20 November 2023
Cornerstones of Care’s 41st Annual Spirit Gala added splashes of color to a fun, festive, and successful fundraising event.
The November 10 celebration, co-chaired by Ken and Leslie Gerling, was highlighted by attendees’ colorful fashions and vibrant prints. The event, which was themed “Color Me Happy,” attracted 618 attendees and raised $442,500 from silent and live auctions. Funds raised included three $10,000 donations and thirty-three $1,000 donations from gracious benefactors as part of the “fund a need” portion of the live auction.
KCTV anchor Brad Stephens served as emcee and joined President and CEO Merideth Rose in welcoming the event’s two Spirit Award honorees, Georgiane Hayhow and Kansas City Corporate Challenge, and thanking them for their support of Cornerstones of Care.
“This year, we emphasized our people who make a difference, and we want to acknowledge the incredible support we receive from people like Georgiane and from organizations like the Kansas City Corporate Challenge,” said Merideth. “They represent a community of donors, volunteers, and supporters who show up time and again for the children and families we serve.”
The evening’s program featured a video highlighting the value of expressive art therapy on our Ozanam Campus.The video shared the story of Noah, a youth on campus who is working through behavioral challenges and is making progress through music, art, and movement therapies thanks to the support of his team of therapists.
The evening was made possible through the support of several ongoing sponsors, including:
- The Bukaty Company
- Burns & McDonnell
- Dynamic Fastener
- Hallmark
- Academy Bank
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
- Stephen and Dr. Susan Hathaway
- MarksNelson
Many thanks to all who helped produce another very successful and fun event.