Denim 'N Diamonds proves itself as sure-fire fundraiser in Cheyenne - Wyoming Tribune

CHEYENNE – Denim ’N Diamonds is back.

The fundraising gala sponsored by the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Foundation will return in 2018 after a year’s absence.

The CRMC Foundation voted unanimously Sept. 19 to support the event, Foundation President Dr. Harmon Davis said Friday.

The gala – which routinely drew between 600 and 700 people – is planned for June 22 at Little America Hotel and Resort.

The black tie, fancy dress evening will include a silent auction and dinner, said Wendy Fanning, the foundation’s director of annual giving and grant writing. An after-party is planned where guests can dance to a live band.

“Denim ’N Diamonds is such a community event, and I know people look forward to it every year. We’re so happy to bring it back,” Fanning said.

The gala included a dinner, entertainment and a silent auction. In 2015 and 2016, however, the gala featured two suitcase parties that ended up with mystery weekend getaways for the winners.

Since Denim ’N Diamonds began in 1990, it has raised more than $5 million to buy medical equipment for the hospital. Some Denim ’N Diamonds evenings raised $100,000-$200,000 after expenses.

The money has paid for neonatal equipment, a heart/lung machine and digital mammography for the hospital.

This year, the money will go to Wyoming PACE, a hospital program that helps senior citizens. The program provides meals, medical care, friendship and fun activities.

The hospital’s foundation canceled Denim ’N Diamonds in 2017 to find other ways to raise money that did not require so much work as one big event.

“Basically, we decided to take a year off because the cost of it was increasing and our yields were decreasing,” Davis said.

“We thought we should look at other fundraising opportunities,” he said, and revisit the program later.

Foundation board members also reasoned that smaller events might attract younger people. But that move hasn’t appeared to be effective, Davis said.

Although this year has been somewhat successful in raising money, it has not been as successful as when it involved Denim ’N Diamonds, Davis said.

The year’s absence showed the foundation that it takes more effort to stage multiple small events than to have one large event, he added.

Interest among the members of the community “encouraged us to start it up again because it clearly is something that is wished for,” he said.

“We’re going through the same thing that all fundraising efforts are,” Davis said. “Older people are very willing to participate and give. It’s more difficult to get the younger generations involved.”

In 2016, the foundation cleared $119,000 in profit from one Denim ’N Diamonds event.

This year’s 2017 annual campaign for the foundation has raised $102,000, with three months still to go in the year.

“We are having a really great year. People who have supported us in the past continue to support us,” said Scott Fox, executive director of the foundation.

This past summer, the foundation sponsored a “Western Connection” event to highlight the 150th birthday of the city and the hospital. About 170 people attended.

Money also was raised from a golf tournament, a trail run at Terry Bison Ranch, a Cheyenne Frontier Days raffle and online fundraising. An auction among employees is planned for Oct. 27.

“We’ve been doing different things and engaging the community more directly,” Fox said.

“We’re still raising money,” he said, but added that the gap from the lack of a large gala stood out.

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