<strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> Board of Trustees Chairman Brad Busse and President and CEO Christine Benero at the 36th <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> Turkey Trot.
Dear Friends, How fortunate we are to live in a community where neighbor helps neighbor and where people realize that by coming together we can make great things happen. With your support, <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> is leading the charge for the kind of change that is improving people’s lives every day. We are able to do this while continuing to build on our legacy of being the fi rst <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> in the country and our commitment to collective generosity. Together with our community partners we are investing in programs and services designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to succeed. We are preparing more children for a lifetime of learning with broader access to quality early care and education for low-income families. We are providing more students with quality aft er school programs, caring mentors and the motivation they need to succeed in the classroom and graduate from high school ready for the transition to college or advanced training. And, we are guiding more individuals and families to opportunities geared to move them toward economic self suffi ciency. Th e strength of a community lies in its ability to pull together for the greater good, especially in challenging times. Th is past year brought with it historic unemployment, shrinking budgets and dreams deferred. Yet, our community looked beyond all of that- way beyond- and came together to move <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> forward like never before. For the fi rst time, three major network affi liate television stations (CBS4, 9News and 7News) joined forces to tell the <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> story. Th ey each graciously provided one of their news anchors to tell the story of real people whose lives were made bett er through <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> and its community partners. Longtime donors Mark and Suzy Kennedy, members of the Tocqueville Society, made an extraordinary gift . In January of 20<strong>09</strong>, Mark’s life was tragically cut short in a skiing accident. In his estate plans, Mark made a legacy gift to <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong>. We thank the Kennedy family and honor Mark’s wishes through the Mark and Suzy Kennedy Tocqueville Challenge which is designed to immediately help new members join the Tocqueville Society by increasing their gift s to $10,000 over a three year period. And, over the summer, through a series of community conversations, hundreds of you including community partners, donors, and concerned citizens told us that <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> is right on target. You affi rmed that our three interrelated initiatives of School Readiness, Youth Success and Adult Self Suffi ciency absolutely align with community needs. Th at affi rmation of mission and proven strategies along with our community’s unyielding support is <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong>’s foundation for the future. A bright future in which we each play a part and share in the success of every child who enters school with the skills and support they need to succeed, of every student who graduates high school ready for bigger and bett er things and of every family that takes those all important steps toward economic self suffi ciency. Th anks to our donors, community partners and the dedicated staff and volunteers of <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong>, we are building a bett er community and we can do more together. Best Regards, Christine Benero Brad R. Busse <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> <strong>Mile</strong> <strong>High</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>Way</strong> President and CEO Chair , Board of Trustees 20<strong>08</strong>-20<strong>09</strong> 1
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