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North Texas Is In For A Roller Coaster Of Temperatures Starting Saturday Night
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
The next few days for North Texans are going to have more twists and turns than an action-packed movie. According to forecasters, it will start with this Saturday and Sunday reaching down to the 20s at night. Monday will be a brief respite with nighttime warming up to the 40s.

But hold on to your duvets and long johns. From Tuesday to Friday morning night time temperatures dive deep into the teens with a possibility of hitting 12 degrees on Wednesday night.
Highlighting the weather outlook is the strong possibility of rain Tuesday night resulting in possible nightmarish road conditions Wednesday morning.
Turn off your sprinklers; turn on your faucets to drip; cover your plants; open your donations to area shelters; reach out to your elderly family and friends; and bring in your pets.
JUST IN: Dallas Service Forum To Feature Multi-Talented “Dallas” Co-Star Sheree J. Wilson
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
One of “Dallas” Larry Hagman’s last public appearances back in 2012 was at the White Bridle fundraiser for his good friend/”Dallas” Co-Star Sheree J. Wilson.
In addition to her support of Hagman as he battled leukemia, Sheree has had a heady multi-faceted career as an actress, producer, a businesswoman and philanthropist.
She also claims Dallas as her home supporting such non-profits as Equest, The Yellow Rose Gala Foundation, White Bridle and Round Up For Autism.


On Tuesday, April 1, blonde Sheree will be the keynote speaker for Dallas Service Forum’s “Deep In The Heart Of Service” luncheon.

Taking place at Northwood Club, the event will also feature a reception, a meet-and-greet with Sheree, a wine pull, a seated luncheon, a silent and a live auction and a raffle for three prizes ($1,000, $1,500 and $2,000 American Express gift cards).
Funds raised from the event will support Dallas Service Forum’s 2025 beneficiaries (Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, The Ebby House, The Family Place, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center, Juliette Fowler Communities, Network of Community Ministries and Ronald McDonald House of Dallas).
According to DSF President Bonnie Cameron, “Our luncheon allows DSF to continue or 48-year legacy of service from the heart and celebrate our many years of service to the community.”
With sponsorships starting at $500, individual tickets are going for $200.
BTW, if you can’t make the luncheon but am interested in supporting DSF and bidding on the silent auction, raffle and wine pull, they’re available online here.
* Photo provided by Sheree J. Wilson ** Photo provided by Dallas Service Forum
2024 Crystal Charity Ball’s New York Holiday Was One For The Memory Books
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
After years of observing previous Crystal Charity Balls, 2024 CCB Chair Cheryl Joyner smartly decided to make the guests’ arrival go more smoothly for her fundraising gala, themed “New York Holiday,” on Saturday, December 7, at the Hilton Anatole Dallas. In a nutshell, event photographers and servers with drink trays were asked to stay away from the entrance as the evening’s 1,531 guests streamed in.
But, leave it to Ma Nature to throw a wrench into the best-laid plans.
Early on the weather had been cloudy, with just a hint of itty-bitty drizzle. But that wasn’t to last. With the Ball not due to start officially until 7 p.m., the skies opened up at 6 p.m., pouring buckets of water on North Texas … and the arriving black-tie set.
Despite the usual North Texas mantra, “We can always use the rain,” in this case, too much was way too much. For the Jimmy Choo, silk/satin and coiffured beautiful people, it was a wet-and-wild survival test. Instead of 21st century Sir Walter Raleighs being needed, the Anatole crew came through using blowers in an attempt to blast away the splash pool.
As bad as the flooded driveway had been for the velvet evening slippers and crepe satin stilettos, the tented walkway was an overhead minefield of major drips and splats.
At the same time, word was making the rounds inside the hotel that arrivals in both the ride share and valet lines were aging in place. The lengthy jam-up resulted from a trio of events taking place at the Anatole: the CCB itself, a super-mega party in the Trinity Ballroom, and preparations for the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings, opening the next day.
On the good-news side, the backup provided some incredible fodder for party conversation. Guests regaled each other with tales of their lengthy waits: 40 minutes for Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, 45 minutes for Susan and John Farris, 80 minutes for another couple. One cowboy-type boasted how he’d made an end run around the lined-up cars, ignoring protocol and all types of “naysayers” to get his gal to the ball on time.
Then again, the long waits in their cars did allow guests to catch radio broadcasts of the Texas-Georgia and SMU-Clemson football games. Alas, the defeat of both the Ponies and the ‘Horns didn’t exactly lift partygoers’ spirits.
Once inside, another issue arose when it was discovered that guests headed for the mega-party in the Trinity were having to make their way through the Chantilly Ballroom lobby, where the CCB cocktail reception was underway. It could have been worse, though, if not for Cheryl’s decision to restrict photographers from shooting the arriving guests.
Luckily, attendees were cheered by the imaginative decor adhering to the Big Apple theme, from the silent auction of Fifth Avenue luxury items at one end of the lobby, to the NYC Holiday Boutique and Cafe Carlyle Casino providing fun and games at the other.

