AURORA | In the days and weeks after the Aurora theater shootings, the community’s penchant for goodwill was on full display.
The outpouring of support showed itself in small ways, like a smile and “thank you” to a local cop, and big ways, like a $50,000 donation from Ed Bozarth to the victims.
“It was just an amazing thing to see how the entire community responded, not only that early morning of the shooting but ongoing as well and how quickly people rallied around the community,” said Jeff Thompson, director of government and corporate affairs for University of Colorado Health and chairman of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Having watched Aurora rally after the massacre, Thompson said the Chamber’s annual awards banquet needed something special this year.
“This was a very unique situation that occurred that I felt warranted the Chamber stepping forward and recognizing those people who played significant roles in helping the community come back together,” he said.
So, when the Chamber doled out their annual awards last week, officials added a special category aimed specifically at the businesses and organizations that did whatever they could in the aftermath of one of Aurora’s darkest days.
The Chamber’s “Special Chairman’s Award” went to a dozen people and organizations who responded to the attack.
Some of the honorees were local businessmen, like Bozarth and Mike Kehr of Northrop Grumman, who made hefty donations to the victims, and Lee Earnhart of Chambers Wine and Liquor who organized a fundraiser in the weeks after the attack.
Others represented the City of Aurora, Aurora Public Schools and Aurora Mental Health, agencies that responded in one way or another in the aftermath.
“And many called themselves into action by stepping in and contributing in ways they knew they could help. These heroes — and I do not use that term lightly — along with many we may not even know about, deserve honor and recognition for their unselfish and humanitarian contributions, during a time when there was so much need,” Thompson said during last week’s award ceremony.
The awards specifically mentioned Randy Stith, the director of AMH, for the agency’s work counseling victims and community members after the attacks.
“They were certainly amazing in terms of not only being there to assist the victims and families, but the first responders as well,” he said.
Stith said the award was an honor, especially considering the long hours AMH counselors and staff logged after the shooting.
“I honestly thought my staff deserved it,” he said. “I’ve never been prouder of this mental health center and what they’ve done.”
AMH counselors have responded to major incidents around the country before, but Stith said what made this one stand out was that it hit home. The theater is one that AMH staff go to, Stith said, so their work in the days after the rampage took on an added significance.
“That hits your staff differently,” he said.
Other honorees included the various hospitals who treated the wounded: University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, The Medical Center of Aurora, Swedish Medical Center, and Parker Adventist Hospital. Fairmount Cemetery, which donated burial services, and Cinemark Inc., the company that owns the Century Aurora 16 theater where the rampage happened.
Kevin Hougen, president of the Chamber, said the awards were a good way for the business community to say thanks to the people who responded to the attacks.
But, Hougen said, with the outpouring of support, it would be impossible to thank everyone who responded.
“There are probably a few that we may have even missed out there,” Hougen said. “There were a lot of companies that did small things that we never heard of.”
2013 Aurora Chamber Award winners
Ambassadors of the Year: Howie Metz, Quality 1st Plumbing; Teri Karjala, Creative Counseling Center
Business for the Arts: Ed Duggan, Music Go Round
Humanitarian: Chief Mike Garcia, Aurora Fire Department; David Patterson, Rural Metro Ambulance
Chamber Leadership: Councilman Ron Weidmann, Centennial City Council
Community Leadership: Chief Dan Oates, Aurora Police Department
Small Business of the Year: Grandma’s Handyman Service, Yvonne Costin
Business Person of the Year: Rick Crandall, Colorado Freedom Memorial
Business of the Year: Advanced Circuits, John Yacoub
Woman of the Year: Councilmember Marsha Berzins, Aurora City Council
Man of the Year: Mayor Steve Hogan, City of Aurora