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High Rollers bring in funds for Starpoint Charlotte Burrous The Daily Record She saw the struggles of her cousin, who has mental challenges. Over the course of her cousin’s life, Starpoint has supported her. “She lives in a group home and has done very well,” said Jeanette Bickelhaupt, who attended Casino Night Friday. Normally, she spends Halloween with another cousin, who serves sloppy joes for the whole family. While the children go trick or treating, the rest of the family visit. But “I wanted to come and support Starpoint,” Bickelhaupt said. “I think they’re very, very important. It’s just amazing” what they do. She said she looked forward to the silent auction, where she hoped to win Nuggets or Avalanche tickets. Sitting with her were Anne Vinnola as Caribou Barbie, Sheri Ravanelli as a prairie doll, Candi Gibbons as Marty from the book and movie titled, “Love Comes Softly,” and Jennifer Harrigan as Sarah Palin. “We thought it would be a good way to spend” Halloween, Vinnola said. “I was interested in finding out what Starpoint was all about.” Also attending were Bill Summers, a consultant with Starpoint since 1980, and his wife, Bobbi Summers, who retired after more than 25 years as adult services director from Starpoint earlier in the week. “I know and appreciate their programs,” Bill said. Although the couple do not normally gamble, they said they looked forward to learning how to play the games. Also attending were Johnnie DeLeon, who works as executive director for Arkansas Valley Community Center, a similar program in LaJunta along with his brother, Steve DeLeon. “We were up here hunting and thought we would throw on our big game outfits and call it our costumes,” Johnnie said. “And we wanted to come to support a good cause.” As a retired special education school teacher, Steve said it was close to his heart. “It’s for a good cause,” he said. The brothers were led into their careers because their family is in the healthcare business. “Our parents were host home providers, just like Starpoint does adult foster care,” Johnnie said. “We heard what Roger (Jensen) was doing and we wanted to try something similar down in LaJunta.” Starpoint Foundation director Ron Hinkle said although attendance was sparse, the event was a success. The board hoped for triple digits, but was down in the double digits. “It started pretty slow,” he said. “Then it picked up about 8:30 or 9. I consider it a success if those attended had a good time.” If there were 10,000 people there and they didn’t have a good time, then it would not have been a success, Hinkle said. When the crowds did not come in like it was expected, Abbey employee Paula Sheagley took two groups through the Abbey on a guided tour with a flashlight. “It was really interesting,” Hinkle said. “It was an added attraction.” As of this weekend, he said he had no idea what the event had raised in terms of money; however, “in the silent auction, everything but one or two items were sold,” Hinkle said. “The attendance was down, but everybody had a great time. That was the important thing.” As of Saturday, he said he had not calculated how much money was raised, but he figured all of the expenses were paid. Next year, Hinkle said the board would re-evaluate the event and make appropriate changes. Charlotte Burrous can be reached at cburrous@ccdailyrecord.com.
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