Mile High United Way held the Tocqueville Society Winter Night Out at the Space Gallery in Denver on Saturday, November 16th. The Tocqueville Winter Night Out is an annual appreciation event for Mile High United Way’s nearly 400 Tocqueville Society members. Donors experienced a multi-media and culinary collaboration with recipients from Mile High United Way’s programs Bridging the Gap and Individual Development Accounts (IDA). Each exhibit in the space gallery showcased the impact of Mile High United Way’s work and investment in the community through its partnership with our Tocqueville Society members.
The theme of the night was Changing Lives and Transforming Communities. Guests enjoyed food from Feeding the Multitudes and Azucar Bakery, both Individual Development Account recipients. Feeding the Multitudes served grilled pork loin with apricot au jus, confetti twice baked potatoes and roasted spicy asparagus. Azucar bakery served up a delicious dessert buffet, including mini fruit tarts and cupcakes.
In addition to enjoying the tasty buffet, guests had the opportunity to view artwork from Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA), a new Mile High United Way Youth Success Impact Partner, to see a live art collaboration with Think360Arts and youth from Arrupe Jesuit High School, and to try out some fun hats in the LIVE UNITED photo booth. Upstairs in the gallery, guests could watch Youth Voice – Setting the Record Straight, a short film from Bridging the Gap, or make their mark on the LIVE UNITED magnetic wall.
Attendees also had an opportunity to view an exhibit showcasing the new Mile High United Way building opening Fall 2014. During the program, Mile High United Way President and CEO Christine Benero and Board President Brian Jackson accepted a $1 million capital gift from Mary McBride on behalf of CoBank, in support of its new community headquarters in historic Curtis Park. The new building will feature the CoBank Leadership Center; an approximately 10,000 square foot conference and collaboration space open to nonprofits and community organizations working to create positive change for children, individuals and families. Additionally, the building will host a space for innovation and nonprofit incubation, a café, operated by Work Options for Women and Mile High United Way’s 211 Call Center and community program work.
Finally, guests heard from two participants in the Bridging the Gap program. PJ Sykes performed spoken poetry and told attendees how the Mile High United Way provided help for him to get on his feet when he left the foster care system and transitioned to adulthood. PJ is now in school studying psychology, is married and is expecting his first child. Then, Juwon Melvin talked about a company he started to sell soap and raise money to provide clean water to children and communities in developing countries.
Space Gallery was the host for the 2013 Mile High United Way Tocqueville Society Winter Night Out
Azucar Bakery was an individual development account recipient from Mile High United Way, and provided desserts for the event
Cailtlin Admire (left) with Jennifer Stokes, Gretchen Gilliland, Morgan Virgilio, Amanda Genakos and Greta Walker
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA) is a new Mile High United Way Youth Success Impact Partner
Artwork from kids who participated in the Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA) program were on display
Event sponsors included Colorado State Bank and Trust, Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, KPMG, and PCL Construction
An exhibit showing the new Mile High United Way building to be completed in 2014 in Curtis Park
Azucar Bakery provided a dessert bufftet, including mini fruit tarts
Bob and Jane Nagel
Guests enjoyed a selection of buffet foods, including a bruscetta bar and pear skewers
Upstairs in the gallery was a theatre showing a 3 minute video about the Bridging the Gap program
Guests had the opportunity to make their mark on the Live United wall
Feeding the Multitudes served pork loins, twice baked potatoes and spicy asparagus
There was a live art collaboration with Think360Arts and youth from Arrupe Jesuit High School
Mark Taylor (left) with Shelby Ross and Chuck Crowe
Mile High United Way president and CEO Christine Benero with Travis Webb, Emcee for the evening
Wesley Williams and Julie Wolf
Marjorie Silva, owner of Azucar Bakery, and Hansel Silva show off their dessert display
Lydia and Don McLane
Chuck Crowe (left) with Joanne Beaupre, Jennifer Stokes and Peter Beaupre
Jeff and Chelsea Carver
Todd and Sue Munson
Rod and Barb Thacker
Laura and Steve Drury
Burke and Diane Redmond (left) with Sonia Flores
PJ and Danika Sykes
Jeffrey Peierls with Millie Webb
Julie Wolf, Wesley Williams, Judson and Cara Snyder
Ella Hart and Juwon Melvin
Carla Stewart with Christine Benero
Anne and Steve Smith
Clark and Greta Walker
Chris and Chuck Ward
Nancy and Brian Jackson (left) with Suzie and Craig Anderson
Christine and Sean Daly
Shaun and Debbie Yancey (left) with Polly and Mark Lestikow
The Think360Art project coming along through the evening
Emcee Travis Webb welcomes guests
Mike Bearup made introductions during the Tocqueville Society Winter Night Out program
PJ Sykes gave a spoken poetry performance
Mile High United Way president and CEO Christine Benero addressed attendees
Board Chair Brian Jackson welcomed guests
Mary McBride presents a gift of one million dollars from CoBank to Mile High United Way, accepted by Christine Benero and Brian Jackson
David Hammond spoke about the difference United Way programs have in the lives of young people
Juwon Melvin told guests about the company he started to sell soap and donate a portion of the profits to bring clean water to children in developing countries
Jeff and Chelsea Carver had fun in the photo booth
A signed poster from the Colorado Rising flood relief concert was auctioned off to raise money for Mile High United Way
Buffet menu including malbec roasted pear skewers, coconut coated chicken skewers, and bruschetta bar
Attendance:
130
Attire:
cocktail
Board of Directors:
Brian Jackson, board chair; Barry Amman, Craig Anderson, Dave Baker, Marc Beasley, Peter Beaupre, David Berezin, Scott Binder, Linda Brisnehan, Brad Busse, Nathan Christian, Sean Daly, David Eves, Mark Everett, Renny Fagan, Paul Franke, David Hammond, Tensie Homan Axton, Kevin Hougen, Glenn Jacks, Steve Jaquith, Rich Lewis, Teresa Lynch, Darren Markley, Mary McBride, Kevin McCarter, Todd Munson, Charles Ozaki, Kate Paul, Todd Roebken, Gloria Rubio-Cortes, Albert Rosenthaler, Katrina Salem, Kristy Schloss, Lawrence Scicluna, Deb Smith, Bill Soards, Beth Soberg, Henry Solano, Tamra Ward, Julie Wolf, Shaun Yancey