
The recurring theme from family and friends of people with Down Syndrome is that they are a special gift. They exist on such an uninhibited and happy plane that they bring so much joy to those around them. As the family of Global Down Syndrome Foundation Ambassador Steven Dulcie put it, “Steven is the silver lining in a day.”
The fun atmosphere was prevalent again this year at the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show as celebrities and models vamped on the runway to wild applause and cheers from the 1,200 well-heeled guests.
Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, whose sister is Global Ambassador DeOndra Dixon (who regularly upstages Jamie everywhere from the Grammy Awards to video shoots) was on hand again this year to promote the cause, along with other well known supporters such as Helen Hunt, Laura Dern, John C McGinley, Alec Baldwin, golfer David Duval, and several other sports and entertainment figures.
Longtime supporter and supermodel Beverly Johnson, whose niece Natalie Fuller has Down Syndrome, received the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, and so did advocate Brad Hennefer.
Kim Christiansen returned as extraordinary emcee, with additional remarks by force of nature Michelle Sie Whitten (executive director of Global), Governor John Hickenlooper, actor John C McGinley and Event Chairs Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake. Auctioneer Jim Nye wratched up bids on some incredible live auction packages, which included not only a trip to the Superbowl, but a ride on the Broncos plane to get there; and a really nice watch from Vacheron Constantin and Hyde Park but the winner also gets to travel to Geneva, Switzerland to tour the workshop.
The real stars of the show, as they are every year and every day, were the beautiful models in the Be Beautiful Be Yourself fashion show. The BBBY Fashion Show is the largest fundraiser for Down syndrome in the nation and has raised more than $7.6 million for Down syndrome research, medical care, advocacy and education, plus creating unprecedented awareness regarding the shocking disparity of funding for people with Down syndrome, while successfully emphasizing their abilities.
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation provides fundraising, education, awareness and government advocacy for the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome.
- Local title holders for the Miss Colorado competition
- Broncos cheerleaders Ashley, left, and Angela (right) with Darcy Arnold and Tawni Scaccia
- Artist Eva Makk donated one of her pieces for the auction and was on hand to demonstrate her talent
- Jim and Kristin Janicek
- Denver Nugget Kenneth Faried gets interviewed on the red carpet
- Denver Bronco Malik Jackson smiles at an interview question
- Pat Robertson and Casey Kemp
- Bob Beauprez and his daughter Melanie Fuller
- Norm and Sunny Brownstein, part of the Leadership Circle
- Friends of the family of Steve Dulcie, 2014 ambassador from Dallas–Diane Prager, left, and Jamie Angelich
- Lloyd and Claire Lewis
- Robert Bjorck and Lindsay Reed
- Denver Bronco Ben Garland is interviewed on the red carpet as Kali Kriss watches
- Aaron Harber interviews golfer David Duval
- Mike and Carylyn Dooley
- Supporters of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation
- Great silent auction items
- Denver Nugget JaVale McGee gets interviewed on the red carpet
- Famous actress Helen Hunt was on hand to show support
- Oscar winning actor Jamie Foxx and his daughter and a friend on the red carpet
- Jamie Foxx gets interviewed as his daughter Annelise watches
- Jamie Foxx and his daughter and a friend dance on the red carpet
- High five from Jamie Foxx
- Michelle Sie Whitten watches as Jamie Foxx is interviewed
- Michelle Sie Whitten and Jamie Foxx on the red carpet
- Jamie Foxx’s daughter Annelise and a friend are adorable
- Brad Hennefer, Jamie Foxx and Michelle Sie Whitten on the red carpet
- Waves from the red carpet
- Louise Richardson, left, and Frances Owens
- Actor Alec Baldwin was on hand
- Alec Baldwin contemplates a question on the red carpet
- John Rinderknecht and Jeanne Phillips
- Essie Perlmutter, Helena Striker and Janyce Wald
- Bob and Kalleen Malone, left, with Maureen Brooks and Peter Wurzburger
- Barb and Bob Mattucci
- Erin and Tim Burba
- Dr Larry Chan, his wife Cynthia and Steve Farber
- Jim and Debbie Shmerling
- Craig Crescas, left, Sandra Solin, Steve Farber
- Alvin Ulle and Carmel Scopelliti
- Will Snyder, left, Craig Crescas, Albin Ulle and Timothy Sandring
- Actress Laura Dern is interviewed on the red carpet
- Actor John C McGinley has been a longtime supporter of Global
- John C McGinley is asked a question on the red carpet
- Dr. Jonathan and Joanne Sherman, left, with Bill Hanzlik
- Gail Carpenter and Bob Loewen
