Television audiences aren’t the only ones who tune in to talent showcases.
Susan Kiely capitalized on the popularity of programs like “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent” by cooking up a novel benefit called Play It Forward, and it netted $110,000 for the newest component of her Women With a Cause Foundation: an initiative to help homeless mothers and female military veterans enroll in Regis University’s school of nursing.
Kiely invited amateur performers from throughout the state to submit video examples of their acts, and then collaborated with social media consultant Rebecca Saltman, who also owns A Foot in the Door Productions, to set up a way for the public to view and vote on their favorites.
The top vote-getters then performed for an audience of 300-plus at the Seawell Grand Ballroom, competing for cash awards that they in turn would donate to their favorite charity.
Judges Maggie Roswell, one of the voices of “The Simpsons”; Opie Gone Bad frontman Jake Schroeder, concert promoter Barry Fey and 9News entertainment reporter Kirk Montgomery named T Strickland, who works at Integer, the winner.
She captured the $3,000 first prize by singing “Rear View,” a song she had written, and donated her winnings to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. The $1,500 second prize went to 16-year-old singer Raenna Clarke, who gave her money to Friends First, an organization working to help teenagers make responsible choices about sex. Golden resident Rikka Zimmerman finished third and is donating the $500 prize to Denver’s Road Home and its efforts to end homelessness.
Play It Forward began with a food tasting presented by such “foodie favorite” restaurants as Black Pearl, the Brown Palace, D Bar Desserts, Epicurean Catering, Jax, Restaurant Kevin Taylor, Strings and TAG.
An auction also was part of the deal, and the most active bidder had to have been Kelli Miller, who went home with a necklace donated by John Atencio, Rockies tickets and a $500 gift certificate to the Mariel boutique in Larimer Square.
Schomp Automotive was Play It Forward’s presenting sponsor; MillerCoors was the talent sponsor, and vocalist Hazel Miller presented Unsung Heroine awards to longtime community volunteers Jill DiPasquale and Sandee Walling.
DiPasquale is active in The Adoption Exchange and the Denver Center Alliance; Walling has had leadership roles with the Rocky Mountain MS Center Guild and the Kempe Alliance.
Guests included Kiely’s husband, MillerCoors chief Leo Kiely; their children, Bill Kiely and his wife, Gail, and Whitney Kiely Moehle and her husband, Doug; Faye and Dr. Reginald Washington with son Quinn, who starts this week as a vice president with Blacktie-Colorado, and daughter Danielle LaCabe; Denise and Brent Snyder; Gail and George Johnson; Cindi Burge and Jaylene Smith.
More onlineAdditional pictures from Play It Forward at seengallery
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
