NONPROFITS AROUND TOWN: Breakfast celebrates positive changes

There was a common theme at the Citizens Project's Creating Community Breakfast: Colorado Springs has changed.

Speaker after speaker, including executive director Barb Van Hoy and board chair Amanda Mountain, said at the June 4 event that it is different here from in 1992, when the city was the hotbed for "Colorado's Amendment 2," which would have banned laws that protect gays from discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation. Amendment 2 was struck down by the Supreme Court.

The Rev. Dr. Nori Rost remembered when she had a bumper sticker: "I'm for separation of church and hate."

Now, 17 years later, 500 people from the community met for breakfast at The Event Center at Mr. Biggs. Some were already Citizens Project donors, but that morning 100 new donors were added. New pledges were matched by the Gay & Lesbian Fund of Colorado, and more than $40,000 was raised, reported development director Kristy Milligan.

It was also reported that supporters were contacting city officials to pass "plus one" insurance, which allows employees to add a family member of choice, and Citizens Project has launched a Religious Freedom Institute "to promote best practices for religious freedom in local public schools" as well as provide leadership training.

A number of early risers were moved to tears when Mimi Cavanaugh told how she had always kept her sexual orientation private, a little fearful about how it would affect her job in the financial field or what people would think. Only when she was cornered by a curious co-worker in 1992 did she come forward and admit who she was. And on June 4, to cheers and hugs, she told 500 people who she still is.

Music at the breakfast was by the Rev. Benjamin Broadbent, lead minister at First Congregational Church of Christ, and young people from the church were greeters and volunteers.

Heads of the Creating Community Breakfast committee were Karole Campell and Lynn Young. Committee members included Molly Ansfield, Nicole Beauvais, Dave Dempsey, Ariel Falconer, Pamela Gomez-Gil, Mark Lee, Deb Muehleisen, Una Ng, Kellley Parker, Beth Payne and Dorrie Stewart.

Junior Achievement award

Maybe he wasn't surprised that he was receiving an award for years of service to Junior Achievement going all the way back to high school, but what Gary Backstrom didn't know was that the new annual Spirit of Achievement Award would carry his name.
Backstrom, of Wells Fargo Advisors, was honored for "sustained and meaningful leadership" at JA's 16th annual gala and auction May 9.

The honoree has served on the Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado Inc. board and executive committee, and was chair of the Gala Auction Committee as well as leading sponsor. The annual auctions have netted more than $1 million and this year had more than 800 items.

Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado has worked with 28,000 area students offering business, economics and personal finance education programs.

Hike for Humanity

A cloudy morning June 13 didn't stop 650 energetic souls from donning retro garb and heading off from America the Beautiful Park on Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, and back to the park for a Picnic Basket lunch during the seventh annual Hike for Humanity.

They raised $25,000 for Women Build, a Habitat for Humanity home-building project primarily funded and built by women.

During the walk they also went through Habitat's Mill Street neighborhood to see the progress.

Habitat Executive Director Paul Johnson, along with Peak 92.9 FM's morning team, handed out team prizes:

Largest Team: Team Ingenex; Most Money Raised: UCCS; Team With Most Spirit: Boecore.

Northern Churches Care

More than 400 were on hand May 8 for the Northern Churches Care annual Crisis to Hope Banquet. Headline entertainer was Scotty Vaughn, Colorado Cowboys for Jesus.

Northern Churches Care helps out families in financial crisis with rent and utilities payments, free food, prescription co-pays, free tax preparation, clothing and travel vouchers, and health and legal advice. "We partner with 45 churches across town and try and hook clients up with churches that can help encourage them spiritually in these harsh times," said banquet chairwoman Elizabeth McCusker.

Last year, NCC gave out 4,997 food packages, helped 1,338 individuals (446 families) with rent assistance, helped 1,920 individuals (640 families) with utilities, helped 329 people with medical needs, gave out 225 gas vouchers or bus tokens, and provided 443 clothing vouchers.

NCC board members include Chair Jeanne Conder, Ed Hoepner, Bruce Thorson, Sue Connell, Greg Wilkins, Roger Patrizio and Joe Vazquez.

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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

Yoga for a Cause, donation-based yoga classes for FutureSelf, helping low-income youth experience self-expression through art, 5-6 p.m. Monday; and a yoga class to benefit Dreampower Animal Rescue, 3:30 p.m. July 18, Core Power Studio, 623 N. Nevada Ave., corepoweryoga.com

World of Wine, VIP and Grand Tasting, to benefit Colorado Springs Dance Theatre and The Bob Telmosse Foundation, July 24, The Colorado Springs School, csdance.org or santa-bob.org

Jazz on the Green, to support Safe Passage, the children's advocacy center, Aug. 22, Colorado Springs Country Club

Miracles in Motion Gala, to benefit Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center, Oct. 2, Norris-Penrose Event Center, pptrc.org