Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Thank You, Boedecker Foundation

Today we’d like to thank The Boedecker Foundation for its generous grant to support the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder.

The mission of The Boedecker Foundation is to provide critical resources to nonprofit organizations that inspire positive change within diverse communities around the world. The grant from The Boedecker Foundation will help reduce the debt associated with constructing and equipping the SmartHome. This is the second time the foundation has provided a grant to Imagine!’s SmartHomes – it also provided a grant in 2009 to the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont when the foundation was known as The Anthony H. Kruse Foundation.

This support is vital to one of Imagine!’s most ambitious projects. Over the past five years, Imagine! has built, and is currently operating, two SmartHomes. Imagine!’s SmartHomes provide permanent affordable housing for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, and they incorporate cutting edge technologies to improve the quality and efficiency of services and supports for the residents.

As the first such homes in the nation, Imagine!’s SmartHomes are serving as a model for the future of residential care for people with developmental disabilities. They enhance the lives and independence of residents, augment the effectiveness of staff as caregivers, and provide cost and energy savings to Imagine!.

In addition, the SmartHome model has enormous potential to impact groups of people with related concerns (dementia, autism, chronic mental illness, and Alzheimer’s), as the homes are serving as living laboratories to create and test “SmartSupports” – assistive technologies that can be used in family homes to keep individuals with any kind of cognitive impairment living in their own homes for as long as possible.

To recognize The Boedecker Foundation’s support, the kitchen in the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome will be known from now on as The Boedecker Kitchen, and will be recognized with a prominently displayed plaque.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Good Knights!

On February 8th, Dick Bryant, with the Knights of Columbus Boulder Council 1183, presented a check for $860 to Jane Sprague from Imagine!'s Dayspring department. The funds were raised by the Knights' Tootsie Roll Drive to help families who have children with developmental disabilities and delays to attend activities in the community that support the therapies children are getting in their homes.

The Boulder Knights have supported Imagine! by donating a total of $12,394 to the organization over the past decade! Thank you, Knights!!!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Thank You Thursday!

Here’s a roundup of donations to the Imagine! Foundation that were paid from January 21 through the night of the Imagine! Celebration, January 27. Thanks to all of our generous donors.


Gold ($5000-$9,999)
Signature Offset

Silver ($2,500-$4,999)
Don & Anita Fort
George & Kristin Karakehian
Eric & Jennifer Love

Bronze ($1,000-$2,499)
The Boulder Group, Robert W. Baird & Co. 
Sandy & Sally Bracken
Bob & Judy Charles
Phil & Yvonne DiStefano
Bob & Sandi Edson
John & Deea Frisbie
Jon & Karen Jones
Dale & Kathy King
Terry & Suzie Lavelle
Liquor Mart
Tom & Tia Mattson
Marty & Alfred McElwain
Jay & Kathy Montgomery
Rick & Jackie Nelson
Lonnie Nixon & Rebecca Turnbull
Polk Family Charitable Fund
Walt & Linda Pounds
John Thacker
Rick & Lynne Waidler

Associate ($500-$999)
John & Crystal Bickel
Steve & June Blouch
Scott & Virginia Brown
Robb Cope
Cameron & Erika Grant
Rich & Connie Knippelmeyer
Chris Leh & Natalie Hanlon-Leh
Lawrence & Barbara Marquess
Peter & Carol Mitschke
Ron & Vickye Secrist
Gene & Beverly Shaw
Steve & Sarah Stoecker
Lee & Roshelle Woods

Supporter ($250-$499)
Scott & Shelly Baker
Rick & Pat Burdick
Janice Charles
Bob & Beth Davis
Mark & Judy Emery
Bill & Suzanne Farrell
Jerry & Diane Golnick
Becky Hammond
Rollie & Josie Heath
Charles & Sally Holmes
Keith Kanemoto
Walter Logue & Anahid Katchian
Bruce & Robin Marshall
Chuck Sisk & Terre Rushton
Don Sullivan & Paige Lawrence
Susan White
Sterling Wind

