Stepping Up fundraiser benefits Warren Village Learning Center
At first, Rachel Chaney was embarrassed to tell anyone that she and her five children resided at Warren Village.
But it didn’t take long for her to realize that this nonprofit organization dedicated to helping lowincome, single-parent families become self-sufficient had her best interest in mind.
“I learned that it’s OK to fail,” Chaney said as she addressed the 300 guests at Stepping Up, a dinner and auction that raised $200,000 for the Greta Horwitz Learning Center at Warren Village.
“There’s no shame in falling down,” Chaney added. “What’s important is what you do after you fail.”
For her it meant going back to school. In May, she will graduate with a certificate in business administration.
“Today, my family and I are making it, and we couldn’t have done it without the support we received at Warren Village.”
“Denver has such a diverse and energetic community, but the cost of rent and groceries has gone up dramatically, creating some tough trade-offs, ones you shouldn’t have to make,” said Warren Village president/CEO Ethan Hemming. “Warren Village exists to help low-income, single-parent families achieve personal and economic self-sufficiency — and sustain it.”
Kelly, also a Warren Village resident, introduced the special appeal by sharing her story.
“I had gotten married to what I thought would be my happily ever after,” she said, adding that the relationship soon soured. She gave birth to her daughter while residing in a domestic violence shelter and eventually found her way to Warren Village. “Today I can go to school or work knowing that my kids are safe and well taken care of.”
The Pinnacle Club at the Grand Hyatt Denver was the setting for Stepping Up, which also featured dance performances by the Heritage Irish Step Dancers, ballroom dancers Jarad Royal and Katherine Johnson, and members of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.
The evening ended with a dessert buffet and danc- ing to the music of Phat Daddy.
Brian Sandy, president of the IMA Financial subsidiary Signature Select, heads the Warren Village board and noted that this year’s gala was a recordbreaker, thanks to support from businesses and individuals that included AAA Colorado; Altria Group Distribution Co.; Caroline Turner and Katie MacWilliams; Larry and Christine Baumgartner; Katie and Scott Goodwin Jr.; Mary A. Wells and John McCabe; Kyle and Elyse Craig; Johns Manville, KPMG; UBS Financial Services and Spencer Builders/Remodeling.
Erik Solivan, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Opportunities for People Everywhere, was among the guests.
Others there were Jerene Petersen, deputy executive director for the Colorado Department of Human Services; Tammy and Mike Abramovitz; board member Julie Clark, who with a group of her friends placed the winning bid on a week’s stay at the historic Villa Sassella in Compignano, Italy; Annette Davis, a Warren Village alumna who now serves on it board of trustees; trustee Deanna Locke, who was responsible for encouraging a group of her young professional friends to attend the gala; auctioneer Dani Espinosa, and CBS4 morning reporter Tori Mason, the evening’s emcee.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, partiwriter@hotmail.com and @joanne davidson on Twitter.