ClareJenny Stafford with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Clare Dunn, Rayce Coen and Dillon Roesch with Colorado FFA Foundation

Last weekend, country star and Colorado native Clare Dunn returned home to headline this year’s Sand and Sage Round-Up Kick-Off concert, drawing one of the largest crowds in the event’s history. Prior to her performance, Dunn hosted a VIP charity party including a silent auction, autographed memorabilia, an acoustic performance and more, raising over $25,000 for the Colorado FFA Foundation and Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Dunn, who was born and raised on a farm in Two Buttes, Colo. fully understands the importance of agricultural education and strength of community. The singer-songwriter, who grew up driving feed trucks, combines and 18-wheelers, credits her parents and the “all hands on deck” approach necessary in rural farming communities, for her strong work ethic.

Dunn, who released a self-titled EP on MCA Nashville featuring “Cowboy Side of You,” “Move On” and “Tuxedo,” has always wanted to find a way to give back to her hometown area, so when the opportunity arose to partner with ACM Lifting Lives and support the Colorado FFA Foundation and Children’s Hospital Colorado, Dunn wholeheartedly agreed.

“It’s so important to me to be able to give back to home for all the support they’ve given me,” expresses Dunn.  “I wouldn’t be the artist or songwriter I am had I not come from that great part of the country – where I’m from inspires every aspect of what I do and who I am. If I can give back just a fraction of what home has given me, then I feel like that’s mission accomplished.”

In addition to supporting the invaluable work of the Colorado FFA Foundation, funds raised over the weekend will go to Children’s Hospital Colorado and patients like Sam Stafford, who will benefit from Children’s Colorado’s expansion efforts in the southern half of the state. Sam’s parents know firsthand how critical it is to have access to specialized pediatric care. “For Sam, a mild cold can lead to serious respiratory infections and become truly life-threatening,” shares Sam’s mother, Pepper. Having the care they need closer to home will be life-changing for Sam, his family, and the 75,000 families like theirs living south of Colorado Springs.

For more information on Clare Dunn, visit ClareDunn.com.

ACMAbout ACM Lifting Lives   ACM Lifting Lives® is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives develops and funds music-related therapy and education programs, and serves members of the community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. Generous donations and the support of artists and fans ensure ACM Lifting Lives is able to fund everything from disaster relief and helping communities in need, to music education in schools and music camps for those with disabilities, to supporting programs that use music therapy as a means to help our veterans and wounded warriors, while providing grants to help them ease back into life. For more information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.

About Children’s Hospital Colorado—Colorado Springs   With a regional team of more than 550 team members – including 40 providers across more than 20 medical specialties – Children’s Colorado has been present in southern Colorado since 2001 and now has team members at four locations providing outpatient specialty care, inpatient care, emergent care, therapy care and urgent care services. Scheduled to open in early 2019, the new Children’s Hospital Colorado—Colorado Springs will be the first pediatric-only hospital in the region. Once completed, it will be the most comprehensive children’s hospital between Denver, Dallas, Salt Lake City and Kansas City and will include the region’s only emergency department and operating rooms built just for kids and served by pediatric experts who have dedicated their lives to treating kids – and only kids – and who will be directly linked to one of the country’s leading pediatric academic medical centers.

CourageAbout Children’s Hospital Colorado    Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado) has defined and delivered pediatric health care excellence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1908, Children’s Colorado is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and well-being of children. Continually acknowledged as one of the nation’s outstanding pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado is known for both its nationally and internationally recognized medical, research, education and advocacy programs, as well as comprehensive everyday care for kids throughout Colorado and surrounding states. Children’s Colorado is the winner of the 2015 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, and is a 2013-2017 Most Wired hospital according to Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Children’s Colorado also is recognized for excellence in nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Centers and has been designated a Magnet® hospital since 2005. The hospital’s family-centered, collaborative approach combines the nation’s top pediatric doctors, nurses and researchers to pioneer new approaches to pediatric medicine. With urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Metro Denver and Southern Colorado, including its campus on the Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Colorado provides a full spectrum of pediatric specialties. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org and connect with Children’s Colorado on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

ColoradoAbout the Colorado FFA Foundation   The Colorado FFA Foundation seeks resources – human, financial and in-kind – to support agricultural education in Colorado, including students (FFA, ATA and CYFEA), teachers (CVATA) and alumni.

In 1983, a group of volunteers organized the Colorado FFA Foundation to provide a strong support system for the Colorado FFA Association and its student members. In 1989, the Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit entity and began actively seeking funds to support Colorado Team Ag Ed and its members by funding leadership development, personal growth and career success activities, events and scholarships. In the past five years, the Foundation has raised and invested more than $500,000 in Colorado’s young people.

countryFundraiserPress ReleaseACM Lifting Lives,Children’s Hospital Colorado,Clare Dunn,Colorado FFA Foundation,Dillon Roesch,Rayce Coen
Jenny Stafford with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Clare Dunn, Rayce Coen and Dillon Roesch with Colorado FFA FoundationLast weekend, country star and Colorado native Clare Dunn returned home to headline this year’s Sand and Sage Round-Up Kick-Off concert, drawing one of the largest crowds in the event’s history. Prior to...