There were two blockbuster events on Saturday night. One gave 700 people the opportunity to be kids again; the other enabled 500 lucky souls to experience a Lionel Richie concert that the entertainer seemed to enjoy as much as the audience.
The Kaleidoscope Ball: Through the Eyes of a Child celebrated the opening of Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children by letting guests explore surgical suites, emergency rooms and labs that otherwise will not be open to public view once the hospital opens on Aug. 31.
I have all the details about this special occasion in my Seen First blog:
Richie headlined Lulu’s Barkin’ BBQ, a benefit for the Denver Dumb Friends League that was hosted by Jana, Fred and Lulu Bartlit and held at their Castle Pines home.
“I do a lot of charity events,” Richie said as guests jumped up from their dinner tables and flocked to the dance floor, “and without a doubt this is the one that has the least amount of people making the most amount of noise. I love it!”
A special guest was Nathalie Nguyen of Vail, who had the starring role in the video made for Richie’s 1983 hit “Penny Lover.”
This is the ninth year that the Bartlits (Lulu is their dog) have hosted the fundraiser. They underwrite all the expenses, from the giant tent to the supper served under the direction of Texas barbecue king Tom Perini, which meant that the event will net upwards of $475,000.
Fred Bartlit is considered one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers (clients include former President George W. Bush) and in July was named chief counsel for a panel that President Barack Obama appointed to investigate what caused the disastrous BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. His wife is a member of the Dumb Friends League board.
DDFL president Bob Rohde helped the Bartlits welcome a crowd that included Lanny and Sharon Martin; June Harper; Barry and Arlene Hirschfeld; Kathi Brock; Bob and Kalleen Malone; Dick and Marcia Robinson; Norm and Sunny Brownstein; Dianne Vanderlip; Dick and Cathey Finlon; Bryan Pulte; Ken and Judy Robins; Holly Kylberg; Randy and Karen Woods; Judy Fahrenkrog and Larry King; and U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, davidson and GetItWrite on Twitter
