Because only a handful of tickets remain, Tim Marquez didn’t have to twist any arms at the cocktail party held last week to preview Denver Scholarship Foundation’s Oct. 21 benefit, An Evening With Mayor Bloomberg.
So the founder of both Venoco Inc. and the DSF spoke from the heart. “You didn’t just buy a ticket, you changed a life,” he said to the 100 or so gathered at Barry and Arlene Hirschfeld’s home.
Arlene Hirschfeld is chairing the benefit with Dr. Dean Prina and they took great pleasure in announcing that thanks to a dollar-for-dollar match offered by a benefactor who prefers to remain anonymous, the dinner and address by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will raise about $2 million.
“It’s amazing on so many levels,” Prina told us. “That kind of money in a down economy, the fact it’s only our second year, almost 1,600 tickets gone before invitations are even mailed. … ” The event will be at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center; the Titus Foundation is the presenting sponsor.
Marquez and his wife, Bernadette, issued a $50 million challenge grant in 2006 to establish the Denver Scholarship Foundation as a means of helping students in the Denver Public Schools obtain a college education. She chairs the DSF board and when her term ends in January, Prina will succeed her.
Preview guests included Nancy Anschutz; Western Union’s chief financial officer, Scott Scheirman; attorney Steve Abelman; KORE Investments founder Jack Kim; Terry Leprino; Tom and Noel Congdon; Evi Makovsky; Kasia Iwaniczko and fiance David McLeod; Nora and Brian Abrams (she recently became associate curator at MCA/ Denver; Marc Levine; Deborah Williams; Patti and Pres Askew; Happy Haynes; David Mandarich: and talent booker Maureen Brooks.Coming right up.
A two-day celebration of Historic Denver’s 40th anniversary kicks off tonight when patron-level supporters gather for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, courtesy of Baur’s Ristorante, at Al’s Barbershop in Larimer Square. Then it’s on to St. Cajetan Center on the Auraria campus for further revelry. Sign up at . … Michael Blake, author of “Dances With Wolves,” is the special guest at a barbecue and auction benefiting the youth mentoring organization Douglas County Partners. The $100-a-ticket event takes place Saturday at Zuma’s Rescue Ranch near Louviers; call 720-733-1960. … Get Wicket, a croquet party to benefit the Junior Symphony Guild, begins at 4 p.m. Sunday at Don and Arlene Johnson’s home in Cherry Hills Village. A $75 donation includes instruction, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and poolside jazz. Co-chairs Linda Bryant and Susan Troyan say tickets can be purchased by e-mailing … On Tuesday, the night before he plays in the annual Volunteers of America Legends of Golf tournament, former Colorado Rockies first baseman Andres Galarraga will be at the Denver ChopHouse for the Players Party hosted by CoBiz Insurance. Re/Max International is the presenting sponsor; Lee Earnhart, Ed McBrien, John Milek and Greg Stiff are coordinating the day’s play at Sanctuary. Call 303-368-5208.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
