It Was A Good Day For A Throwdown

The 2nd Annual Cornhole Throwdown to benefit the Cottonwood Institute wrapped up last Saturday and we are happy to report that it was a success! 30 teams and over 70 spectators battled it out to show their support for the Cottonwood Institute. Despite a minor injury from Board Member Marley Steele-Inama, who developed a minor “cornhole strain” during the event, we were able to raise over $2,700 to help low-income students at West Denver Prep sleep under the stars for the first time in their lives this school year.

The competition was stiff, the sun was shining, and there was a slight breeze out of the Northeast, but in the end, Brian Wass and Aaron Rich from team Boiler Brewers emerged victorious. They earned the honor of displaying the prestigious 2011 Cornhole Throwdown trophy on their desks at work, in addition to sweet backpacks from REI and some serious bragging rights. Paul Keeney and Mike Atkins from team Park Hill Players took a close second and the coveted VIP Hanson tickets at the Fox Theater – Mmm Bop!

If you weren’t able to make it this year, you can still make a huge difference by making a tax-deductible donation by Clicking Here.

To relive the magic of the 2011 Throwdown, check out these stunning photos from the event by Clicking Here.

A special thanks goes our to our friends and sponsors for helping make this such a fun event, including: AOR, Chipotle, Denver Zoo, Fox Theater, REI, Scorzie, Two Knobby Tires, and Wynkoop Brewing Company.

New Leaders Step Up At The Cottonwood Institute

New leaders have been stepping up at the Cottonwood Institute the past few months. We are excited to have April Pishna, our Adventure Coordinator for the past two years, become our first Program Director! She will be responsible for working with our educational partners and instructors to make sure we deliver fun, high quality, high impact programs for our students. Madeline Bachner is still teaching the Community Adventure Program at New Vista High School and is stepping into our Adventure Coordinator role.

New board members have also been working hard behind the scenes to infuse fresh passion, energy, and ideas. Marley Steele-Inama, Education Research and Evaluation Manager at the Denver Zoo recently joined the board to help improve our program logic model and evaluation tools. Jack Derby, a Certified Financial Planner from the Derby Financial Group, is our board Treasurer. Janet Woods, Vendor Manager at Avnet Technology Solutions, is our board Secretary and marketing guru. Chris Zook, Vice President at Q Advisors, is the new Chairman of the Board.

The compass is set and we are so excited about the direction the Cottonwood Institute is headed!