Terrance McWilliams, left, from El Pomar Foundation, and Jerry Bruni of the Bruni Foundation at the closing reception for this year's Empty Stocking Fund. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)
A million dollars.
It’s happily becoming a given: The Gazette-El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund and a million dollars.
Once again donors – 2,284 strong – came through for the 2015-16 holiday-season campaign and raised $1,144,158.61 for 20 health and human service nonprofits. Nine million-dollar years.
On Monday, with the snow floating down, agency representatives, donors and volunteers were at Penrose House for the good news and the distribution of checks at the closing reception.
“We are changing the future. It’s amazing what we can and are doing,” said Jerry Bruni, of the Bruni Foundation, who was honored for giving matching grants altogether totaling a million dollars since 2000. To celebrate that personal million milestone, Bruni had run his pen down the list of recipients, stopping where this year’s campaign went over the million-dollar mark, and doubled his grant check to that agency, Silver Key Senior Services. There were screams at the announcement.
Also matching grants was the El Pomar Foundation.
“This is a community event and that’s what sets it apart,” said Gazette Publisher Dan Steever.
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/zcgtbal
More photos: gazettedev.gazette.com/life/around-town
Terrance McWilliams, left, from El Pomar Foundation, and Jerry Bruni of the Bruni Foundation at the closing reception for this year’s Empty Stocking Fund. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Jerry Bruni, left, of the Bruni Foundation and Gazette Publisher Dan Steever, right, welcome donors Bill and Laureen McIlrath to the Penrose House closing reception for The Gazette-El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund campaign. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Nechie Hall and Thayer Tutt, Jr. chat at the closing ceremonies for the Empty Stocking Fund. 012516 Photo by Linda NavarroVisiting at the Penrose House closing reception for the Empty Stocking Fund campaign, from left, Greg Mitchell of Salvation Army, LaToya Foster of ESM and Shannon Roe of Peak Vista. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Becky Treece of TESSA receives the Empty Stocking Fund checks from El Pomar’s Julia Lawton at the campaign’s closing reception at Penrose House. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Gazette Publisher Dan Steever, left, has a gift for Jerry Bruni, of the Bruni Foundation, in recognition of donating a million dollars in matching grants to The Gazette-El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund since 2000. The closing reception for the 2015-16 campaign, which raised $1,144,158.61 for 20 health and human service nonprofits, was held at Penrose House. Nechie Hall and Thayer Tutt, Jr. chat at the closing ceremonies for the Empty Stocking Fund. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Smiling as they receive Empty Stocking Fund checks for The Resource Exchange were, from left, Brad Hallock, Sheila Ferguson, Ron Rubin and Warren Wieland. The campaign’s closing celebration was held at Penrose House. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)El Pomar Fellows, who provided the logistics for the Empty Stocking Fund campaign, were saluted. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Smiles all around as Lorri Orwig of Silver Key Senior Services receives the Empty Stocking Fund checks from El Pomar Fellows TeRay Esquibel and Julia Lawton. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)Ann Lantz, executive director of Ecumenical Social Ministries, receives a check from El Pomar Fellow Julia Lawton at the closing reception for the Empty Stocking Fund campaign. 012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)The favorite tie of the night at the closing reception for the Empty Stocking Fund was Ameriprise Financials Paul Franco’s. The reception was the night following the Broncos’ AFC championship win. ncial?012516 Photo by Linda Navarro (linda navarro)
