On a bright Saturday morning kids and families ignored the scorching 95-degree heat and enjoyed several hours of pony rides, assorted toss games, and several huge bouncy castles featured at the 5th Annual HOPE Center Community Carnival in Clayton/Cole Neighborhood. This year’s event, held Saturday, July 16, brought neighbors together to chat, relax and enjoy snow cones, cotton candy and other refreshments.
Established in the 1960s, HOPE Center is a community-based non-profit agency focusing on Early Childhood Education and Care and Vocational Training for adults with developmental disabilities. The Center also provides education for at-risk and gifted children, and kids with developmental disabilities for Denver families. This year the organization celebrates 54 years of service and serves some 200 students, of which 65 percent are African- American and 20 percent Hispanic.
The event attracts local families and businesses and hosts a dozen tents with representatives from local health and family non-profit groups and city government agencies. Fortunately, some tree shade was plentiful for Denver Zoo volunteer Patti Wells who showed off one of her larger lizards while around the corner Solome Morales patiently spinned some cotton candy.
Among the informational booths were the Denver County Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), The Center for African American Health, Lupus of Colorado, Mental Health Center of Denver, Connect for Health Colorado, Kids Choice Dental, Clothes to Kids of Denver, and Denver Health, to name a few.
President/CEO Gerie Grimes has led the organization for nearly 10 years, but has been with HOPE Center since 1982 rising through the ranks first as a bookkeeper and later Deputy Director before becoming Director in 2007. A Denver native, Grimes earned degrees in non-profit administration and non-profit management from Metro State College of Denver and Regis University, respectfully and currently working on her PhD
President/CEO Gerie Grimes with Ashia Grimes
. Her grandchildren and several nieces and nephews are HOPE Center alumni and they can often be found serving as volunteers as well.
Besides the summer carnival event, the HOPE Center also hosts a highly successful Vintage Vegas Casino Night every spring. To volunteer, donate or learn more visit their web site at www.HopeCenterInc.org
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- Fun in the sun
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- The Hope Center was established more than 50 years ago
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- Brad Swank and son, Elias
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- Solome Morales makes cotton candy
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- Patti Wells from the Denver Zoo
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- Roxy on a pony
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- Vanessa Nguyen and Joanne Butler
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- Doria Barajas
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- Ruby, Sophia, Grace, and Faith
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- Jalaya, Shiata, Sayla, Jaime with kids-Jacora and Brandon
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- Lizzie Cook
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- Mark Hocker
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- Kristen Noonan
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- Kindall Jackson, Kesha Dan, Paige Tate
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- Taliah Abdullah
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- This the 5th Annual Community Carnival
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- Enjoying the bouncy playhouse
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- Michael Knapp, Sonia Agosto
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- Several inflatable playhouses kept kids busy
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- Rhian Johnson with a winning toss
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- The pony rides were a big hit with families
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- Prize cards
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- Berkley Webster, Mechelle Salley
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- Berkley Webster, Mechelle Salley, Joshalynn Green, Ryan Finley
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- Charlie Cherrington with Joel and Leslie
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- Lauren Crane with Selah
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- Lauren Crane with Selah
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- Cynthia Newsome with Eden
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- Kids could choose from toys and candies
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- Tickets went briskly
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- Lejeune family: Ellen, Louie with Leo and Francis
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- Kids had more than a dozen games to play
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- Berkley Webster oversees a game
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- It’s not summer without grilled hot dogs
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- President/CEO Gerie Grimes with Ashia Grimes
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- Lejeune family: Ellen, Louie with Leo and Francis
