TAPS Hosts 19th Annual Colorado Celebrity Classic Honoring Businessman and Philanthropist Pete Coors
Event Raises Critical Funds to Support Families of Fallen Military Service Members
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 5, 2024
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) will hold its 19th Annual Colorado Celebrity Classic on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at Wings Over the Rockies in Denver, Colorado. The event, which began in 2005, has raised more than $6 million to provide compassionate care and comprehensive resources to all those grieving a death in the military or veteran community. This year's theme, Coloradans Supporting Coloradans, emphasizes the local community's dedication to caring for the families of America's fallen heroes.
During the event, TAPS will present Pete Coors, a Colorado native and lifelong advocate of military families, with the prestigious TAPS Legacy Award. This recognition highlights his unwavering support for the organization and commitment to helping the loved ones left behind after a military loss. Coors formerly served as the chairman of the Molson Coors Brewing Company and chairman of MillerCoors.
“I am honored to receive the TAPS Legacy Award,” said Pete Coors. “This organization is a lifeline for the loved ones left behind following a military death. We will do whatever we can to support these families after they have sacrificed so much for our country.”
The evening will feature performances by Colorado’s Billy Bower Band and The Jay Silence Band. CBS Colorado News Anchor Michael Spencer will serve as the event’s emcee, guiding attendees through live and silent auctions filled with travel packages, jewelry, golf adventures, sports memorabilia, dining experiences, and more. Dinner will feature an incredible collaboration between Epicurean Catering and the renowned Coors Cowboy Club. Hailing from Amarillo, Texas, the Coors Cowboy Club has been a proud culinary partner of the Colorado Celebrity Classic since its inception.
TAPS currently serves nearly 3,000 military survivors in Colorado and offers 53 Care Groups throughout the state. Through a national peer-support network, grief and trauma resources, and Good Grief Camps for children, TAPS provides critical care to surviving families at no cost.
“Our supporters in Colorado have created a safe space for TAPS and our military families,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder and recipient of the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom. “The Colorado Celebrity Classic is our chance to thank these incredible supporters while we work together to raise critical funding necessary to meet the rising need for TAPS resources. We look forward to this special event each year.”
Special Guests Include:
- Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder
- Pete Coors, Molson Coors
- Michael Spencer, CBS Colorado
- 20-25 Military Survivors
- Billy Bower Band
- Jay Silence Band
Leading Sponsors: Perfect Cloud Solutions, PEMA Foundation, AHEPA #145, Amy & Mitch Vallee, Edie Marks, Fidelity National Title, InSPIRE Corp, LiUNA!, MDC/Richmond American Homes, Mike Maroone Auto, Nestle Purina, and V2X.
To become a sponsor or learn more about the event, visit taps.org/colorado. For further questions or to join our mailing list for updates, please contact colorado@taps.org.
ABOUT TAPS
TAPS is the national nonprofit organization providing compassionate care and comprehensive resources for all those grieving a death in the military or veteran community. TAPS was founded by military-loss survivor Bonnie Carroll, in 1994. TAPS — which, in the last 30 years, has become synonymous with 24/7, lifelong support for all grieving a military or veteran death — provides resources during each step of a survivor's walk through grief with a combination of peer-based support, the 24/7 National Military Survivor Helpline, in-person events, community-based care, casework assistance, and grief and trauma resources. The TAPS mission has touched more than 100,000 survivors, casualty assistance officers, chaplains, and bereavement supporters since its founding.
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Contact media@taps.org or 800-959-TAPS (8277).
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