Glory Weisberg, Society Editor
The Denver Rescue Mission has a tea, Sept. 16, 3-5 p.m., at the Brown Palace Grand Ballroom to honor four women who are icons in the community, “making Denver a better place to live,” they said.
Arlene Hirschfeld, LaFawn Biddle, Linda Alvarez and Lily Nie are those four women, who officially share the title, Women Who’ve Changed the Heart of the City. This is billed as both a fundraiser and friendraiser, with corporate sponsorships and table purchases available.
Gina Shreck is event chair and will emcee the program interviewing the honorees. For info on the Denver Rescue Mission call Jane McDonald at 303-503-0020.
Adrienne Fitzgibbons, Toni Palmer, David Zupancic of the DCPA Development office and Lisa Daniels-Johnson
We knew that Alvarado is a construction powerhouse, plowing a path for other Hispanic Americans in commerce and philanthropy. We didn’t know she founded the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and has served as a commissioner of the White House Initiative for Hispanic Excellence in Education. She is also the first Hispanic owner of a Major League franchise, as owner of the Colorado Rockies. Her list of honors is extensive.
Lily Nie is one of those examples of what makes America the melting pot icon for the world, making Colorado her home as she and her husband founded Chinese Children Adoption International, finding homes for nearly 9,000 abandoned Chinese children, which as we know, is mainly made up of girls. The former business attorney in China, Lily emigrated here in 1987, opened six model Chinese orphanages and has continued to rack up more achievement and awards in this arena.
Keri Christiansen, Diane Huttner, hostess Debi Tepper, Arlene Mohler Johnson and Jeanne Saunders
Most of our readers are already familiar with Arlene Hirschfeld, a past Junior League president and an enabler to uncounted hundreds over the decades she has already been on the philanthropy scene in Colorado. She is a former University of Denver Evans Award winner, and honored by other respected nonprofits as well. Bring up Arlene’s name on Google and settle in to read about her distinctions.
An elegant and classy style icon, I know of one socialite who admits that when deciding whether to buy a certain outfit she asks herself if Arlene would wear it. She is a study in class with many more years of diligent support of our community ahead as her grown children will no doubt follow in her path.
Mrs. Biddle is a former Villager Woman of the Year, also with grown children, her two daughters born with genetic hearing loses she has championed the cause along with many other causes that include Bessie’s Hope, AWARE, Friends of Nursing, funding scholarships for eight in-state colleges.
Backstage passes up for sale
Backstage passes are coveted by the public, knowing they’re getting access they can brag about to their friends and family and hope to show off their snapshots as proof of their adventure behind the velvet stage curtains. So using that energy to entice Denver Center Alliance members to literally buy into a new event, Theatre Threads, were the topic of brief remarks at the Alliance New Member Party hosted by Debi Tepper. As they came through the door, the newbies got silk leis to enable returning members to get acquainted with the fresh blood. No vampires here, just enthusiastic Alliance event committee members.
With tummies filled with hearty salads supplied by several Alliance members, President Gayle Novak chatted up their Oct. 15 event that includes backstage tours through the various DCPA offices, dressing rooms, makeup areas, wigs and all. For a $100 per person price tag this sounds like fun, right?
The Alliance also has the Nov. 11 The 39 Steps play, an adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s work. Chairing that are new member Jeanne Saunders and Robin Heppler. Ryta Sondergard is hawking auction items for the DCPA’s biggest benefit, Saturday Night Alive, saying “I will be blocking the doorway until you sign up for the silent auction.” Last March 5 Saturday Night Alive raked in a $650,000 net. Its $375 base price per person is a bit steep for some potential patron,s so Adrienne Fitzgibbons is in charge of the SNAP program, enabling the public to layaway their tickets by paying for them in digestible chunks.
The featured entertainer’s name will be revealed Sept. 22 at Mangia Bevi when the event kicks off. Feed me their pizza and I have to be restrained from signing up for whatever is in front of me and I’m not alone on this and SNA co-chair Sharon Magness Blake knows it. She and hubby, Ernie Blake are tackling the not too tough to sell mega-event that stands to sell out well before next spring.
Among the throng of ladies who lunched at this New Members party was Realtor Diane P. Huttner who has the Tepper on the market. Others there: Lyn Schaffer, Sharon Whiton Gelt, Toni Palmer, Randi Bloomenthal, president-elect, Jill Behr, Lynn Sullivan, Maryann Ruck, Mieko Bailey, Carla McElroy, Pam Piro, Jean Smooke, Edna Chang-Grant, Robin Heppler, Julie Kucera, Sandee Walling, Keri Christiansen, Heather Brecl, Kathy Crapo, Layne Fleishman, Bertha Haugen and Sarah Sena. From the Development office: David Zupancic, Gen Miller and Christopher Goetz. For information on the DCPA, call 303-893-4000 or visit www.dcpa.org.
—
gloryweisberg@comcast.net
