ATF Celebrates 20 Years With Super-Heroes Night at Annual Trivia for Life

Posted: Lisa Perry

For two decades, American Transplant Foundation’s mission has been saving lives, so celebrating its 20-year milestone with a super-heroes theme this year was a natural. Whether guests wore suggested costume attire or not, everyone in the room was recognized for their heroic efforts as organ donors, recipients and ATF supporters.

Kidney recipient Jim Eastman (left) and donor Scott La Point celebrate their connection with custom jerseys.

On Friday, Oct. 24, guests headed to The Cable Center for ATF’s annual Trivia For Life fundraiser. The popular event activity coincides with ATF co-founder Steve Farber’s love of trivia, hosted by his son Gregg Farber, the kidney donor for his father. The evening began with a reception and silent auction, followed by a buffet dinner provided by Serendipity Catering before guests settled in to participate in a spirited team trivia competition and dinner program. Recognized with their inspiring stories were four award recipients: Alex Wiseman, MD: ATF Patient Advocate Award for his work supporting transplant patients; Amanda & Dave Repsher: recognized with the ATF Unbreakable Spirit Award as a symbol of strength and hope; Michael Wachs, MD: honored posthumously with the ATF Children’s Champion Award for his legacy of care. Also speaking to the crowd: emcee and 9News anchor/reporter Jennifer Meckles, ATF co-founder Laurence Chan, MD and Executive Director Anastasia Henry, celebrating 15 years in that role.

Putting their heads together for the right answer

ATF writes: For two decades, the ATF has been a champion for those whose lives have been touched by organ transplantation. We’ve provided critical financial assistance, emotional support and educational resources to transplant recipients, living donors and their families, helping to turn medical miracles into realities. Popular Trivia for Life is an evening dedicated to celebrating life, the incredible impact of organ donation and the legacy of our founder, Steve Farber. Your participation helps the ATF continue its mission to save and improve lives.

: Kidney recipient Jim Eastman (left) and donor Scott La Point celebrate their connection with custom jerseys.

: (l to r): Trevor Njdam, MD; Traci Wachs, wife of in-memoriam honoree Michael Wachs, MD; Igal Kam, MD

: (l to r): Derek Guyton, Fares Fares, Matt Christensen

: Bret Kreyenhagen, Lillie Lamm

: (l to r): Gregg Farber, with Nicole and Michael Milstein

: (l to r): Maggie Dornseif, with Brad and Karly Farber

: Honoree Dave Repsher (third from right), with friends

: (l to r): Kourtney Nelson, with Shawn and Melissa Peterson

: (l to r): Jeff Ellfeldt, Barb Booton, Jan and Bill Lucas, Mike and Sue Gerken

: (l to r): Achan Akuai, Alejandra Duarte, Apiew Akuai

: ATF Executive Director Anastasia Henry and co-founder Laurence Chan, MD

: Honoree Alex Wiseman, MD and Kelsey Crider

: Honoree Alex Wiseman, MD (back row, right) with friends

: Honorees Dave and Amanda Repsher

: (l to r): Min Baclieri, Gary Schanman, Chiara Kline

: (l to r): Patrick Klem; Trevor Njdam, MD; Igal Kam, MD; Angie Kozlowicz

: Tracy McInnes (left) and Lisa Gee

: (l to r): Dan Deak, Lesley Branish, Brooke Cheley Klebe, Amy Hicks

: The event marked ATF’s 20th anniversary, as well as 15 years for Executive Director Anastasia Henry.

: Henron Atambo and Nwerem Chika

: (l to r): Karen Robinson, Tracy McInnen, Megan Shoflick

: Awards await honorees and trivia winners.

: Loren Hayutin (left), with committee member Cindy Altberger

: Tables are ready for guests.

: (l to r): Josh Hanfling, Ferd Belz, sponsor Stanton Dodge

: Sponsor Barry Hirschfeld (front, center) and friends

: (l to r): Gary Schanman, Laura Hamilton, Matt Christensen

: Masked mixologist

: Trivia judges…the calm before the answer storm.

: Guests settle in for pre-trivia dinner.

: 9News anchor/reporter Jennifer Meckles

: Trivia host Gregg Farber

: Putting their heads together for the right answer

: Guests were encouraged to write down their trivia answers, rather than shouting them out.

: Competition was intense…but fun!

: It’s all eyes on the trivia question screen.

: Writing down her table’s trivia answer.

: This table’s “answer scribe” looks a little skeptical of a trivia question response.

