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Dahlia: Forecast good at Crystal Ball

Published November 30, 2005 at midnight

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Building the Future was the theme of the Jefferson Foundation's 20th annual Crystal Ball. The foundation's future does look bright after the event brought in more than $171,000.

The money will benefit programs and grants offered by the nonprofit public education foundation.

Nearly 500 revelers entered the Grand Hyatt Denver, including Fran and Ray Baker and Marybeth and Bill Hanzlik. Ray and Bill co-founded the Gold Crown Foundation, one of the grant recipients of the Jefferson Foundation. Gold Crown provides youth sports and enrichment programs.

Hanzlik, the former Denver Nuggets player and coach, also was the evening's emcee.

He was beginning the foundation's awards ceremony when 9News anchor Mark Koebrich and entertainment reporter Kirk Montgomery took the stage and surprised their colleague Kim Christiansen, who was about to be honored with the foundation's 2005 Distinguished Jeffco Alumni Award.

Christiansen, a graduate of Arvada West High School, was recognized for her accomplishments and volunteer efforts in Jefferson County.

She received the award from Jeffco Schools superintendent Dr. Cindy Stevenson and Tori Merritts, president of the Jefferson Foundation.

Christiansen talked about growing up in Jefferson County and how her high school English teacher, Nancy Hardesty, who attended the celebration, encouraged her to pursue a career in journalism.

The 2005 Crystal Globe for Distinguished Service was presented to the Salazar Family Foundation and its co-founders, Lola and Rob Salazar, by Jefferson Foundation Executive Director Mona Sandoval and retired Jeffco educator Bill Johnson.

"Following the Columbine tragedy, Rob and Lola Salazar made a personal donation that provided funding for two programs that continue to address anger management and teen violence in Jefferson County," said Sandoval.

Johnson acknowledged the Salazar Family Foundation's support for Read to Me, a generational reading program.

Lola, a former Jeffco teacher, at one time applied to the Jefferson Foundation for funding.

She challenged the crowd to join her and her family in contributing to the foundation.

Other highlights included silent and live auctions. Auctioneer Reggie Rivers presided over items including tickets to Denver's Rolling Stones concert, a golf foursome at Sanctuary and a trip to the Bahamas.

Jeffco's music programs were well-represented at the fete by string quartets from Pomona and Arvada high schools and a jazz combo from Evergreen High School.

Another high point was a performance by Sounds of Bear Creek, directed by Nathan Payant, which performed American folk songs and closed with a stunning rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Raffle prizes included a Cabo San Lucas vacation, won by Molholm Elementary principal Joan Chavez. Dennis Karstan won a gold and topaz necklace donated by Purvis Jewelers.

The evening concluded with dancing to Flipside, a band whose members are graduates of Jeffco Public Schools.

The Jefferson Foundation provides funding for literacy programs, preschool and innovations in Jeffco classrooms. It also funds programs that address social issues such as tolerance, nonviolence and teen suicide prevention.

For more information about the Jefferson Foundation, call Anton Delgado, 303-982-2210, or visit

Dahlia Jean Weinstein is the society writer. or 303-892-2882