Facilities Use Expanded
As a committed member of the greater Denver community, Graland’s campus is becoming a well-known partner to select organizations serving youth or education causes. From the Fieldhouse to the Fries Family Theater, Graland supports Denver nonprofits that offer an enriched experience to local kids.
By Juan Botello, Director of Finance and Operations
Better Ball
Coach Randy Perkins says that using the Graland facility motivates players to work harder -- at the sport and at life. “When new kids first walk into the gym and we stand at center court, there’s a look in their eyes I can’t describe,” he shares. “Graland allows me to demonstrate that each one of them has value. I constantly teach that they can change their circumstances if they work hard and stay out of trouble. They have a choice.”
Tunes and Tones
Meaningful Meetings
“Many of these kids need 24-hour care, and it means so much for someone to emphasize what they can do, instead of what they can’t do,” says President, CEO and former Graland parent Ruth B. Johnson, JD. “Connecting with kids after camp is very important to reinforce the value they get from their camp experience – it fosters the same sense of community, achievement, and self-confidence. We are so grateful to Graland for hosting the reunion – the location was the perfect. The kids and families were amazed by your generosity.”
As a committed member of the greater Denver community, Graland’s campus is becoming a well-known partner to select organizations serving youth or education causes. From the Fieldhouse to the Fries Family Theater, Graland supports Denver nonprofits that offer an enriched experience to local kids.
Better Ball
Basketball players with Colorado Miners have practiced plays and game skills in Graland’s Hamilton Gymnasium for the past three years. The organization uses its competitive basketball program to inspire at-risk youth to “be a good player, be a better person.”
Coach Randy Perkins says that using the Graland facility motivates players to work harder -- at the sport and at life. “When new kids first walk into the gym and we stand at center court, there’s a look in their eyes I can’t describe,” he shares. “Graland allows me to demonstrate that each one of them has value. I constantly teach that they can change their circumstances if they work hard and stay out of trouble. They have a choice.”
Tunes and Tones
Graland connections helped one local choral group secure the use of our performing arts space for rehearsals. Vocal groups with Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir take over the Hamilton Reiman Building each Monday under the guidance of Graland teacher Josh Gaffga, who serves as co-conductor. Some of our students, including Alex Alijani, Annie Mandava and Olivia Cohen, are members of the choir and several Graland alumni perform in the organization’s top boys choir, the Mountain Aires. The group’s goal is to give children the opportunity to experience musical excellence in a multicultural environment.
Meaningful Meetings
For more than 200 participants of a special, free camp program, Graland stepped in when their reunion was in need of a venue. Roundup River Ranch serves children (and their families) who are battling serious illnesses and provides unforgettable opportunities to discover joy, friendships, and confidence at camp. At the reunion in the Fieldhouse, families participated in traditional camp activities like crafts, sports and music.
“Many of these kids need 24-hour care, and it means so much for someone to emphasize what they can do, instead of what they can’t do,” says President, CEO and former Graland parent Ruth B. Johnson, JD. “Connecting with kids after camp is very important to reinforce the value they get from their camp experience – it fosters the same sense of community, achievement, and self-confidence. We are so grateful to Graland for hosting the reunion – the location was the perfect. The kids and families were amazed by your generosity.”
Youth and education are two causes that we believe in supporting, a practice that is in line with our mission. It’s our pleasure to open our campus to these and other designated organizations, whose members are always so respectful of our property. In fact, Colorado Miners players volunteer alongside Graland eighth graders to help the facilities team after the Graland Carnival. The nominal fee we collect from these nonprofits covers the cost of set up and cleanup and is much more affordable than comparable facilities, allowing these hardworking organizations to use their dollars to better serve children in our community.
Learn more about these youth organizations:
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
