It took some doing to get New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to agree to speak at the Denver Scholarship Foundation’s second annual fundraising dinner.
Apparently, he’s not big on traveling. Especially to this part of the country. If he were to come, the DSF staff learned, it would break ground on two fronts: It would be Bloomberg’s first official visit and the first time he had delivered a speech in Denver.
Mayor John Hickenlooper, a founding member of the DSF board, initiated the effort to bring Bloomberg to the Mile High City and stayed on his case until the Big Apple’s chief executive said yes.
Good thing he did. The dinner chaired by Arlene Hirschfeld and Dr. Dean Prina sold out within weeks after Bloomberg’s appearance was confirmed and the 1,600 who gathered at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center on Thursday raised an amazing $2.1 million for the DSF’s ongoing effort to increase the high- school graduation rate and pave the way for low-income students to obtain a college education.
Bloomberg’s remarks focused on the critical link between education and our community’s long-term economic vitality. He also stressed the need for reform in the American education system.
Tim and Bernadette Marquez started Denver Scholarship Foundation in 2006 with the gift of 2.5 million shares of Venoco, worth $42.5 million. Venoco is a Denver-based, independent oil and gas company; Tim Marquez is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer.
In addition to the keynote speaker, special guests at the fundraiser were Edgar Robles and Tyler Cobb, graduates of the Denver Public Schools whose college educations would not have been possible were it not for the guidance and scholarships provided by DSF.
Their journey is chronicled in a video produced by Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Davis Coombe that was enjoyed by an audience that included Gov. Bill Ritter; U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and his wife, Susan Daggett; former Gov. Bill Owens; former Mayor Federico Peña and his wife, Cindy; Glen Warren from the presenting sponsor Titus Foundation; David and Laura Merage; Skip and Nancy Miller; Tim and Libby Brown; Jim and Terry Leprino; Dr. David Scanavino; Brent and Julie Morse; George Solich with his son, Nic; Judi Wagner; Greg and Therese Sissel of Platte River Ventures; Barbara Grogan; Jonathon Coleman; Evan Makovsky; Scott Nycum, regional executive for JP Morgan Chase; and Kasia Iwaniczko with fiance David MacLeod.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, GetItWrite on Twitter
Western Fantasy a $1 million reality
Coloradans love to cowboy up — especially when it’s for a good cause — and on Saturday, nearly 1,200 rhinestone cowpokes donned their fanciest hats and boots to spend an evening with Wynonna Judd in the Golden Garter Saloon. The dancehall theme gave a new flavor to Western Fantasy, the signature fundraiser for Volunteers of America, and Joanne Davidson recaps all of the fun in her Seen First blog: . Photos by David Zalubowski, Special to The Denver Post