Nearby stood the evening’s raffle car from Sewell, a 2024 Ineos Grenadier. Faces also brightened up for both the NorthPark Center-sponsored Radio City Glam Cam and the James French portraits.


As “Santa Baby” started playing over the sound system, guests hit the bar and began promenading through the lobby, past the pairs of skaters in makeshift “Central Park” mini-ice rinks by the Conservatory, pausing at the buffets laden with bagel lox crostini, eggs Benedict deviled eggs and ginormous shrimp. Wise were those who chowed down on the scrumptious seafood and other delectables — but more about that later.


As always, the CCB fashions were scrumptious as well. Designs by Dallas’ own Patti Flowers and Michael Faircloth seemed to predominate, with Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta and Pamela Roland showing fashionably and respectably, too.
Guests resplendent in Patti included Chair Cheryl, Kim Quinn, Anne McPherson (she was celebrating her birthday, to boot), Gail Chaney, Lisa Cooley, San Antonio’s Valerie Lester with her daughter Caitlin Lester Holcomb and Lois Glasgow.
Among the Michael aficionados were 2026 CCB Chair Mary Martha Pickens, Libby Allred and red-haired twins Tiffany Divis and Tammy Duclow.




Pam Perella, Amy Hegi, Victoria Snee and Kristen Sanger rocked their Herreras, while Sunie Solomon and Kim Hext were Oscar winners. Wearing Roland were Lisa Singleton, Melinda Knowles and Tracey Kozmetsky, whose guests included Houston’s Christine and Shea Morenz (he’s a former UT quarterback) and Kasey and Todd Lemkin (Kasey has a bespoke cowboy-boot brand).




Other designers were proudly worn as well, including 2026 CCB Chair Jennifer Dix in Nardos; Gail Fischer and Lindsay Ballotta in Safiyaa; Claire Emanuelson in Monique, Linda Secrest in Valentino, Monica Christopher in Jenny Packham, Susan Farris in Rene Ruiz and Calvert Collins-Bratton in Herve Leger.
Oh, and the jewels of the night glittered, thanks to Bachendorf’s, Diamonds Direct, Eiseman Jewels, LHS Designs, Neiman Marcus, Sue Gragg and a variety of inherited pieces.
Speaking of hand-me-downs: Leiber clutches held their own in the sparkle department, proving to be handy for Cheryl J., Gail F., Tracey K., Lisa C., Sunie S., Kim H., Pam P., Anne McP., Claire E., Monica C., Patti F. and Melinda K. Others being held in manicured hands were Valentino (Victoria S.), Christian Dior (Linda S.), Jimmy Choo ( Kristen S.), Oscar (Lisa S.), Sophia Webster (Susan F.) and Chanel (Pat McEvoy).
The gents, meantime, seemed to be favoring tuxes by Brioni (Ladd Sanger and Clay Cooley), Zegna (Richard Joyner, Les Secrest and John McPherson), Hadleigh ( Dwight Emanuelson), Tom Ford (Greg Hext and Vin Perella), Canali (Ray Ballotta and Brent Christopher), Brunello (Steve Solomon) and Ralph Lauren (Mark Knowles).

Just as the cocktail reception was winding down, a tradition was unfolding on the lobby staircase, with past CCB chairs gathering for their annual group photo. Although a bit delayed due to 2022 Chair Susan Farris being part of the valet jam-up, the shot (which had to be snapped before the ballroom opened) was finally taken after everyone waited as long as they could.

Once the Chantilly doors were thrown open, but before the guests could make their way to their tables in this winter wonderful land, the Kilgore Rangerettes stopped all traffic in their silver sequins with a spirited, high-kicking holiday routine a la New York’s iconic Radio City Rockettes.

After the performance, guests headed for their tables and their first good look at the Tom Addis-designed ballroom. It perfectly conveyed a winter holiday in New York, with walls bathed in icy blue draping, silvery chairs and “trees” sparkling a la Central Park during the holidays, and a dance floor reminiscent of a huge ice skating rink, with the CCB logo in the center. It soon would be filled with guests dancing up a storm.







Beholding the elegant long Chair’s table — topped with an icy reindeer sculpture atop a mirrored table surrounded by layers of ginormous white snowflakes — Cheryl turned to Tom and exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, this is phenomenal. Look at all these twinkle lights. They’re so beautiful. Thank you!”