- Emily Tarleton and Donald Albright
- Mary Beth Wallingford, Anna Wallingford, Gayle Ray and Janice Herndon
- Janet and Eula Adams
- Friends and family of ambassador Steve Dulcie: Diane Prager, left, Gray Dulcie, Jeff Dulcie, Jamie Angelich, David Dulcie, Deedra Dulcie, Frances Owens
- Teddy Polito and Liz Hoffman
- Marcus Coleman, Denver Nugget JaVale McGee and Kez Reed
- Jaime and Congressman Cory Gardner, left, Tom Marsh and Cyndy Everett-Marsh
- Ellen Robinson, left, Laura Thiret, Kalleen Malone and Deana Perlmutter
- Frank and Amanda Meyer, left, Andrew Hirko, Briana Kovacs, Amy Blair, Nimrod Kovacs, Bernie Dvorak and Hunter Kovacs
- Nancy Gart, left, Janyce Wald, Barbara Chapman and Lisa Cook
- Dr Richard Krugman and Jane Schumaker
- Sue and Doug Seserman, left, with Carl Rossow
- Susan Sturm, left, Craig Woody, John Fiedler, Pam Kelker
- Karen and Rick Jacobs
- Brooks Luby, left, and Chair Emeritus Ricki Rest
- Jan Booth, left, John and Anna Sie, Clark Booth, Ellen Robinson, Laura Thiret
- Dr. Larry and Cynthia Chan, Paul Ramsey, Christoph Heinrich, Barbara Bridges and Mike McPhee
- David and Penny Drucker, left, with Anna and John Sie
- Ellen Robinson, left, Nancy Sevo, Brenda King, Bonnie Mandarich, Debra McKenney
- Helen Hunt greets Brian Maillian and Beverly Johnson
- YaYa Alafia, right, and Annelise
- Jamie Foxx with his daugher Annelise and YaYa Alafia
- DeOndra Dixon and her dad George Dixon
- Bill and Leslie Vollbracht
- Congressman Cory Gardner and Auction Chair Edie Marks get a good chuckle out of a conversation
- Amy Oaks, left, Don Sturm, Gregg Kvistad, Stephen Sturm, Emily Sturm
- Kim Christiansen was back as emcee extraordinaire
- Kim Christiansen reflects on stage
- Bouquets on the tables
- Judi Wolf with friends from the Salah Foundation, including Fred Churbuck, lower left
- The head table
- Michelle Sie Whitton welcomes everyone
- A proud Michelle Sie Whitten talks on stage
- Dr. Tom Blumenthal, executive director of the Crnic Institute
- Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake are welcomed by Michelle Sie Whitten
- Event Chairs Ernie Blake and Sharon Magness Blake
- Auctioneer Jim Nye holds up a sample bidding number
- The DU table
- Jim Nye holds up one of 20 footballs that Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning autographed and donated
- Governor John Hickenlooper says a few words
- Actor John C McGinley talks about his affiliation with Global
- Supermodel Beverly Johnson has been a longtime supporter of Global
- Beverly Johnson tells her story of her niece Natalie Fuller
- Beverly Johnson accepts the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award
- Michelle Sie Whitten and Jamie Foxx on stage
- Michelle Sie Whitten and Jamie Foxx as Jamie talks about his sister, DeOndra Dixon
- Michelle Sie Whitten, DeOndra Dixon and Jamie Foxx
- Michelle Sie Whitton, DeOndra Dixon and Jamie Foxx vamp it up on stage
- Jamie Foxx and his sister DeOndra Dixon
- Brad Hennefer comes on stage to accept his award
- Brad Hennefer is congratulated by Jamie Foxx on stage
- Brad Hennefer accepts his Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award
- Jamie Foxx, DeOndra Dixon and Brad Hennefer
- Broncos cheerleaders with Steve Dulcie, 2014 Ambassador
- Helen Hunt with Brad Hennefer
- Helen Hunt and Brad Hennefer wave to the crowd
- JaVale McGee, Nuggets center, with Anna Marie Stotts
- JaVale and Anna
- Anna is a great model
- David Duval and Bernadette May Contreras
- David Duval and Bernadette vamp up on stage
- Arron Affalo, Nuggets guard, with Ronald Ray Brewer Jr.
- Denver Bronco Malik Jackson and Daniel Walshe
- Daniel and Malik show off on stage
- Daniel is having lots of fun
- Natalie Fuller and her aunt, supermodel Beverly Johnson
- Natalie and Beverly wave to the crowd
- Natalie has really taken to modeling–it runs in the family.
- Actress Laura Dern with Alexandra Shankle
- Broncos punter Britton Colquitt with Alexander Faber
- Britton and Alexander point to each other on stage
- Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried and Brooklyn Gihooly
- Kenneth and Brooklyn finish their cat walk
- John C McGinley and Kat Loewen
- John and Kat wave to the crowd
- Broncos guard Ben Garland and Robert Hunt
- Ben and Robert finish up their runway strut
- Ben and Robert still strutting on stage
- Miss Colorado Stacey Cook and Kierra Scaccia
- Stacey and Kierra wave to the audience
- Jamie Foxx with Laura Isaza and Amelia Rysavy
- Broncos kicker Brandon McManus and Scottie Corporon
- Scottie and Brandon dancing on stage
- Brandon and Scottie wave goodbye
- Alec Baldwin on stage with DeOndra Dixon
- Alec Baldwin and DeOndra Dixon vamping it up
- Alec and DeOndra
- DeOndra always enjoys herself
- Models and celebrity escorts
- Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show participants