O'Connell and Ball Recognized at Day of Gratitude              

Event honors donors and volunteers for past five years.

(Arvada, C.O. June 22) Bob O’Connell and Bev Ball were recognized as Volunteers of the Year at LifeSpark’s first annual "Day of Gratitude". Held Sunday, June 22nd at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Arvada, this event honored the persons, foundations, and businesses that have supported LifeSpark over the past five years.  View photos.

LifeSpark Cancer Resources (www.LifeSparkNoworg) is a non-profit organization that supports people with cancer who are undergoing cancer treatment. The organization utilizes Reiki and Healing Touch, two complementary energy therapies that have been shown to be effective in supporting people with cancer.

O’Connell and Ball were recognized for providing more than 200 session hours of energy therapies to cancer participants, and also for their many other volunteer roles in the organization.

Recognition, thanks and awards were extended to volunteers, providers of sessions, host sites, and donors of money, goods, and services. Over the past 5 1/2 years LifeSpark provided sessions to 261 cancer patients, with over 3209 hours of direct service to them. Providers currently serve at 6 locations in the Metro Denver area and Boulder. Included are: Boulder Foothills Hospital/Tebo Family Medical Pavilion, Denver Health Medical Center, Green Mountain United Methodist Church, Healthlinks Clinic, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, and Swedish Radiation Oncology.

All Reiki and Healing Touch providers have met minimum training and experience levels while also completing an 18 hour LifeSpark training seminar. All providers volunteer their services.

Volunteer energy therapy providers attending (with over 20 hours of sessions): Virginia Anderson, Lisa Anselme, Beverly Ball, Marilyn Braniff, Nancy Burns, David Burrows, Chris Carroll, Lou Johnson, Nicole Kasemir, Debbie Kern, Colleen Laine, Felicia McCarthy, Irene Martin, Morris Movsovich, Ruth Muhr, Diana Marlowe Newman, Carrie Niewenhous, Bob O'Connell, Bonnie Peiffer, Chris Pfaffman, Dory Pinkham, Sandy Priester, Bonnie Rickles, and Susan Seago.

Major donors attending: Cancer League of Colorado represented by Annette Jewell. Lisa Anselme, Pat and Russ Arch, Ed and Ruth Muhr, Carrie Niewenhous, Bonnie Peiffer, Rick and Chris Pfaffman, Bob and Sandy Priester, and Dr. Brian and Marion Wilson.

Site donors attending: Susan Elling representing Boulder Foothills Hospital/ Tebo Family Medical Pavilion; Barbara Schwendler representing Denver Health Medical Center; Bob DeWees representing King of Glory Lutheran Church; and Lisa Anselme, representing Healing Touch International. Monthly LifeSpark meetings are held at the latter two sites.

Food was provided by Grand Hyatt Denver, and prepared by Chef Chris Tait. Flowers were donated by Shirley Bernard. Cara Cantarella provided beautiful vocal music accompanied by guitar, and Tama Kieves, author of "This Time I Dance", provided a beautiful closing ceremony. Cara has recently released a CD titled Letter to
the World. She chose her song, "Only You" to honor the assembled honorees.

For more information about LifeSpark Cancer Resources, call 303-425-670 or visit www.LifeSparkNow.org.   Contact Sandy Priester, 303-425-5670. 

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