Rocky Mountain MS Center Celebrates 40 Years
For a nonprofit to survive, thrive and continually grow is quite a feat—and when you’ve been doing it for 40 years, it’s inspiring. This year Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center (RMMSC) brought together supporters, family, volunteers, staff and cherished clients to celebrate successes at a festive gala that emphasized its history and growth of the past four decades, plus its continuing sense of community and hope for years to come.
(l to r): Debbie LaBrant-Hartung, committee member; Francis Smith, MD; committee member Tandy Jones; Chris Walling; committee member Sandee Walling; Becky LaBrant and Patricia Villegas
On Saturday, Sept. 8, around 400 gathered at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel for a celebration that began with cocktails and a silent auction—and a golden opportunity to catch up among friends. KOA NewsRadio’s Ed Greene emceed a dinner program that focused on the history and future of RMMSC, as well as illustrating life with this baffling disease. Speaking to the crowd: CEO Gina Hensrud, board chair Del Arnold; gala chair and RMMSC client Suzanne Hickox; and Adam Writer, son of RMMSC founder N. Daren Writer. Dave Camp Jazz Band provided energetic music sets before, during and after the dinner program, and Gary Corbett presided over a lively live auction. All of the funds raised during the annual gala stay in Colorado.
Dave Camp Jazz Band entertains with a sax solo.
With donor support, RMMSC continues to lead the effort to discover the cause and find a cure for multiple sclerosis. Its mission: Improving the quality of life for individuals and their families living with MS and related neurological diseases through care, support, education and research. At the Rocky Mountain MS Center, staff are passionate about solving problems and evaluating all options. Workable solutions are what they value, as well as helping clients find answers. The center’s consistent message: The answers begin here.
The vision of the Rocky Mountain MS Center is to be internationally recognized as a leader in the MS community as the resource of choice for people and their families living with MS and related neurological diseases, providing unsurpassed care, support and education, while leading the way in research by developing new effective treatments and finding the cure for MS. For more information, please visit: https://www.mscenter.org.
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- (l to r): Julie DeTemple, Sheila MacDonald, Fern Tamkin
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- (l to r): Roy and Cindy Lopez, Arwin Priest and Danielle Serred
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- (l to r): Asa Garber, Dani Hedlund, Patrick Ross and Rebecca Woody
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- (l to r): Debbie LaBrant-Hartung, committee member; Francis Smith, MD; committee member Tandy Jones; Chris Walling; committee member Sandee Walling; Becky LaBrant and Patricia Villegas
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- (l to r): Ces Garnsey, Carrie Tynan, and Judy and Loyal Trumbull
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- (l to r): Vickie Dow, Craig Yaros, Lorraine Salazar
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- Wayne Connell and LaFawn Biddle
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- Patricia Villegas (left) and Becky LaBrant
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- At the jewelry pull (l to r): Sydney Dugan, Andrea Colucci and committee member Tandy Jones
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- Putting in a bid at the silent auction
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- Committee member Wesley and Kay Lynn West
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- (l to r): Jessica Savage, Aisha Henry and June Branon
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- Amy Cook and Ken Stewart
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- Terry and Judy Beal
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- Loretta Hager (left) and Melanie Carlson
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- Lori and Ron Kendrick
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- (l to r): Craig Dies, LaFawn Biddle, Maddie Teagarden and Deborah Massa
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- Brett Schklar and Rachel Namoff
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- (l to r): Brett McMahon, Connie McMenamin, and Dan and Amanda Piquet
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- (l to r): Board chair Del Arnold, committee member Heather Dean, Kerri Cechovic and Enrique Alvarez
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- (l to r): Kay Lynn and Wesley West, Ann Hickox, Steven Hickox, event chair Suzanne Hickox, Patrick Ross and Sean Ross
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- Committee member Steven Hickox and Ann Hickox
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- Guests had a chance to study the Rocky Mountain MS Center display.
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- (seated): Marti Acker, Jim Austin; (back, l to r): Kim Acker, Drs. Pamela and Dennis Kinder, Jean Austin
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- (l to r): Gina Hensrud, CEO; Del Arnold, board chair; Suzanne Hickox event chair
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- (l to r): Emcee Ed Greene; Terri Fisher, 5 Star Entertainment owner and committee member; auctioneer Gary Corbett; BJ Dyer, owner of Bouquets and committee member
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- Tables are readied for the dinner program at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.
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- Hayley Bevan (left) and Donna Lozano
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- Rex Roberts and Zamantha Joeh
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- (l to r): Terrilynn Nickerson, Pat Caldwell, Toni Glynin
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- Guests continue to arrive at the reception-silent auction.
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- (l to r): Marcus Jackson, Dee Nichols, Indonesia Maye
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- John and Van Farnsworth
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- Maricruz and Mathias Dalrymple
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- (l to r): Mark and Denise Deck, and Karen and Blair Cooper
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- Alison Cagaanan and Dan Shaughnessy
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- Guests find their seats for dinner.
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- Jennifer Storch and Sean Ross
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- Dave Camp Jazz Band
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- Dave Camp Jazz Band entertains with a sax solo.
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- Lisa Davidson (left) and Jeanette Russell
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- (l to r): Amy and Kyle Rusk, and Tracy and Ryan Owens
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- Keynote speaker Adam Writer, son of Rocky Mountain MS Center founder N. Daren Writer
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- KOA Radio’s Ed Greene emcees the program.
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- Gina Hensrud, Rocky Mountain MS Center CEO
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- Event chair Suzanne Hickox tells her own MS story.
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- Del Arnold, chair, board of directors
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- Dinner conversation
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- Auctioneer Gary Corbett jokes with a guest.
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- Paddle raise at the live auction