Next would come dinner and a workout of carving.
The reviews of the dinner were painfully hardcore.
Perhaps a chuckwagon cowboy had commandeered the kitchen on December 7, with the guests’ beef looking like well-worn shoe leather requiring a lumberjack to cut through it. The only soft spots were the joints of fat wedged into the meat.
A trio of too-well-roasted Brussels sprouts seemed to have been the victims of a blazing campfire. Adding to the knife workout was the Newberg’s puff pastry. One person, wondering aloud if it had been made of some sort of plastic, simply plunged their fork into the bit of lobster and followed it up with the mushroom.

And it didn’t help matters that the knives seemed not up to the battle. They seemed more attuned to buttering the rolls that became a major source of sustenance. Alas, the couple of pads of butter on the table simply weren’t enough to go around.
One longtime underwriter registered his/her disappointment in the meal. Another, trying to make a joke about the steak, wondered if s/he should have asked for some A-1 Steak Sauce. One former chair simply shot a look to a friend at another table. No words were necessary.
However, while not excusing the issues of the night, a CCB veteran said they should not reflect on Cheryl’s leadership or the committee. They couldn’t be responsible for the rain, the long wait in line or the college football losses, after all.
But what about the dinner? Insiders reported that, during the planning stages, the New York Strip Steaks were juicy, and the Lobster Newberg was delicious in presentation and taste. While impressed, Cheryl raised the question — twice — whether the entrees served at the tasting could actually be prepared to the satisfaction of more than 1,500 guests. She was assured that it not only could be, but would be.
Evidently, the kitchen didn’t get the memo.
Luckily, the 2024 Crystal Charity Ball’s goal of $$7,093,665 for Dallas County children’s non-profit beneficiaries (Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, HHM Health, Methodist Health System Foundation, Parkland Health Foundation, The Center for Integrative Counseling and Psychology, Traffick911 and Vogel Alcove) was also assured — and achieved.
For more looks of the night, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.
JUST IN: Dallas Children’s Theater Debuts $5M “Extraordinary Campaign” With March Family Foundation’s $1M Gift
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
Since 1984, the Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) has been a transformational program. In addition to turning a bowling alley into a multi-faceted incubator where youngsters could experience and develop their creativity as well as building relationships, the DCT has been amazing and flourishing thanks to its staff and supporters like Carol and Kevin March.

That is why the Marches have led the DCT’s “Extraordinary Campaign” with a $1M gift from the March Family Foundation.
According to Carol, “As advocates for arts and education, we are deeply inspired by DCT’s commitment to enriching the lives of children across North Texas. This gift reflects our shared belief in the enduring impact of live theater to educate, entertain, and build connections that strengthen our community.”
Thanks to the March family’s “previous support for DCT to pay off the mortgage on its home, the Rosewood Center for Family Arts. The March family also worked with DCT to build a structured program for ongoing capital maintenance and improvements. Their visionary generosity exemplifies a legacy of uplifting organizations that foster creativity and accessibility for all.”

The campaign’s goal is “expand offerings in both performance and education defined by a collaboration of DCT staff, trustees, families, friends, partners, donors and artists. Funds raised through this campaign will serve as the foundation for DCT’s new initiatives, which include investments in innovative technology, increasing accessibility for children of all backgrounds, and expanding opportunities for apprenticeships and residences. Together, these initiatives ensure more than 95,000 children and families annually can experience the magic of live theater.
As DCT Executive Director Samantha Turner explained, “The March family’s unwavering support strengthens our ability to inspire the next generation through the transformative power of theater. Their extraordinary commitment is a beacon, encouraging others to join us in supporting the critically important work of helping children look up from their screens and engage with the world through live theater.”
Over the next five years, the Extraordinary Campaign goal is $5M.
Thanks to DCT children of all ages, backgrounds and special needs have come together to explore and be a par of North Texas’ performing arts.
* Graphic/photo provided by Dallas Children's Theater
MySweetCharity Photo Gallery Alert: 2024 Crystal Charity Ball
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
The 2024 Crystal Charity Ball’s New York Holiday! on Saturday, December 7, at the Hilton Anatole was literally a perfect storm, with Mother Nature making a challenging time fashionably worse.
From the start it was going to be a memorable “buckle your belts” night, with a drenching flood of rain that only an ark might have handled. Even after guests waited what seemed like hours in the valet line, getting into the hotel was still another challenge. As staff using blowers tried to clear the driveway, guests encountered the drippy walkway into the hotel under an awning speckled with holes.
But once inside, the beautiful people rallied for the fundraising occasion with a Park Avenue setting complete with fabulous fashions, a silent auction of luxury items, cocktail buffets of ginormous seafood and games in the Carlyle Cafe Casino.





When the doors to the Chantilly Ballroom opened, it was a sight to behold, with the high-kicking Kilgore Rangerettes in silvery sequins outdoing the Radio City Rockettes in a spirited presentation.




But the thumbs-up reviews of the performance were a memory once dinner was served, providing food for talk.


While the post is being finished up, check out more than 90 New York Holiday! faces and fashions at MySweetCharity Photo Galley.

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