2013 Hoops & Hoopla Raises Nearly $100,000 for Kunsberg School

More than 250 attended to show their support at April 6 event

Supporters of National Jewish Health and the Kunsberg School for chronically ill children raised nearly $100,000 at the 10th annual “Hoops & Hoopla” event on April 6 at the Cable Center in Denver. The event supports the kindergarten through 8th grade Kunsberg School on the National Jewish Health campus and the more than 90 chronically ill students who attend the school.

More than 250 people came together to watch the college basketball semi-final championship games on the Cable Center’s 40-foot video tower and big screen televisions, while also enjoying the on-site games and entertainment. Guests also bid generously on silent auction packages with all proceeds going to the school.

"This is an incredible fundraising event, for the very best cause, and I am proud to be a part of it,” said Alana Berland, one of the event leaders. "The Kunsberg School is an amazing place. As a Denver native, I am shocked to have not known about the program earlier and have been sharing the great work of the Kunsberg School within my network. It really gives these kids a chance to become anything they want to be—maybe even a basketball player for one of the teams we watched during Hoops & Hoopla."

Title Sponsor Greiner Electric raised nearly $40,000 in sponsorships, ticket sales and donations for the event, earning the “Hoops & Hoopla” Team of the Year trophy for the sixth year in a row. The Greiner team was made up of three event leaders, or coaches: David Greiner, Tom Tarver and Kris Wintroub. Other 2013 coaches included Alana Berland, Denise Cito, Justin Cooper, Jerry Laflen, Kevin Larington and Liz Rapp. The Stats Sponsor was BKD LLP.

David Engleberg, a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of National Jewish Health, and John Reid, director of Kunsberg School, thanked attendees, sponsors and leaders during a buffet dinner between basketball games.

“Kunsberg is the only school of its kind on a medical campus in the country. It is an example of the National Jewish Health commitment to ‘We Never Say Never,’” said Engleberg.

Kunsberg School at National Jewish Health is a free day school for 90 chronically ill students in kindergarten through eighth grades. Its mission is to provide a safe, friendly and healthy school environment where students succeed academically, medically and socially. Many students are minorities, and most families are at or below poverty level. Typically, these students have fallen behind their peers in school because of illnesses, including severe asthma and/or allergies, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other respiratory and related disorders. Kunsberg students receive care and learn to manage their illnesses from three nurses and National Jewish Health pediatricians. They eat nutritious meals, exercise daily, and practice positive social interaction. The students learn in small classes from teachers with advanced degrees using the latest educational technology tools; they demonstrate their knowledge by showing steady improvement on the CSAP test and outpacing their peers in similar schools. Upon graduation, Kunsberg students have the skills to lead healthy, productive, meaningful and active lives.

National Jewish Health is known worldwide for treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders, and for groundbreaking medical research. Founded in 1899 as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health remains the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to these disorders. Since 1998, U.S. News & World Report has ranked National Jewish Health the number one respiratory hospital in the nation.