Les Lee has been a Philanthropy Director at The Children's Hospital Foundation since June of 2000. He spent 9 years as a Major Gift officer at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver prior to coming to Children's to help build their new Hospital. Trained as an engineer, Les spent 8 years drilling oil wells in the Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain region after earning his degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He started his fundraising career after receiving his Masters in Business and three years in the Financial Services/Management Consulting arena.

      Les's passions are his wife of 16 years, Jeannette, and their 13 year old son, Blake. They ski, hike, camp, canoe and ride bikes (all three participated in the last 3 Courage Classics, a three day bike ride in Summit County benefiting The Children’s Hospital.) Les says we are fortunate to live in Colorado, have our health and to have one of the best Children's hospitals in the world in our community!

Did You Know?

- There are 26.4 million veterans in the United States; this is a ratio of about 1-in-8 U.S. civilians 18 and over, or 13 percent.

- Among the nation's veterans, approximately 6 million served in World War II, 4 million served in the Korean War, 8 million during the Vietnam era and 3 million in Persian Gulf War and many more are coming home from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

     As we all know, November 11 marked Veterans Day, an annual holiday honoring our military veterans.  It is a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day , falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I that fell on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

     Today veterans Kim Giannone and Col. Roger Hagerty will relay some stories to us in honor of all those who have served and are serving our country throughout the world in the armed forces of the United States of America.