A big BEACON thank you!

At this year’s Grand Junction BeaconFest, more than 2,000 people poured into the Grand Junction Convention Center for a day full of entertainment, helpful resources and exciting giveaways at Colorado’s largest and funnest celebration of age!

Main stage entertainment kicked off with lively performances by Peggy Malone and King ’N Trio, followed by the smooth Latin guitar of Javier de los Santos, the swinging
and the soulful vocals of Donny Morales.

Meanwhile, curious seniors filled our seminar rooms to hear from local experts on important topics like Medicare, fraud prevention, dental health, medical breakthroughs and paying for home care.

A highlight of the event was the presentation of our Volunteer of the Year Award. BEACON readers selected Genie DiDonato for her stellar volunteer work through Mesa County RSVP. Alongside her, more than a dozen exceptional volunteers were recognized on stage for their selfless contributions to local nonprofits.

As if the seminars, live entertainment and vendor booths weren’t enticing enough, attendees were excited for the chance to win door prizes every 30 minutes. We gave away everything from gift baskets and restaurant gift cards to rounds of golf, oil changes, bowling and movie passes. A big thank-you to the generous businesses that donated these prizes and helped make the drawings fun for everyone!

BeaconFest wouldn’t have been the same without the support of more than 100 vendors who set up booths, as well as our show sponsors: Family Health West; Valley View Heart & Vascular Center; Intermountain Health; General Surgeons of Western Colorado; Urological Associates of Western Colorado; The Glass Guru, Hilltop ADRC; Colorado Advanced Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Spine; Clearnetworx; Vivage Beecan; The Lodge at Grand Junction; Select Health and KREX News Channel 5.

Thank you to our incredible volunteers, talented entertainers and—most importantly—you, our guests, for attending BeaconFest and for reading the BEACON Senior News!

Genie DiDonato named Volunteer of the Year

Genie DiDonato was named this year’s Volunteer of the Year for her lifelong commitment to service in the Grand Valley. Genie has dedicated more than a decade to volunteering through Mesa County RSVP, including her role as a SHIP counselor. “She builds, advocates, mentors, empowers and uplifts,” her nominators said, calling her a shining example of what it means to serve.