Dr. Cliff Gronseth, MD

Dr. John Tobey, MD

Dr. Michelle Pepper, MD
Vaheed Sevvom, PA-C

For the first time ever, one of Spine West's physicians, Dr. Cliff Gronseth, has been invited to compete in Dancing with Boulder Stars. This event will be held on October 20, 2011, 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm, at Boulder Theater. Based on the hit TV show, Dancing with Boulder Stars matches business and community leaders with dance instructors who will practice together for 10-weeks. They perform live at Boulder Theater and the audience "votes" with donations.

All proceeds go to support the programs and services of the YWCA of Boulder County, which is a non-profit organization that provides social services, advocacy, education and leadership development programs. For tickets and donation information, please visit YWCAboulder. org

A few months ago I was asked to participate in the fifth annual Boulder dancing with the stars, a fundraiser for the YWCA of Boulder. I must admit, being an inexperienced dancer with two left feet, I was quite intimidated at the proposition. The purpose of the event is to raise money for the YWCA by asking inexperienced dancers like myself to learn from professional dancers for an evening of performances. I am pitted against three lawyers, two bankers, and two business people. After listening to the objectives of the event (guaranteed a fun evening, learn a few dance moves from a pro, and most importantly support the YWCA) I agreed to participate, knowing full well I would be way out of my comfort zone.

Over the past few months I have received about 10 lessons from a spry, young, professional Hip-Hop and Latin dance instructor with plans to "show off my newly learned skills" at the night gala at the Boulder Theater planned for Thursday, October 22, 2011.

I must admit I knew little about the Boulder YWCA, a very noble organization. The acronym changed their name a few years ago and now stands for: "You, Women, Children and All." Unbeknownst to me (and to many it seems), the YWCA is not a recreational organization but rather a social support system focused on women and children. They provide skills training and career counseling for women, parenting skills for mothers and fathers going through a divorce, guidance for young women/teenagers to empower them with responsible decision-making skills, emergency day care for women in need of assistance while attending interviews etc. They also provide a drop-in day care center. Check out their website www.YWCABoulder.org for the plethora of services they provide.

A friend of mine told me, "you are either brave or noble for doing this." I don't know about that but I do feel excited and a bit like a deer in headlights nervous. It is guaranteed to be a fun evening for a worthy cause. I hope you can participate in the festivities. What else do you have going on Thursday night, October 22? For ticket information, please visit www.BoulderTheater.com.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Best wishes. Wish me luck!

Sincerely,

Cliff Gronseth, MD