Abner Genece: $10,859

ABNER GENECE

Denver Actors Fund helps actor with dental emergency after previous, life-threatening freeway collision

Abner and son Jayden about an hour before their near-fatal accident.

Financial aid recipient: Actor Abner Genece is the co-writer and assistant director of Benchmark Theatre’s world-premiere devised work, “Elephant,” which imagines the horribly deformed archetype David Merrick as a contemporary Black Man who is discovered in a modern world with an 1880s mindset. (Through October 30.) Next month, he will appear in “American Son” at Curious Theatre, and early next year, he can be seen in the Arvada Center’s “Animal Farm” and “Stick Fly.” He appeared in last year’s launch episode the Arvada Center’s “Amplify,” a series of multidisciplinary videos that give voice to underrepresented communities. Previous local credits include Curious’ “Water by the Spoonful” and the Arvada Center’s “The Electric Baby,” “Sense & Sensibility” and “All My Sons.” His New York stage credits include “Othello,” “Hamlet,” “The Cherry Orchard,” “Tartuffe” and “Waiting for Godot.”

His original medical story: In the summer of 2017, Abner and his son, Jayden, then 12, were in a nearly fatal auto accident while driving to Portland for a holiday visit with family. They were rear-ended by a semi-truck going at least 60 mph and were then slammed into a U-Haul truck in front of them. The accident occurred in Wyoming, and both Abner and Jayden were airlifted to different hospitals in Utah. Jayden was seriously hurt, but recovered over time. But the injuries Abner sustained required multiple surgeries on his ribs and spine. He now has nine metal plates in his body supporting him. He faced a long road toward recovery and healing that was difficult, painful and expensive. As he recovered, he needed help with basic living expenses, medical equipment and household chores.

‘Simply put, I would not be here without the Denver Actors Fund.’
– Abner Genece

 

bHow we helped: The Denver Actors Fund’s board of directors approved grants totaling $5,682.50, at the time the largest gift in our history, to help Abner with immediate living expenses. He also was the recipient of our Action Team volunteer services including meals, transportation, housekeeping and more. Targeted donations from the community brought our initial support for Abner to $6,372.50.

The latest: Abner contacted The Denver Actors Fund in August for help with a dental emergency.

How we helped: The Denver Actors Fund has a partnering dentist in Dr. Brian Kelly DDS, who accepts a limited number of emergency cases each year as his personal, in-kind donation to The DAF (along with his kind associates at the Dental Center at Thornton Plaza). Dr. Kelly gave Abner the multiple crowns he needed to restore his gums to health. The value of Dr. Kelly’s donated services was $3,840. The Denver Actors Fund paid an additional $297 for a third-party lab fee, bringing our overall support Abner in this case to $4,137. This case brings the total of Dr. Kelley’s in-kind support to Colorado theatre artists through the DAF to $120,000. And it brings the overall assistance the Denver Actors Fund has provided to Abner to $10,858.83.

How you can help us replenish: If you would like to help The Denver Actors Fund replenish, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80212. Or use this donation link.

To volunteer to become a member of one of the Denver Actors Fund’s volunteer Action Teams, sign up 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.)

Video above: Abner Genece appeared on the premiere episode of the Arvada Center’s “Amplify” series (at about the 18:30 mark).


HOW YOU CAN HELP US REPLENISH:

MAKE A DONATION

 


ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:

The Denver Actors Fund is a source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in medical need. In addition to $875,000 in financial relief, a team of more than 60 Denver Actors Fund volunteers have offered good neighborly assistance to more than 100 beneficiaries 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


NEW: AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH CARE

The Denver Actors Fund has announced a major new collaboration with the Maria Droste Counseling Center of Colorado to provide affordable, professional health care to any qualifying Colorado theatre artist who needs it. Click here for information


Hippo Health LogoGET INSTANT, FREE MEDICAL ADVICE: The Denver Actors Fund has launch of a major new FREE medical service for qualified Colorado theatre artists: We are partnering with Hippo Health to provide access to emergency medical evaluations via video conferencing with a Board-certified physician. Click to read more about this wonderful, innovative new partnership that will further improve the lives of artists!


MORE WAYS TO HELP:

DONATE ONLINE:

Go to our online giving site at: ColoradoGives.Org

DONATE BY MAIL:

Send checks made out to The Denver Actors Fund to:
P.O. Box 11182
Denver, CO 80211

VOLUNTEER:

Ever thought about taking a more active role in The Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information


SHOP AT KING SOOPERS

Sign up for King Soopers’ Community Rewards Program and raise money for The DAF just by shopping for your groceries – and it doesn’t cost you an extra penny. It’s like the Amazon Smile Program. To sign up, simply go here and designate The DAF as your preferred non-profit. Each quarter, King Soopers sends us a donation based on how much our supporters have spent. Thanks to all of you who are shopping for The DAF.


SHOP AMAZONSMILE

Denver Actors Fund

When you shop on Amazon, there is a simple and automatic way for you to support The Denver Actors Fund, at no cost to you. Simply click on the “Get Started” button to the left. Once you sign up with The Denver Actors Fund as your preferred charity, Amazon will donate 0.5 percent the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. When you shop AmazonSmile instead of the regular Amazon, it’s still Amazon. You will find the exact same prices, selection and shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a potion of your proceeds to The Denver Actors Fund. The gift to us is not added to your bill. It comes from Amazon. Questions? Here’s more info.

 


COME TO (OR STREAM!) THE EVENTS THAT SUPPORT US:

Erin Kachline

NOVEMBER 3: Vintage Theatre Productions Cabaret Series presents: “Thank You for the Music” with Hazel Kachline and friends. Share an intimate evening with Denver’s hard-working young triple threat and some super-talented friends. Hazel’s set list will make you feel all the feels. Performer proceeds benefit the Denver Actors Fund. Featuring: Gabe Waits, Kaitlin Weinstein and Antonina Monsolino. Music Direction by Eric Weinstein. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3. Tickets $21 (live); $12 (streaming). Tickets at  vintagetheatre.org


ONGOING:Waiting for Obama,” the audio version of DAF Founder John Moore’s play that was an official selection at the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival, has been released as way of raising funds for The Denver Actors Fund. A Colorado Springs family is convinced that Barack Obama is coming for their guns in the final weeks of his presidency – and they’re right. Featuring Laurence Curry, Drew Horwitz, Chris Kendall, Leslie O’Carroll, Jenna Moll Reyes, Jessica Robblee, Luke Sorge and Mare Trevathan. It was recorded by the staff of Parker Arts at the PACE Center as an in-kind donation to The Denver Actors Fund. Listen for FREE on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Podbean. Just by listening, you will be raising revenue for The DAF! Or, WATCH the recording as a pay-per-view video for $9.95 on Broadway on Demand. ‘Waiting for Obama’ was recorded by the staff of Parker Arts at the PACE Center and edited by Ray Bailey TV as in-kind donations to The Denver Actors Fund. The actors also donated their services.

 


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