Left to right: Matt Miller, Midwest Chapter President, Gary Johnston, Metro DC/Baltimore Chapter Vice-President, Derek Bjerga, and Robert Reedy, California Chapter Vice-President |
The Matthew Shepard Foundation Presents The Fifth Annual "Bear To Make A Difference" Gala Dinner and Celebrity Teddy Bear Auction.
It could just as easily been called "A Night to Erase Hate." The foundation was created in memory of Matthew Shepard, who was brutally beaten and murdered because of his life style. It was after his murder that hundreds of teddy bears were created and donated in Matt’s memory and his parents Judy and Dennis Shepard founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation to "replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance."
The first auction of teddy bears to benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation was held by local Denver notables in 2002, and has grown since. This year, Teddy bears were designed and donated by celebrities such as Margaret Cho, Sean Hayes, Pink, Chad Allen, Cyndi Lauper, Barbara Streisand, Elton John & Bernie Taupin, Judith Light & Robert Desiderio, local weatherman and host, Mike Nelson, as well as Judy Shepard and others. Verizon was this year’s only platinum sponsor of the event and between corporate sponsorship and employee participation in the auction donated over $22,000 to this worthy cause. As host, Mike Nelson did a wonderful job. At one point, due to equipment problems, he even had to ad lib with his "Tornado Dance" that he performs at local schools. Honorees of the event included Ryan Olson, who is president of HERO (Helping Educate Regarding Orientation) at Gonzaga University, and Radi Driscol, singer – songwriter of "What Matters." Judith Light and Robert Desiderio were the recipients of the "Making a Difference Award." After the awards ceremony, the live auction started with auctioneer, Don Martin. This was followed by comedian Alec Mapa to lighten the evening and then Mike Nelson closed the night with some final words.
A warm and loving thank you to Matthew Shepard and his family who turned their grievous loss into a positive benefit for us all.
In attendance for Verizon were Matt Miller, Midwest Chapter President, Robert Reedy, California Chapter Vice-President, and our Chapter Vice-President, Gary Johnston accompanied by his partner, Derek Bjerga.
For more information about the Verizon's sponsorship of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, see:
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