AROUND TOWN: Event honors nonprofit that helps students

The Antlers Hilton ballroom was a sea of paper diplomas being waved in the air.

Winding their way around the tables and through a standing ovation and paper salute were lines of Harrison seventh-graders, shown symbolically that a few years from now high school and college diplomas can be theirs.

Giving their support to the young people were adults from the community who support Peak Education, which provides selected students from low-income neighborhoods in School District 2 with resources, mentoring and educational support from sixth grade through college.

While guests dined, the seventh-graders were in a ballroom next door enjoying their own dinner and having a little etiquette fun learning the mystery of multiple forks and glasses.

Later in the evening at the March 6 "Magic of Two" celebration, Chuck Murphy called on people to raise the diplomas once again to pledge monetary support for scholarships, leadership development, mentoring, tutoring and college preparation.

In a touching pay-it-forward moment, when Murphy called for $100 donations a young man thrust his diploma into the air. It was Chris Bowman, the first graduate of Peak Education. Headed for graduate school, he is working in California after graduating from Colorado State University. "Peak Education has altered my life in such a way that words cannot attempt to even begin to express," he wrote in the evening's program.

"You're what this program is all about," said attendee Susan Saksa, shaking Bowman's hand. Then she admitted she was probably going to cry.

Other highlights of the evening, which raised $50,000, included honors to educators who have been vital to the program, Pam Shockley-Zaback, chancellor of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and Rick Price, retired principal of Carmel Middle School, one of the Peak Education focus schools.

Peak Education founders Dr. H. Dalton Conner and Steven U. Mullens, the two in the "Magic of Two," said there are 86 students in the program.

In one school with a 70 percent graduation rate, the rate of graduation for Peak Education students is 100 percent.

"Magic happens when someone has a vision," said Executive Director Dee Beaudette, who then invited everyone in the room to dance the rest of the night away to the sounds of Play It Forward. Rocking away were musicians Craig Davis, Greg Gibson, Ronnie Frosch, Eric Klodt, Danny Zentz and Gary Haarbye.

Arthritis Foundation

For Kris Harty it started on the Halloween when she was 7. As she and other kids ran from house to house, she suddenly couldn't run at all.

She needed to go home to her mom, "because Mom could fix anything."

But Mom couldn't fix this: juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Many surgeries and joint replacements later and years of being "whispered about, stared at, pointed at," made her determined to do everything she was told she couldn't. Now an adult, she drives, has a job and lives independently 1,000 miles from her family. She also knows that any further surgeries could kill her.

Kara Gramlich was 10 when diagnosed with arthritis eight years ago. She had a reaction to an antibiotic and got "mad and sad and blamed God." Like Harty she learned to not let people's opinions of her matter.

She had to stop doing hand stands and cartwheels, but she's been on the varsity basketball team at Lewis-Palmer High School for three years. Arthritis is not an old person's disease, they learned.

The two were speakers at the Arthritis Foundation's "Commitment to a Cure" luncheon March 12 at the Crowne Plaza.

Board member Cheryl Ricklefs shared her personal experience with arthritis, and Dr. Ronald Royce talked about advances in research and treatments.

Attendees were invited to mark their calendars for the May 2 Arthritis Walk in America the Beautiful Park, and the 17th annual Jewels of the Vine Wine Tasting Sept. 26 at the Antlers Hilton.

Serving as table hosts for this inaugural local luncheon were Kathryn Duncan, Karen Dempsey, Angie Hager, Debi Nottingham, Tinka Piper, Cindy Hendricks, Meredith Lendzion, Marquesa Hobbs, Laura Rosseisen, Beverly Cres-well, Dr. Chara Solich, Dr. Larry Zyskowski, Dr. Susan McMasters, Carley Hyman, Terri Reishus, Kent Ely and Paula Humber.

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Send information about nonprofit events and fundraisers to
 linda.navarro@gazette.com or mail to Linda Navarro, P.O. Box 1779, Colorado Springs, 80901.

SAVE THE DATES

Homeward Pikes Peak Golf Classic presented by Concept Restaurants, private party for golfers and sponsors, 6 p.m. April 28, Ritz Grill, golf April 29, Broadmoor Mountain Golf Course, $300, luke@conceptrestaurants.net, 635-8190.

"Wine, For The Health Of It" to benefit SET Family Medical Centers, wine tasting and entertainment, 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 16, The Warehouse, 25 W. Cimarron St., $40, setofcs.org or 776-8850.