If — heaven forbid — you’ve been in a horrific car crash, wiped out on the ski slopes, or been shot or stabbed, is where you’ll want to go. Its has the , thus increasing your chances of survival.
On the other hand, if you want to have a terrific time at a fundraising gala, the Denver Health Foundation’s NightShine is just the ticket.
Take this year, for example, when a crowd just short of 2,000 gathered at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center for a deluxe affair highlighted by a concert by the .
Guests included Gov. John Hickenlooper, Mayor Michael Hancock, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, U.S. Reps. Ed Perlmutter and Mike Coffman; state Rep. Angela Williams and former mayor Federico Peña. Peña and his wife, Cindy, are chairing an $11 million capital campaign to complete construction of the Southwest Denver Family Health Center, which will be the ninth of Denver Health’s community health clinics.
The chairmen were Jennifer Alvarado Geller and her husband, Jeff, the executive vice president for Palo Alto, Inc. and Alvarado Concepts LLC, which is one of the largest franchisees of , a Fortune 500 company that operates Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut and WingStreet restaurants worldwide.
As guests were enjoying their dessert, former Mayor Wellington Webb, after whom the hospital’s Wellington E. Webb Center for Primary Care is named, was presented with the Denver Health Foundation Star award.
Webb is hailed as the savior of Denver Health for his role in creating the Denver Health and Hospital Authority that saved the city’s public hospital from a crushing debt that threatened to close it. He also led a successful campaign where voters approved $290 million in bonds for improvements to the hospital and its property.
Michael Pollak, chair of the Denver Health Foundation board of directors, joined executive director Paula Herzmark and Denver Health CEO Dr. Art Gonzalez in welcoming such supporters as Larry Mizel, Chris Monfort, Drs. Ron and Sue Townsend, Nita Mosby Henry, Hubert Farbes, Steve Farber, David McReynolds, Josh Hanfling, Walter and Christie Isenberg, Charlie Walling, Elbra Wedgeworth and Dr. Philip Mehler.
Caz Matthews, chair of the Denver Health and Hospital Authority board, was there with a group that included Leanna Clark, Suzanne Culin and Kelly Brough. Chuck Morris, president of AEG Live Rocky Mountains, arranged for the Doobie Brothers to perform and was there with his wife, Becky.
Once the Doobie Brothers finished their set, guests were invited to adjourn to an upstairs ballroom for an after-party complete with build-your-own taco and S’mores stations, music and lounge areas.
Online: More pictures from this event denverpost.com/seengallery
