Markleys, McGraw honored for improving lives

UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation honored Markley Motors and Beryl “Brownie” McGraw for their dedication to improving health in northern Colorado at the annual Celebration of Caring event Sept. 26 at the Drake Centre in Fort Collins. At the event, the foundation also announced the recipients of its 2019–2020 Employee Scholarship Program.

Markley Motors received the foundation’s 2019 Vitalitarian award, which recognizes financial commitment and engagement. Markley Motors’ philanthropic support for the mission of the foundation started with Gene and Pat Markley four decades ago. The Markleys have consistently supported all of the foundation’s highest priorities and most pressing needs. They’ve contributed to causes such as children’s clinic and prenatal endowments; employee scholarships; the UCHealth Cancer Center building and cancer care; mental health care; cardiac care; medical research; and more.

“Markley Motors is a family business with deep roots in our community. Since the company’s founding in 1936, five generations of Markleys have worked at the business, and five generations of Markleys have helped to make our community a positive, vibrant, healthy place to live and work,” said Kevin Unger, president and CEO of UCHealth’s Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies. “The Markleys are always willing to support the health system, and we are eternally grateful for their support.”

Beryl “Brownie” McGraw received the foundation’s 2019 Illuminator award. This award honors individual partners who contribute significant time, energy and connection to advocating for the mission of UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation.

McGraw is a longtime Poudre School District educator, community leader and philanthropist. She was the school district’s first female principal, and McGraw Elementary is named in her honor. In 2010, McGraw joined the board of the hospital’s philanthropic arm, then known as Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation, and was instrumental in gathering support for the cancer center, which opened in 2014.

“Brownie believed strongly that a one-stop facility for cancer treatment was essential, and she worked tirelessly to foster awareness, enthusiasm and contributions to make the cancer center a reality,” said Erica Siemers, regional executive director of the foundation.

At the Celebration of Caring, the foundation also announced the recipients of its 2019–2020 Employee Scholarship Program. Through the generosity of individual donors and community business partners, the foundation awarded a total of $74,600 to 40 UCHealth employees. The scholarship program helps employees advance their training, enhance the health system, and ultimately provide exceptional care for patients.

The foundation’s Celebration of Caring began in 2017 as a way to honor and cultivate a culture of philanthropy that supports health in northern Colorado. Previous recipients of the Vitalitarian award include Advanced Medical Imaging Consultants (2018) and Tom Gleason/First National Bank (2017). Previous Illuminator recipients are Dr. Scott Johnston (2018), Dr. Ann Yanagi (2018) and Vikki Wagner (2017).