By Glory Weisberg
Glory Weisberg, Society Editor
The Denver Auto Show opened with a Green Tie Preview Party, April 7, benefiting the Clear the Air Foundation.
This third edition asks guests to show up with a green tie or accessory and a green ribbon cutting officially started the exhibition at the Colorado Convention Center.
Among those at the Preview Party was Clear the Air Foundation board chairman, Lee Payne of Planet Honda. On his board are Mike Faricy and Nancy Ariano of the New Country Auto Center, Don Gerbaz of Berthod Motors, Don Hicks of Shortline Automotive, John Carroll of the Ed Carroll Motor Company and Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Auto Dealers Association.
Don Gerbaz, Lee Payne and Don Hicks
Before the end of the show’s first day, Jackson declared this the best attended opening day for the auto show since it started in 1902.
Funds from the Preview Party help support efforts of the educational foundation formed by Colorado’s new car dealers. The aim is helping residents who are sensitive to environment-related health issues, including asthmatics and those with COPD. They also help students interested in working in the auto and tech fields. If you’ve ever been behind a black smoke belching auto, consider how rarely you see them today. The CTAF support projects that help remove such clunkers with newer, cleaner, higher mpg cars.
Kerri Tiernan of Enterprise, Tammi McCoy of the Colorado Auto Dealers Association and Karen Curran of Pinnacol Assurance
On the convention center’s floor were many new samples, if you may call them such, of cars going “green” with various types of fuel alternatives and virtually every auto firm showed its newest effort of green. The SmartCar was getting lots of attention and at the other end of the size and weight scale was a gleaming black Bentley. Navigation systems seemed to be de rigueur this time with screen sizes varying. What caught our eye was the Lexus navigation system, out for years but the 2010 models have placed it in the dashboard beneath a dashboard extension that effectively shades it from the sun, really important for autos with sun roofs that tend to shine right on those screens.
Speaking of green, a 2011 “lime squeeze metallic” Ford Fiesta stood out among the crowd, getting 40 mpg on the highway. So many models were hybrids you have your pick of which recipe-like combo you prefer this year.
Scene stealing belonged to the 2010 North American Car of the Year, the Fusion+Hybrid, shown a slick steel gray, deemed the “most fuel efficient midsize sedan in the U.S.” It can run just on electricity up to 47 mpg and what suburban teenager wouldn’t just drool over its audio system that has 12 speakers and 390 watts tucked inside?
For details on the green effort visit www.greencardenver.org or wwwcleartheairfoundation.org.
Resale clothes, furniture
Jewish Family Service launched an upscale resale clothing and furniture effort, working with ARC Thrift stores and the two nonprofits will split the proceeds. Donations will be sold at the ARC store at 7485 E. Iliff in Denver.
Here’s what they’ll take: gently used designer and couture clothing, purses, shoes, jewelry and what’s called “collectibles.”
One unique feature of this program is that it includes men’s clothes, also in the high-end category. They want clean, already dry-cleaned clothes so they don’t have to go through this required step themselves before offering the merchandise for sale. Got hangers? Put the donations on them to keep them in the same kind of condition as what’s sold in retail stores so they appeal to potential purchasers.
They can pick up your furniture items if you phone them at 303-597-5000 Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. and on Friday until 4:30 p.m. to request pick-up.
They won’t take anything damaged or dirty, large appliances or your old mattresses.
For info, e-mail egalemga@jewishfamilyservice.org or call the above number.
Hall of Fame banquet sold out
The 2010 Colorado Sports Hall of Fame banquet is sold out, CSHOF Chairman Bruce Dodge announced April 5. “This caps off a tremendous amount of work in preparation for the event,” Dodge said. “The public support which we receive from around the state is truly gratifying, especially in our current economic environment.”
Pathways Client awards, April 30
The 7th annual Pathways Client Achievement Awards, April 30, honors five people with developmental disabilities. Ken and Kim Ziel with Exceptional Kids will be receiving the Family Award. Get the invitation and info by calling 303-360-6600.
Pantcycling Days
The Assistance League of Denver will team with Sears and Haggar Clothing for “Pantcycling Days” in April. Customers will be able to “Change Their Pants for Charity,” an event that features a unique twist on charitable giving, benefiting the Assistance League. Sears is the exclusive partner with Haggar in hosting the in-store Pantcylcing. When you visit a participating Sears location, April 16-25, and present the sales associate with a gently used pair of pants in wearable condition, you will receive a certificate good for $5 off a pair of new Haggar pants. Donated pants can be any gender, brand or size. The donated pants will be given to the Assistance League of Denver to sell in its Thrift Mart at 1331 E. Colfax Avenue.
Money raised at the Thrift Mart funds the Assistance League’s community-based philanthropic programs.
Visit www.denver.assistanceleague.org.
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gloryweisberg@comcast.net
