Special to the HT
RBC | TheThis spring, communities all around the Roaring Fork and Grand River valleys showed up to support YouthZone in some amazing ways. On May 1st, more than 200 people gathered at the historic Hotel Colorado for our 50th Anniversary Spring Gala, which featured the return of YouthZone’s flagship Kiss-n-Squeal fundraiser after a decade-long hiatus. As the exciting night of food, drinks, and music wound down, our community had raised almost $300,000 in support of YouthZone’s mission— Hopeful Youth, Strong Families, and Safe Communities.
At the event, we had almost $100,000 in auction items up for grabs, ranging from car wash vouchers to luxury Hawaiian vacations, all donated by local businesses. Another $75,000 was raised via corporate sponsorships, highlighting a strong and vibrant business community that aligns with our mission (and enjoys a good party). We extend our deepest gratitude to Alpine Bank, our Title Sponsor, and SGM, Bighorn Toyota, and Bank of Colorado, our Presenting Sponsors, for their community leadership and investment in our work. We’d also like to recognize our Supporting Sponsors: DWC CPAs and Advisors, Arrigoni Woods, McDonald’s, Columbine Ford, and Natural Soda. We’re extremely proud that these businesses – local and national alike – are part of our team, and we encourage you to spend your money with them so they can continue making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth in our area.
However, the success of the evening didn’t stop there! After hearing an inspiring story of strength from a current YouthZone client, our caring donors contributed around $55,000 in the paddle raise, a fantastic show of pure generosity and support for our programming. Finally, the night closed with the announcement of our Kiss-n-Squeal champion Alex Mondragon of Alpine Bank, who raised nearly $40,000, over the course of the five week competition. He was awarded the honor of kissing Turbo the pig on stage in front of the entire crowd.
You may find yourself asking what the point of all this was – the party, the pig, the craziness. At YouthZone, our mission is to provide comprehensive assessment to court involved and at-risk youth to support them when they need it most. Our vision is a community where every young person knows that they can reach their full potential, their families have the resources to support them, and their communities are safe places where they belong. The money raised this spring directly supports this work. Our staff of 17 serves nearly 500 youth annually. Our programs achieve a remarkable 90% completion and non-reoffense rate, showing that the youth we serve are successfully staying on track and avoiding further involvement in the justice system. In addition, nearly 60% of YouthZone participants show measurable, meaningful improvement in areas such as drug and alcohol refusal skills, school and community engagement, and optimism. With your support, we’re able to make significant and lasting changes in the lives of local youth and families.
If you were unable to attend this year’s Gala or would still like to contribute, it’s not too late to make a difference. Donations can be made at YouthZone.com/give, and every gift—big or small—helps us continue this important work. And the fun doesn’t stop here—be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming Bingo events this summer, more great opportunities to connect, have fun, and support our work.
From all of us at YouthZone, thank you for believing in our mission and investing in the next generation.
The champion of the Kiss-n-Squeal competition for YouthZone this year was Alex Mondragon of Alpine Bank, who raised nearly $40K over the course of the five-week contest.
