So a priest, a rabbi and a minister walk into a room …
Wait, this isn’t a joke. It’s how came to be, back in 1887, when a woman, two priests, a rabbi and two ministers joined forces to establish the Charity Organization Society, whose 22 partner agencies would provide aid to Denver residents who were struggling as the city’s population expanded at a rate where jobs and social services could not keep pace.
Frances Wisebart Jacobs, Rabbi William Friedman and the Revs. Myron Reed, William O’Ryan, Martyn Hart and P.F. Carr led a campaign that raised $21,700 (in today’s dollars, that would be $650,000) and generated such interest that 2,000 people turned out for the group’s first annual meeting.
And so it was only appropriate that such prominent clergymen as Father Peter Eaton, dean of St. John’s Cathedral; the Rev. Leon Kelly, director of ; the Rev. George Anastos, senior minister at First Plymouth Congregational Church, and Joseph Black, Temple Emanuel’s senior rabbi, were on hand to help Mile High United Way mark the 125th anniversary of its founding.
Several hundred friends of the nonprofit gathered at the new for a party that celebrated how the Charity Organization Society gave birth to what is now a worldwide network of United Way chapters that provide support, services and funding for literally thousands of programs that focus on school readiness, youth success and adult self-sufficiency.
Christine Benero, Mile High United Way’s chief executive, and Peter Beaupre, chairman of the board, welcomed such friends and supporters as Denver Mayor Michael Hancock; City Auditor Dennis Gallagher; Dr. Michael Salem, president of ; Don Mares, who heads ; Exempla Healthcare’s Debbie Welle-Powell; Becky and BOSC, Inc. vice president Greg Hernandez; and Noel Ginsburg, founder and president of .
JANET’S CAMP 2012
If you love the idea of camping out, but just can’t get your arms around the idea of having to pitch a tent and cook over a fire, is a great alternative.
It doesn’t involve an overnight stay, the camp-inspired food has a gourmet twist and your registration fee will be put to very good use: sending 300 kids from low-income families to one of the summer day camps operated by the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver.
Started by Janet Elway, the 2012 edition of this one-night urban adventure was held at Nikki and Steve Lockton’s Greenwood Village home where guests were free to engage in carnival-style games, have their caricatures drawn and enjoy a poolside buffet.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, blogs.denverpost.com/style and @GetItWrite on Twitter
