Denver Actors Fund in Action: Nancy Warner

Financial-aid recipient: Nancy Warner has been a dresser, backstage crew member and faithful volunteer for Phamaly Theatre Company for many years, most recently as a show-runner for Phamaly’s “Vox Phamilia: Under Construction” at the Community College of Aurora. For nearly 30 years, Phamly has existed to provide performance and backstage opportunities for people with disabilities. Nancy is a graduate of Cherry Creek High School and Regis University. Her family’s bloodlines in the Colorado theatre community go back 30 years to the days of the Original Scene downtown and, since, the Littleton Town Hall Arts Center and Magic Moments.

Her medical story: Nancy has been in a world of hurt for the past year or so, including an emergency hysterectomy, an emergency appendectomy and a pinched nerve in her leg that left her unable to perform her job as a child-care provider for four months, requiring ongoing specialized treatment to make structural changes and enhance nervous-system function.”

How we have helped: Even after insurance, Warner has paid more than $5,000 out of pocket to work down her medical bills, but her continuing series of setbacks has only left her in a growing hole. She currently still owes Rose Medical Center and various specialists $5,110 in outstanding medical and chiropractor bills. The Denver Actors Fund Board has examined her breakdown of expenses and has unanimously voted to off-set the 3,832 Warner owes for hospital (non-chiropractic) bills. Including targeted donations from the public, the DAF has made a total of $3,932 available to Nancy.

How you can help us help Nancy more: Even with this boost, Nancy is committed to continuing her long-term, specialized treatment plan for the pinched nerve with a chiropractic specialist. She is currently $1,278 behind on those payments. If you would like to direct a specific, additional donation to Nancy, simply mail checks made out to The Denver Actors Fund (with Nancy Warner’s name in the topic field) to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO, 80212. Or use this donation link. If you use the online option, be sure to designate that your donation is targeted for Nancy Warner. Otherwise, your donation will be applied to the replenishment of the Denver Actors Fund’s general fund.

A message from Nancy: “When I applied to the Denver Actors Fund for financial help, I wasn’t sure what to expect, or even if they could help me with my medical bills. I am a very private person and don’t easily ask for help unless I really need it. I have been unemployed for the past four months, the bills were piling up, and I was drowning in debt. I didn’t know where else to turn. I was fortunate to have Christmas come early when I was told I would receive a grant to pay down my medical bills. I honestly don’t know what I would do without people like K.Q., Annie Dwyer, Paul Dwyer, Ruby Hershberger, Sharon McClaury, Mark Dissette, Leonard Barrett, Amber Marsh, Rob Costigan and so many others in my life. These people have been there for me in my most difficult times, and have welcomed me with open arms. That’s what I love most about theater: It doesn’t matter if you are in the audience or part of the cast or crew — you are part of a family (or Phamaly!), and they have got your back. They have had mine. I am so thankful that The Denver Actors Fund exists to help people when they need it the most. And although I can’t pay it back now, I will pay it forward in the future. I can’t thank the DAF enough for helping me and so many others.

Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here

Note: At the Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have his or her story told.

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HOW YOU CAN HELP US REPLENISH:

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ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:


Video above: The Denver Actors Fund receives the Colorado Theatre Guild’s 2016 Community Impact Award.

The Denver Actors Fund is a modest source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in medical need. To date, the Fund has allocated more than $200,000 to artists facing medical need. In addition to financial relief, a team of more than 60 Denver Actors Fund volunteers offers good neighborly assistance including meal prep and delivery, child care, transportation, errands, construction, pet-sitting and more. For more information, visit our web site at DenverActorsFund.Org.


HOW TO APPLY FOR AID:

To apply for Denver Actors Fund aid: Fill out this brief online form here


MORE WAYS TO HELP:

DONATE BY MAIL:

Send checks made out to the Denver Actors Fund to:
P.O. Box 11182
Denver, CO 80212

ATTEND UPCOMING DENVER ACTORS FUND EVENTS:

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:
Monday, Dec. 18: Firehouse Theatre Comany will donate all proceeds from its industry-night performance of “The Miracle Worker” to the family of late actor Daniel Langhoff, who previously appeared in Fiirehouse’s The Crucible. Audio description will be provided for visually impaired patrons. All tickets are $15 for this performance only. 7:30 p.m. at the John Hand Theatre, 7653 E. 1st Place, 303-562-3232 or firehousetheatercompany.com. (Photo above by Christine Fisk.)
Tuesday, Dec. 19: The Nightly Met Christmas Special at the D.L. Parsons Theatre in Northglenn, hosted by Avery Anderson and Annie Dwyer, featuring Anna High, and Ryan Chrys and Rough Cuts. Tickets $8-$10. All proceeds go to The Denver Actors Fund. BUY TICKETS

 

VISIT OUR ONLINE MERCH STORE:

Click here to see how you can buy DAF products such as T-shirts, key chains, puzzles and much more

By John Moore

Award-winning arts journalist John Moore was named one of the 12 most influential theater critics in the United States by American Theatre Magazine during has 12 years at The Denver Post. Hen then created a groundbreaking new media outlet covering Colorado arts an culture as an in-house, multimedia journalist for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. He also founded The Denver Actors Fund, a nonprofit that has raised more than $600,000 for theatre artists in medical need. He is now a journalist for hire as the founder of Moore Media Colorado. You can find samples of his work at MooreJohn.Com. Contact him at culturewestjohn@gmail.com