PARKER: Friends pony up for cancer cause

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 21, 2007 at midnight

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Ellen Robinson may enjoy some wine now and then, but no one would ever call her a whiner. As the co-founder of The Palm's annual Women and Wine event, she's helped raise mucho money for a handful of local charities.

But Tuesday's gal pal party was personal. After being treated for rectal cancer (she calls it the Farrah Fawcett disease) at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, she wanted to raise funds for the RMCC Foundation, an organization that helps pay expenses for cancer patients.

"When I was treated there, I found out about their foundation," said Robinson, daughter of Robinson Dairy founder Dick Robinson. "After seeing how expensive all these treatments are, and how all these people drive hundreds of miles to get to RMCC, I felt it was a very worthy charity."

So 210 well-high-heeled women mobbed The Palm on Tuesday to sample sips, chow down on steak and lobster and snap up snazzy auction items. In the end, Robinson's posse raised $20,000 each for RMCCF and Dress For Success, an organization that provides workplace clothing for low-income women.

Robinson, a public person who's very private, hadn't made a big to-do about her cancer battle. But after two surgeries, and months of chemotherapy and radiation, and now a clean bill of health, she's willing to talk about her journey and raise money to help others less fortunate.

"This is my own way of giving back," she said.

BRIX BOWS OUT: After a year in biz, Brix Downtown Bistro is bailing out of the Ballpark Neighborhood at 2200 Market St. Owner Chuck Cattaneo told me that the place had become more of a nightclub than a restaurant, which caused friction between the bar and the neighbors.

Thanos Lemonidis, nephew of famed club king Regas Christou, will take over as majority owner and turn it into a comfort food diner-esque eatery next month.

The original Brix in Cherry Creek is still alive and kicking, Cattaneo said.

PAL PARKER: Avalanche right winger Scott Parker (no relation) may be a fierce force to reckon with on the ice, but outside the rink, he's just a softie.

Reader Mike Kinmartin wrote to me about a recent "chance meeting" Kinmartin and his kids had with "The Sheriff" at a stoplight near the Outlet Mall in Castle Rock.

"My son, Quade, and daughter, Grace, were in the car with me. I told him that my son also played hockey, and they wished each other luck," Kinmartin said.

The light changed and the Kinmartin clan pulled away. "Scott followed us home and pulled into our cul de sac so he could meet my son and talk a little hockey with him," Kinmartin said. "He stayed for about 15 minutes, took a couple of pictures and signed a couple items. Quade was like a rock star in the locker room with his teammates."

EAVESDROPPING on a woman at The Women and Wine event at The Palm: "The fashion on the wood floor at The Palm was better than the red carpet at the Emmys."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.

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