Mini Golf Provides 2 Tons of Food

How do you turn two tons of nonperishable food into a corporate, team-building exercise?  Just ask the creative and industrious folks at Universal Lending Corporation. About 250 Universal Lending employees convened for an annual meeting and decided to do more than talk shop and set new corporate goals. Instead, they held a team-building exercise – make a miniature golf course out of cans of food, which were then donated to Food Bank of the Rockies.

On the day of the event, employees were let in on the meaning of all that nonperishable food. They were challenged to design and build a 30-hole mini golf course out of the food items which would afterwards be donated to Food Bank of the Rockies in celebration of ULC’s 30 Year Anniversary. After the mini golf course was designed and built, teams played a 9-hole round of golf.

While prizes were awarded to employees, the real pleasure came in boxing up the food and loading it on Food Bank of the Rockies’ truck. When all was said and done, ULC contributed 4,000 pounds/2 tons of food to the Food Bank, which produced 3,125 meals for neighbors in need.

An Event Not to be Missed!

Colorado has the fastest growing rate of childhood poverty in the nation. With poverty comes the reality that many Colorado kids don’t have the means to receive regular meals.  Not to mention healthy meals.  While hunger at any age is debilitating, it is especially hard on children.  We all bear the costs down the road when children aren’t nourished at a young age.  Luckily, there are folks who have a heart and passion for fighting childhood hunger in our great state.  Enter Joe and Debbie Sakic. 

15 years ago, hockey all star, Joe Sakic, and wife, Debbie, decided to become a voice for Colorado’s low income kids and have made a lasting impact on childhood hunger in our state.  Partnering with Food Bank of the Rockies (FBR) resulted in two annual fundraising events that have become the financial backbone for FBR’s children’s programs.

Stunningly beautiful Sanctuary is the meeting grounds for the first event, The Joe Sakic Celebrity Classic Golf Tournament, presented by RE/MAX.  On Thursday, August 23, celebrities and sponsors will join Joe for his 15^th annual tournament.  Dave and Gail Liniger, co-founders of RE/MAX, created Sanctuary on a wildlife refuge in Colorado’s Front Range for the exclusive use of selected charities and invited guests. Sanctuary has been rated by Golf Digest and Golfweek among the top golf courses in the United States.  More importantly, in Sanctuary’s 15-year history, charity golf tournaments have raised millions of dollars for important causes.

Friday evening, August 24, the Sakics will host an elegant celebration of dining, entertainment and high-end auction items.  The Joe and Debbie Sakic Bringing Hope to the Table Celebration, Presented by CoBank and RBC Wealth Management, will take place at the Marriott Denver Tech Center.  Comedian, Craig Shoemaker, will provide the evening’s entertainment and Hazel Miller and Jake Schroeder will entertain guests with their musical genius during dinner.  The event kicks off with a cocktail reception at 5:30pm, followed by dinner.  Marc Moser of the Altitude Radio Network will emcee the evening’s festivities.  We're excited to be joined by event sponsors, 104.3 The FAN, Fox 31 Denver and Colorado's Own Channel 2.   

 FBR has been fighting hunger and feeding hope for 34 years and currently provides food to nearly 1,100 partner agency programs.  Last year alone, over 84,000 meals per day were provided to our neighbors in need. 42% of those served through FBR’s partner agencies are children.  Over the course of the partnership with the Sakics, FBR has been fortunate enough to provide over nearly 15 million meals to Colorado children in need.  Childhood hunger is a problem that is solvable.  The Sakics are continuing to work toward ending the pains of hunger felt by Colorado children in need.  You can help. Join Joe and Debbie this August to fight hunger, feed hope and have a great time in the process. 

Would you like to golf with Joe and his celebrity friends?  ONLY TWO FOURSOMES REMAIN!  You can still register for the Bringing Hope to the Table Celebration!  To learn more and to register, go to the home page at www.foodbankrockies.org, or call 303.375.5838. 

Faces of Food Bank: Starla

Starla is our go-to for all things IT and fills in the rest of her time assisting with finance operations and supervising operations/commodities inventory data and reporting.  Never a dull moment in her first floor office. 

Growing up, Starla envisioned herself as a stewardess, traveling the world.  We're glad she chose IT.  She loves the people in Colorado and could eat lobster with lots of butter any day of the week.  

 

Faces of Food Bank: Jose

Jose works directly with Coloradans in need.  He performs verification of eligibility for seniors, women, infatns and children for the "Commodity Supplemental Food Program" (CSFP), a Colorado government program administered by FBR.  Jose can be found at various sites throughout Denver, working with FBR staff members in distributing government food boxes.

Growing up, Jose aspired to be President but is happy with his food bank gig for now:)  He's grateful for the people he works with at our Nome Street facility.  Random Jose facts...he'll eat anything coming from his mom's kitchen, except fish and comes from a family of 29 aunt and uncles and over 100 cousins!