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Three Outstanding Coloradans Recognized with Prestigious 2008 Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Awards
Annual Awards Program Represents One of Colorado’s Top Honors for the Fields of Arts and Humanities, Community Service, and Science and Medicine.
Denver, April 15, 2008 – The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, a private, nonprofit corporation created to enhance the quality of life for residents of Colorado, today announced the 2008 recipients of the annual Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Awards; Dr. David Wineland, Maggie Divelbiss and Harry Lewis. As one of Colorado’s most prestigious lifetime achievement recognitions, the annual awards are presented to one outstanding Coloradan in each of three disciplines; Science and Medicine, Arts and Humanities and Community Service.
“Colorado is home to some of the country’s most accomplished and talented individuals, and the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Awards recognize the Centennial State’s very best,” said Dorothy Horrell, president of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. “It’s our privilege this year to recognize Dr. David Wineland, Maggie Divelbiss and Harry Lewis for their inspirational accomplishments.”
To receive a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Award, honorees are nominated by colleagues and other community leaders. The pool of potential award recipients is reviewed by panels of past honorees, and the panels advance candidates to the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Board of Trustees which makes the final decision on each year’s honorees. The selection process is rigorous and highly competitive, and it can take several years of nominations before candidates are presented an award.
Established in 1984, the awards fulfill Charles Stanton’s desire to honor individuals who are making significant and unique contributions. Each year since then, the foundation has recognized outstanding Coloradans with the dual goals of bringing acclaim to their efforts, and motivating others to greater accomplishments on behalf of Colorado and its citizens.
To acknowledge and reward their accomplishments, the 2008 honorees will be recognized at an awards luncheon in early May and receive a cash award of $35,000 from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation.
About the 2008 Recipients:
Dr. David Wineland has recently been credited with developing the world’s most accurate atomic clock. Working from his office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colo., Wineland is a pioneer and world-renown leader in the field of low temperature atomic physics. Since 1975, Wineland has worked at NIST researching and developing applications for laser-cooled ions. His most recent work demonstrates the ability to control the quantized motion and states of trapped ions; a technology with applications in high-performance atomic clocks and quantum computing.
Maggie Divelbiss has been involved with Pueblo’s Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center almost since its inception in 1972, now serving as the center’s Executive Director. Once a public school English teacher, Divelbiss has helped the Arts & Conference Center grow to be an 85,000 square-foot facility that includes a theatre, conference center, dance program, art galleries, a children’s museum and year-round educational programs for children and adults. Through her more than three decades of service to the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center and several of Pueblo’s most important community groups, Divelbiss has set the stage for future generations to enjoy Southern Colorado’s unique art culture.
Harry Lewis has made it his lifelong mission to improve Denver through service to the city’s business and civic community. A Colorado native, Lewis spent his career in finance and has contributed countless community service hours to some of Denver’s most important projects and initiatives. One of Lewis’ longest associations has been with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, where he helped lead the formation of the Regional Transportation District. Lewis also played a key role in the development of the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, which helps fund community programs in the arts, science and culture. A tireless supporter of the arts, Lewis has worked with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) for nearly 30 years, helping to establish the now $90 million DMNS Foundation.
About the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation created to enhance the quality of life for residents of Colorado. Charles Edwin Stanton established the Foundation in 1962 following the death of his wife, Mary Madeline (May) Bonfils Stanton. Mrs. Stanton was the daughter of Belle and Frederick Bonfils, a co-founder of The Denver Post newspaper.
The Foundation continues the legacy of its benefactor through grants to Colorado nonprofit organizations. The mission of the Foundation is to advance excellence in the areas of: Arts and Culture, Community Service, and Science and Medicine, through strategic investments resulting in significant and unique progress in these fields and across the nonprofit sector. Since its founding, the Foundation has awarded more than $44 million to nonprofit organizations throughout Colorado.