It was an intimate evening with an alpine glow. Rendezvous at the Ranch, held at Kevin Costner’s Dunbar Ranch, and benefitting The Shining Stars Foundation for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, was hosted by Laura and Warren Kruger, director of events and presenting sponsors, and Kathy Gingery, founder and CEO of the Shining Stars Foundation.
The event was held under a clear tent with Russian olive boughs and twinkling lights, bordered by the gently flowing tributary of the Roaring Fork River. This was a true roundup; the suggested dress code was cowboy chic, and Western culture could be seen everywhere, right down to auctioneer John Sarpa’s gold and silver spurs. Guests mingled near the auction table to bid on items such as a beautiful beige sleep set from Naked Cashmere, and a Randal Scott Demented Hat Co. creation. Cool, summery Flor de Caña rum hosted a bar serving watermelon margaritas and sparkling soda and rum with curled orange rinds.
Garrett Rymer, a Shining Star, spoke of his journey from pediatric cancer to living life among his peers and other survivors. A surprise auctioneer, Julianne Keil, raised the bar on giving, asking guests to donate one-week camp visits for a single Shining Star, and received generous bids. Purist gift bags were provided to guests. Dinner was a culinary delight created by chef Miles Angelo.
Gingery founded the Shining Stars Foundation in 2001 alongside a group of experienced volunteers who saw an unmet need in the Rocky Mountains for a program that would provide emotional support to children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. The Colorado based nonprofit is dedicated to transforming lives through year-round recreational and social programs for these children and their immediate families. shiningstarsfoundation.org
Photography by Riccardo Savi