: Trivia judges at work

: Responding to a trivia photo question

: Traci Wachs, wife of in-memoriam honoree Michael Wachs, MD

: ATF co-founder Laurence Chan, MD, and Executive Director Anastasia Henry

01 Oct

Trivia For Life Fundraiser Honors Gold Medalist and Living Kidney Donor Crissy Perham

Posted: Lisa Perry

Here’s some solid-gold trivia. USA gold medal swimmers Crissy Perham and Missy Franklin never competed in the same Olympics, and they didn’t grow up or train in the same part of the country. But they share a special bond beyond their medals. What is it? In 2022, Perham donated a kidney to Missy’s father, Dick Franklin, after seeing an online plea from Franklin’s wife. Turns out the swim community is both tight and caring. The donor-recipient first meeting was a wave and a quick word from their respective hospital gurneys as both were prepped for the successful surgery. Since then, the two continue to bond and have virtually adopted each other’s families. American Transplant Foundation (ATF) spotlighted their story at its 5th annual Trivia for Life fundraiser and honored Perham with a special award.

Donor Alliance co-workers enjoy the sunset.

On Friday, Sept. 29, around 250 guests headed up to the DaVita Sky Lounge to catch up with old friends and warm up for a trivia competition that’s always fun and playfully intense. On a gorgeous fall evening, everyone could go out on the deck to take in breathtaking views of the mountains and downtown Denver during a picture-perfect sunset. DJ Mat provided a party atmosphere and Eurest servers manned beverage stations and circulated with appetizers. The “Olympic Village” food buffet opened and people settled in at their tables for Round 1 of an always-spirited Trivia for Life competition, as well as a short, very moving program emceed by 9News anchor-reporter Kim Christiansen.

(l to r): Diane Huttner, emcee Kim Christiansen and Cindy Farber

Gregg Farber served as trivia host, a living kidney donor for ATF co-founder Steve Farber. The Farber family attended, and continue their work to honor Steve’s legacy—he passed away in 2020. Board president Brad Farber and Executive Director Anastasia Henry presented the award to Chrissy Perham, who singled out three important men in her life: her college coach Frank Busch, her husband Charlie Perham and Dick Franklin. Franklin followed up, expressing his sincere admiration and gratitude for Perham and ATF. He traveled from out of state for this event and noted that his daughter Missy and his wife also wanted to attend, but Missy was being honored with an award of her own in Fort Lauderdale during a celebration that weekend. Franklin went on to express appreciation for an eight-minute NBC Sports segment that details his 2022 donor-recipient story with Perham, along with Missy’s Olympic connection. It can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i5oeo7oZjk .

ATF writes: “Trivia For Life, a charity event featuring a trivia competition, was created by living kidney donor Gregg Farber in 2017 to bring the transplant and business community together for an evening of fun and friendly competition while raising money for the most vulnerable living organ donors, transplant recipients and their families. The event supports the American Transplant Foundation’s vision, ensuring that Colorado is the first state where no one dies while waiting for a transplant.

(l to r): Ski-jumping Olympian Randy Weber, double live, organ-donor transplant recipient; Wendy Amendolani and Randy’s son Espen Weber

“American Transplant Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that strives to save lives by reducing the growing list of women, men and children waiting for a transplant. Through maximizing living organ donation, American Transplant Foundation provides a three-tiered approach with educational, emotional and financial support for living donors, transplant patients and their families across the country with a specific focus on Colorado.” For more information about ATF, please go to: https://www.americantransplantfoundation.org.

: DJ Mat, with one T

: Nicole Rubenstein, living donor Ray Winn

: The DaVita Sky Lounge is the place to be for sunsets and panoramic views.

: (l to r): John Taylor, Mike Mikovich, Joey Surratt

: Cary and Cassie Hertert

: Marty and Marc German

: At the silent auction

: (l to r): Murugan Palani, committee member Delaney Goldsworthy, Hayley Goldsworthy

: (l to r): Jen Miller, Julie Farber, Diane Huttner

: (l to r): Ski-jumping Olympian Randy Weber, double organ-donor transplant recipient; Wendy Amendolani and Espen Weber

: Nicole and Michael Milstein

: Renee and Noel Custer

: Karen Mahany, George Altz

: (l to r): Daniel Music, Shawn and Amber Pace, Brittany Music

: Mason Niehoff and Hayley Goldsworthy

: Diane Huttner (left) and Cindy Farber, wife of American Transplant Foundation co-founder Steve Farber. Steve passed away in 2020.

: Tables were set with a specific country’s theme.

: (l to r): Apiew Akuai, Achan Akuai, Okello Akuai

: Karen Mahany looks over the wine-pull table, with committee member/host Susan Holdsworth (right)

: (l to r): Diane Huttner, emcee Kim Christiansen and Cindy Farber

: Nicole Milstein holds the coveted trivia trophy.

: Donor Alliance co-workers enjoy the sunset.

: (l to r): Board chair Brad Farber; Anastasia Henry, executive director; honoree Crissy Perham, gold medalist and living kidney donor; Crissy’s organ recipient Dick Franklin; board member Gregg Farber, living kidney donor