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In late March some of the Valley’s most promising
young philanthropists gathered at the Carbondale
home of Silbi and Tim Stainton for the dynamic
kickoff of Silbi Stainton’s nonprofit, the Marshall
Direct Fund (MDF). Stainton organized the fête
with dynamic board member Estela Cockrell. The
smart, sophisticated, and stylish group of fund- and
awareness-raisers made for a colorful event with a
significant global undertone.
Stainton, a 33-year-old mother of two, is among a
growing group of young philanthropic leaders in the
Aspen area. She sees the organization as a modernday
Marshall Plan for Southwest Asia funded by
charitable donations. The MDF directly supports
educational projects for children by building schools
and providing seed money to aspiring entrepreneurs
in the form of microloans.
“We truly live in a global society,” says Stainton.
“What happens in countries like Pakistan has an
impact on our own society; the events of 9/11
proved that.” The nonprofit is an outgrowth of her
Master’s work in Middle Eastern politics from
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts
and her continued study of conflicts in the
Middle East. “We’re a facilitator, matching the
goodwill of the people here in the Valley with
the goodwill of those people working for a better
future in Pakistan,” says Stainton.
Draped in vibrant colors and filled with the
sounds and smells of Southwest Asia, the
Stainton home was transformed for the intimate
dinner of 25 guests. Poppies were a theme of the
evening, “a sign of beauty, something Pakistan
and the region are at their core,” explains
Stainton. Many of the MDF’s host committee
members sat among the opulently arranged red
and orange flowers from Aspen Branch. The
committee includes well-known and emerging
Aspen-area philanthropists such as Soledad and
Bob Hurst, Blanca and Cavanaugh O’Leary,
Heidi Zuckerman and Chris Jacobson, Lisa
and Ron Speaker, Sue and Joe Kolbe, Kathy and
David Raife, Tracy and Bubba Eggleston,
Alyssa and Ben Genshaft, and Holli and
Gunter Schaldach.
A dinner “fit for a diplomat” was prepared by
distinguished chef Mark Fischer, owner of
Restaurant Six89 and Phat Thai, who began the
evening by serving poppy-infused vodka cocktails
and hors d’oeuvres such as curried lentil soup.
“We chose Mark because we’re longtime fans of
his,” says Stainton. “He has local ties to the community
and he has a heart of gold. I knew he’d be
good, and his food can’t be beat. Since it was early
spring we decided to focus on spring food, with a
little bit of Southwestern Asian fusion.”
Dinner included goat-cheese gnocchi with
spring mushrooms and asparagus; a main course
of perfectly prepared roast Alaskan halibut atop
a parsnip-potato cake; and a final course of
chocolate-dipped strawberries accompanied by
poppyseed shortcake. “That was my shameless
personal request for dessert,” says Stainton. “He
chose strawberries for spring and put the chocolate
on them for me.”
A dialogue on Pakistani politics, education, and
the country’s evolving relationship with the United
States was a highlight of the evening. Keynote
speaker Imran Ali Kahn, another member of
MDF’s board of advisors and former protocol officer
for the chief minister’s secretariat in Pakistan,
spoke at length about the need for education and
financial initiatives in Pakistan, ideas that struck a
chord with the group.
Stainton says her guests and the Aspen community
at large have “some of the best business and
philanthropic minds in the world. They’re supporting
the entrepreneurial efforts of the poor and
stimulating economic opportunity in Pakistan.”
This summer the MDF will host its first
fundraiser, “Mad Tea Party,” on July 7 at Soledad
and Bob Hurst’s home. The party, cohosted
by Woody Creek resident Mary Scanlan, will
feature samplings of the Valley’s local teas and
delicious Punjabi-style food.
“Our goal is to raise $50,000, enough to build a
school in Kirahi, Pakistan, a village outside
Islamabad,” says Stainton.
Marshall Direct Fund, 970-963-3150;
marshalldirectfund.org
VENDORS
Restaurant Six89, 970-963-6890; six89.com
Phat Thai, 970-963-7001; phatthai.com
Aspen Branch, 970-925-3791; aspenbranch.com
The Marshall Direct Fund Board of Advisors
| • |
Dr. Hassan Abbas, Marshall Direct Fund vice
president, Harvard University professor, and
former government official in the
administrations of the late Benazir Bhutto
and General Musharraf |
| • |
Dr. Andrew Hess, professor of diplomacy
and director of the Southwest Asia and
Islamic civilization program at the Fletcher
School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University |
| • |
Imran Ali Kahn, former protocol officer for
the chief minister’s secretariat in Pakistan |
| • |
Dr. Ali Adnan Ibrahim, Georgetown professor,
expert in Islamic law and emerging markets |
| • |
Muhammad Mubashar Bashir Mirza, financial
advisor and World Bank consultant |
| • |
Nina Kolbe, expert in microfinance, worked
with US AID, the UN Development Program,
and Women’s World Banking |
| • |
Estela Cockrell, dedicated philanthropist,
fundraising advisor |
| The complete article appears on page 172 in the Summer/Fall 2008 issue of Aspen Peak. SUBSCRIBE NOW and get Aspen Peak delivered direct. |
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