Friend ($1-$249)
Ron & Janan Alford
Hunter & Stephanie Barto
David & Kathy Brinton
Mike & Julie Butler
Roger & Elle Cabbage
Kory & Kim Cash
Ted Conti & Meg Brennan
Kathy Coyn
Ken & Lynn Curtis
Pat & Janell Daly
Greg & Lesley Davis
Jeannie Demarinis
Jack Elliott
Kathy Evans
Dennis & Becky Fase
Mike & Joyce Frailey
Caitlin & Cathy Frantz
Robert & Karla Friar
Mike & Tamara Gaffney
Sean Gingerich
Paul & Susan Graf
Deb Gravelle
Mel & Cindy Green
Kevin Harding
Katie Hawkins
Mike & RaShelle Hindman
Fred Hobbs
Matt Hutchinson & Alison Kadans
Adam & Mary Ingersoll
Daniel Johnson
Cary & Cathy Juvonen
John Kay
Stuart & Lauren Kingsbery
Eric & Lisa Kittelberger
Mike & Kerry Kleiman
Jeff & Ali Knight
Mark & Julie Lee
Arlin & Cindi Lehman
Mark Love
Kevin Martin
Ryan & Leanne Martyr
Michele Morin
David & Patti Micklin
Tom & Vicki Miller
Sara Ostrom
John & Lonni Peterson
Scott & Julia Pirnack
Dan & Tara Powers
Hector Rubi
Matt & Taryn Sanchez
Mia Sanchez-O’Dell
Ryon Schartz
Steve & Debbie Schmidle
Lee Shainis
St. Vrain Valley School District
Gary Stebick
Dale & Anne Stetina
Tim Studebaker & Linda Ortiz
Sue Thomas
Carrie Thornton
Phil & Brenda Tobias
Loree Vanderhye
Don & Colene Van Winkle
Lisa Wade
Star Waring
Rose Weyman
Jessica Woodings
Theresa Wrangham


In-Kind Platinum ($5000-$9,999)
Christine Landrum – Dynavox V-Max with EyeMax and other electronics

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Thanks Community Trust of the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County

Today we’d like to acknowledge the Community Trust of the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County for their $3,000 grant to be directed to Boulder County Family Support Grants. This is the Community Trust’s third grant to Imagine! in the past three years, and it is most appreciated.

Family Support Grants help pay for the extraordinary costs of caring for a family member who has a developmental disability. Funds may be used to help pay for respite care, professional services, medical and dental expenses, transportation, assistive technology, home modifications, and parent and sibling support.

Anyone who has a family member with a developmental disability knows how difficult it can be to pay for some of these expenses, and these grants can make a huge difference. As one family told us: “This grant will help ease the financial stress and burden that comes with having a special needs child. It helps offset costs that insurance does not cover. Each year it seems that insurance covers less to help our child function in the world. We have dealt with that by cutting down on therapies, respite and recreation activities. This grant helps us keep some of those things in place.”

Many thanks to the Community Trust for making such a difference in the lives of Boulder County families!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Thank You Thursday!

Today we’d like to send a great big “thank you” to The Collins Foundation Trust for their recent $3,000 grant for the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. This is the Collins Trust’s fourth grant to our Boulder SmartHome, totaling $12,500. The Collins Foundation Trust was established by William R. and Ruth Collins for distribution to charitable, religious, and educational purposes and organizations within the County of Boulder. The Trust is administered by the Private Client Services division of Wells Fargo Bank.

Thanks, Collins Foundation Trust!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Congratulations, George!

George Karakehian and his wife Kristin
Congratulations are in order for George Karakehian, an Imagine! Foundation Board of Directors Emeritus member. George, sometimes called “The Sheriff of Downtown Boulder,” is being honored as the 2012 Boulder Distinguished Citizen by the Boy Scouts of America, Longs Peak Council.

The Distinguished Citizen is the highest honor bestowed on a community leader by the Longs Peak Council for their service to their community, exemplary character, and loyal citizenship. The selection committee determined that Karakehian best represented these values, which are the backbone of Scouting.

George, owner of Art Source International and Boulder City Councilman, moved to Boulder in 1971 after graduating from Colorado State University to follow his soon to be wife, Kristin. In 1980, he opened Art Source International, which has been on the Pearl Street Mall for more than 20 years. He has been engaged in the Boulder community by serving on numerous city boards and non-profit organizations such as Imagine!, Downtown Boulder, Inc, The Colorado Chautauqua Association, and he was the driving force behind the creation of the Downtown Boulder Business Improvement District. An avid supporter of CU athletics, George has also been an officer of the Buff Club. In 2009, he was elected to the Boulder City Council and recently reelected in 2011. George and Kristin have two daughters, Jessie and Katie.

In order to honor George in a fun and engaging manner, George’s friends and other community leaders have agreed to host a roast. Please join us in an entertaining evening to recognize George’s contributions to our community and support the Boy Scouts in their mission to create tomorrow’s community leaders. The dinner will be at the St. Julian Hotel on March 8 beginning at 6:30 PM.

To purchase your seat or table at the event, simply click here and join the fun on March 8th.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Thank You Thursday!

For today’s Thank You Thursday, we’d like to thank all of our Imagine! Celebration 2012 Sponsorship Partners. The total of paid and pledged sponsors this year totaled $111,875, which represents an 8% increase over last year!


