The personal touch will do it every time, and no better example is the success of the 2013 gala, Pearls at the Palace.
The willingness of Brooke Gordon and Brandon Speer to step forward and share their experiences with epilepsy helped turn the evening into a $225,000 success.
Executive director Gail Pundsack expressed gratitude to both during the jewel-themed fundraiser held at the Brown Palace Hotel.
“Brooke’s willingness to share her personal challenges living with epilepsy has opened the door for others to raise a collective voice for broad-reaching services, resources and funding,” Pundsack said.
Gordon and her husband, Tom, were honorary chairs of the gala; Speer introduced the special appeal, proceeds from which go to the foundation’s Jason Fleishman Summer Camp.
Speer, a freshman at the University of Colorado, was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was 13. “Epilepsy became my deep, dark, ugly secret,” he said. “The seizures were bad, but even worse was the thought that someone would find out. At the Jason Fleishman Camp I was accepted for who I am. It gave me my life back.”
Speer attended the gala with his parents, Ann and Todd Speer, and his younger brother, Michael, who volunteers for the EFCO.
Event chair Kate Petrocco and her husband, David, were there with her parents, Elaine and Arapahoe County District Court Judge Gerald Rafferty. Others supporting the cause included board chairman Steve Franzen and his wife, Kim; Brenda and Peter Plowshay; Dr. Edward Maa, a neurologist specializing in epilepsy; John and Francine Akers; Dr. Susan Koh, who at Children’s Hospital Colorado; and Bob and Camille Pinkerton, who donated a baseball autographed by Camille’s grandfather, baseball legend , to the silent auction.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/getitwrite
