Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — This Friday, $80,000 in grants will be awarded to three local cancer-related organizations during a Yellow Tie Affair.

The event from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Strings Music Pavilion helps kick off the second annual Ski 4 Yellow, a homegrown event that on Saturday again will raise money for local cancer causes, as well as the Livestrong Foundation.

Tickets for Friday’s cocktail party are $50 and can be purchased at www.ski4yellow.com and at All the Jazz.

Ski 4 Yellow event chairman Kerry Shea said the Yellow Tie Affair will feature local Olympians, a silent auction, inspiring words from those affected by cancer and a speech from Reggie Rivers, who played for the Denver Broncos from 1991 to 1996 and today works in broadcast media.

Shea called Rivers an inspiring speaker.

Other former Broncos are expected to attend the event, and Rivers and David Treadwell are scheduled to appear on Steamboat TV18 at 8:33 a.m. Friday.

Shea said a big part of the event Friday night will be awarding the local share of proceeds from the inaugural Ski 4 Yellow event in 2011 and its sister event, Ride 4 Yellow.

A grant committee awarded Yampa Valley Medical Center $65,000 to supplement the physical therapy program for cancer patients, cancer patient financial support, community outreach and cancer education events and to support the Heeling Friends program.

The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association received $10,000 for social services and palliative care for families touched by cancer and served through hospice.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains was awarded $5,000 to help subsidize the cost of cancer screenings and preventative exams in Steamboat for women who have no applicable form of insurance or who cannot otherwise afford the cost of care.

Another $23,000 in proceeds was invested into the 4 Yellow Foundation Endowment Fund.

On Saturday, more than 100 participants will head to Steamboat Ski Area for the main Ski 4 Yellow event.

“I’m super psyched right now,” Shea said. “Our fundraising effort just crested $70,000, which is phenomenal.”

Any last-minute participants can sign up during registration from noon to 4 p.m. Friday at Trailhead Lodge in Wildhorse Meadows. Registration is $100, participants need to raise $500 and a lift ticket can be purchased for the event for $40.

Ski 4 Yellow participants will be teamed up with an Olympian and spend the day completing a series of challenges that include riding every chairlift and racing on the Nastar course.

“We’re going to be blessed with some great spring skiing,” Shea said.

For more information, visit www.ski4yellow.com.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247 or email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com