I'm going to do something I have never done on this board, so I apologize in advance to anyone who is put off. I'm going to publicize a great cause, and hope you find it in your hearts to help out.

Much of radio is the business of generating and encouraging expression: our own and those of recording artists, newsmakers and our listeners. We do it, ultimately, to make money.

But for troubled, abused and otherwise at-risk kids, expression can be the vehicle by which they carve their own paths out of hopelessness, anger, despair, crime and personal destruction and toward growth, happiness and productivity.

In some of this Cowtown's darkest corners, there's a new little spark at work. Art from Ashes -- http://www.artfromashes.org -- empowers these young people by facilitating creative therapies that encourage expression, connection and healing. Phoenix Rising, the poetry therapy program of Art from Ashes, helps young people discover the symbols and metaphors of their fears and dreams, tucked safely away and often forgotten. The poetry therapy is meant to give them a means for self-discovery and understanding, providing a positive way to cope with the negative aspects of life.

And, folks, it works. I first saw a presentation of this program at the Denver Press Club last winter, and since then I've had several chances to hear these kids create and pour out the most raw, throat-grabbing prose. The result is truly inspiring.

Any "Star Trek" fans out there? Do you remember the original-series episode "City on the Edge of Forever," in which Joan Collins played visionary social worker Edith Keeler? We have our own Edith Keeler here in Denver. Her name is Catherine O'Neill Thorn, and even a wordsmith like me finds it hard to adequately describe the magic this fearless, energetic, spiritual, dauntless, unconditionally-loving and inside-and-out beautiful woman works with these deeply-troubled teens.

OK, here's the pitch.

Art from Ashes struggles each month to scrape together enough money to keep going. What it needs is 501(c)3 status in order to qualify for aid from groups like United Way and Post-News Season to Share. It needs to come up with the money for the attorney costs and other fees to make that happen.

So on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, Art from Ashes is putting on a performance of music and the spoken word at Imago Dei, located near I-70 and Pecos. Over wine and cheese, you'll hear poetry and emotion that'll knock your socks off, including three youth poets from the Phoenix Rising poetry therapy program. There also will be a silent auction of gifts, services and works by local artisans, and the Boondocker will of course be there. Doors open at 6:30, and the program runs from 7 to 8:30.

The tickets are $30 for one or $50 for two. You don't have to attend the event to help, but I really hope you can. You can pay with credit card via PayPal on the website, or you can send a check made out to "Art from Ashes" to 1535 Grant St., Suite 301, Denver CO 80210. You can even bring that check (yes, it's tax-deductible!) to the office; it's on the top floor of the Barrister Building, on the west side of Grant between Colfax and 16th. Have a cup of tea and meet Catherine; you can also call her at 303-837-1550 for more information. RSVP deadline is Nov. 20.

I never liked United Way much; I never know where or to whom the money's going. Here's a chance to see your help get translated into very tangible good, right in your own backyard. To steal a line from the old Top-40 song "Green Tambourine," "When you drop a coin you'll hear it sing."

OK, end of shameless pitch. But please help if you can. And if you want to copy-paste this post into an e-mail and send it to others who might be interested in helping, that'd be great too.

And now, back to the countdown!

My sister's involved in a similar program in inner-city Chicago, and was interviewed on WGN radio just within the last month. The poetry therapy really does help these kids chase the monsters out from under the bed. I'd have to advise anybody who listens to these kids recite that this isn't Joyce Kilmer stuff; it's gritty. It's painful. It'll make you cringe. But you can also watch how the catharsis really frees them and lets them blossom.

Thanks VERY much to the two DenverRadio.Net denizens who responded and bought tickets. We could use a couple more.

OK, I'm going to pimp my favorite charity again.

Art from Ashes will host a gala event on Sunday night, Oct. 15th at the Oriental Theater, 44th and Tennyson. Wendy Woo will perform live at the fundraiser. The singer, songwriter and musician will be joined by her father, Bataan, a spoken-word artist from Naropa. Denver’s Poet Laureate, Chris Ransick will give a keynote address, and the evening will feature two Denver Youth Slam poets and five young poets from the Art from Ashes youth workshops.

Doors open at 6.30 p.m. Ticket price of $50 also includes: a wine tasting of vintages from 12 Colorado wineries; appetizers and desserts from Denver chefs; an art auction featuring the paintings, photography & sculpture; and a date auction of "live art," with dinners for two donated by area restaurants. Drinks will be available at the Oriental Theater bar.

Epic Level Sponsor: Metropolitan State College of Denver Office of Student Services
Sonnet Level Sponsors: Crossroads Theater and Fairfield & Woods, P.C.

Donors of Goods/Services:
Restaurants and Cafés: Gallop Café, Emogene's, Bombay Bistro, Ocean, Carmines, Goodfriend's, Café Berlin
Wineries: Alfred Eames Cellars, Spero Winery, Winter Park Winery, Woody Creek Cellars, Greystone Winery, Bookcliff Vineyards, Mountain View Winery, Stoney Mesa Winery, Snowy Peaks Winery, Plum Creek Cellars, Avanti Winery
Artists: Laurie Petty of Dazzling Ice Sculptures; Dave Parvin; Amy Dixon; Jackie Logan of Neat Stuff; John Thorn of Motherway Graphics; Linda Israel; Danielle Huggins; Patrick O'Shea; Jessica Gonacha; Todd Marriott; Tim Costi; Tommy Anderson; Keith White of Your Name In Graffiti; Beth Metsch of BAM Bags

Please help if you can. This group does truly great work. Click HERE to hear Catherine's recent interview on KGNU.

Catherine made the BBC! They contacted her after the Virginia Tech massacre to discuss the impact of violent acts such as VT and Columbine on young people and the ways in which poetry helped them through the most difficult time of their lives. She called one of the Columbine survivors, Devon Adams, to join her in discussing the effect our poetry writing workshops had on her healing process. Click HERE to hear the BBC interview.

Art from Ashes was also recognized in Westword's "Best Of" edition:


Best Therapeutic Poetry Organization

"Life isn't always easy for the young. And high-risk youth whose lives are impacted by violence, drugs and alcohol sometimes don't have the opportunity to find their voices or learn to express themselves. To combat that, Art From Ashes collaborates with other youth-service organizations to offer poetry and spoken-word workshops for kids who are homeless, incarcerated, in the court system or residing in treatment centers or just urban settings. Art From Ashes encourages emotional catharsis and expression through writing therapy, giving kids their voices before they lose them forever."

... and even a little satirical dig from Westword's Kenny Be: