Silver’s the color associated with 25th anniversaries, and the metallic shade was everywhere when Advocates For Children celebrated its milestone anniversary at the annual Red Wagon Ball.
It was the color many of the female guests chose for their evening gowns, shoes, purses and jewelry. It figured prominently in the ballroom decor, and served as a thoughtful tagline for the event itself: “The Red Wagon Ball: A night to bring some sparkle into the lives of children.”
In the end, though, the color that mattered most was green. Green, as in the color of money; specifically, the $200,000 that came from the 350 generous souls supporting this dinner and auction held at the Sheraton Denver Downtown.
Karen and Larry Lommen, for example, gave $50,000 in the special appeal that auctioneer Gary Corbett conducted once he’d wrapped up the live bidding for items that included a Las Vegas getaway, with private-jet transportation, that Scott and Valerie Thisted snapped up for a cool 15 grand.
Scott Thisted is vice chair of the Advocates For Children board, and Valerie had organized the live auction.
The ball itself was planned by a committee headed by Allison Melun, whose husband, Robert, chairs the board of directors. Fox-31 news anchor Libby Weaver and former Denver Nugget Bill Hanzlik were emcees.
Executive director Peggy Rudden helped them welcome a crowd that included such longtime benefactors as Shellie and Simon Moore; Rudy and Twyla Lohman; Kathy Graveley; Mike and Amy Krza; Brett and Tara Garfield; Val and Mike Lunka; Bart and Robyn Levy; Jim and Amy Leonard; and Gold Sponsors Jay (Provident Construction) and Elaine (Images of Nature) Kubischke.
Advocates For Children trains CASA volunteers (court-appointed special advocates) to help abused and neglected children as they have their futures decided in 18th Judicial District court appearances.
Coming right up.
The top toques from a dozen or so of Denver’s favorite restaurants — including Root Down’s Daniel Asher, Peter List of Beatrice & Woodsley, Marco Ramirez from The Palm and Sheila Lucero of Jax Fish House — will be doing their thing for the March of Dimes Signature Chefs dinner that begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Sheraton Denver Downtown. Chairmen David and Laura Baker say the $150 tickets can be purchased by visiting . . . . Women who donate $10,000 or more a year to the American Red Cross become members of the Tiffany Circle Society, and on Thursday evening, honorary chairwoman Frances Owens joins manager Chad McKeehan in hosting a reception for them at Tiffany & Co. in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. . . . Former wide receiver Rod Smith, a member of the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame, is going to emcee a Nov. 13 dinner and concert that celebrates the 25th anniversary of Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. We’re told we can’t print the headliner’s name, but you can find out who it is by visiting . . . . Rod Smith does the emcee thing again on Nov. 16 when he helps CBS4 and Southwest Airlines with their big Wine, Women and Football party at Big Game restaurant on Wazee Street. Proceeds from the $55-a-ticket affair go to Volunteers of America for support of Brandon Center, a shelter for abused women with children. Call 303-830-6510.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
