 when he chaired SNA with his wife, Sharon, in 1996. Sadly, she succumbed to ALS about a decade later. Seven months ago he remarried and was introducing his bride, Lana, to his many friends.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