Gold Sponsorships
Ball Corporation 
Sandy & Sally Bracken
David & Laura Braddock
Colorado Business Bank
The Eldridge Family
Flood and Peterson  
McElwain Family Foundation
Micro Motion 
Signature Offset 
MarkZentner/Motorola Foundation

Silver Sponsorships
Amgen, Inc.
Avista Adventist Hospital 
Boulder Community Hospital
Centennial Bank 
Lou & Melodie Della Cava
Merrill Lynch 
Palmos Development 
PDC Pharmacy
Republic National Distributing Company 
Wells Fargo 
Susan White

Table Sponsorships
The Boulder Group/Robert W. Baird & Co
Sandy & Sally Bracken
Dean Callan & Co
Bob & Judy Charles
David Edwards
EKS&H  
Elevations Credit Union 
FirstBank of Longmont 
Front Range Community College 
Grant, Grant & Goiran
Guaranty Bank and Trust Company 
Land Title Guarantee Company 
Liquor Mart
Littler Mendelson, P.C
Longmont United Hospital 
Louisville Auto Supply/NAPA Auto Parts 
Metro Taxi 
Jay & Kathy Montgomery
Mutual of America 
Lonnie & Rebecca Nixon
Walt & Linda Pounds
Bernie & Leona Stoecker
Lloyd & Julie Streit
Tebo Development
Tetra Tech 
Van Winkle Associates
Western Disposal 

CityWide Banks  (1/2 table)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Imagine!'s Holiday Gift Giving Program Provided Gifts To More Than 500 People

Yes, it is already February, but we wanted to make sure we thanked all those who worked so hard last November and December to make Imagine!’s Holiday Gift Giving program a success.

Through the generosity, time, effort, and hard work of so many contributors, individuals, and employees, we were able to provide gifts for more than 500 children and adults through Imagine!’s Gift Giving Program for 2011.

Major contributors included:

• Tebo Christmas Party
Nativity of our Lord Church in Broomfield
Lockheed Martin/Operation Santa Claus
RE/MAX of Longmont
Seagate
Association for Community Living (ACL)
King Soopers
Flatirons Church
• Imagine! Board of Directors
• Imagine! Foundation Board of Directors
Bal Swan

Thanks to these individuals for helping to coordinate with our major contributors: Dawnna Ankenbrandt, Michelle Conkey, Jayson Cowley, Susan Gabriel, Debbie Garcia, Rebekah Kovarik, Susan LaHoda, Julie Ann Markiewicz, Nicole Newsom, Cheryl Sabo, and Caroline Siegfried.

Thank you to Imagine!’s Service Coordinators and Case Managers for nominating consumers and families, and for delivering gifts to them. Added thanks for everyone who volunteered to help by delivering packages.

A very special thank you to the following employees and family members for all their hard work, generosity, and tireless efforts, once again making this year’s program a success: Larry Bliss, Bruce Gibson, Sharon Headley, Patrick Krause, Marianne Nick, Irene Padilla, So Rosenblum, and Cheryl Sabo.

For many of our consumers and families, these were the only gifts they received and they were very grateful for the help. I’m sure we put smiles on many faces this past December.

Finally, we thank and acknowledge Carol Bliss, the 2012 Imagine! Holiday Gift Giving Program Coordinator, for ensuring the program’s success.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Celebration Photos

Last Friday’s Imagine! Celebration was a huge success! $245,000 was raised to support Imagine!’s mission, and a good time was had by all in attendance. Check out the pictures below!

Imagine! Foundation Board President Sandy Bracken and Foundation Board Member Emeritus George Karakehian, the evening's emcee.

Paige Lawrence, Don Sullivan, Don and Colene Van Winkle. Colene and Paige served as Imagine! Celebration Committee co-chairs, and Don Sullivan was part of that committee as well.

Former Imagine! Board member Dennis Fase and Imagine! CEO Mark Emery

Founder of the Imagine! Foundation Bob Charles and his wife Judy.  Both have been extraordinary supporters of Imagine!.

Kristin Karakehian, past Imagine! Foundation Board President Leona Stocker, and her husband Bernie

Ken and Lynn Curtis spoke passionately about Imagine! before the evening’s Special Appeal

Imagine! Foundation Board Vice President Walt Pounds and his wife Linda, Judy and Neil Bicknell

Chancellor of the CU-Boulder Campus Phil DiStefano and his wife Yvonne.

Robbie Alford, Janan Alford, Ron Alford, Imagine! Foundation Board Member Valorie Simpson

Alonzo Clemons, who receives services from Imagine!, showed off his amazing sculpting skills.

Frank Day and Imagine! Foundation Board Member David Edwards

 Imagine! Foundation Board Member Emeritus Jack Stoakes
Imagine! consumer Tanya Alford provided the evening's entertainment.


Imagine! Foundation Board Member Rick Nelson and his wife Jackie, who served on the Celebration Committee.