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JUST IN: 2019 Crystal Charity Ball’s Children’s Book Underwritten by Medical City Children’s Hospital Is Unveiled
The 2019 Crystal Charity Ball committee has been busy today moving, stuffing and getting things ready for Saturday’s black-tie fundraiser gala at the Hilton Anatole for 1,530 guests.
One of the much anticipated items that arrived for unpacking was the 2019 Children’s Book underwritten by Medical City Children’s Hospital.
On hand to check out the hardbound book containing 417 pages of photos of children were 2019 CCB Chair Pat McEvoy, 2019 CCB Children’s Book Chair Anne Besser and Medical City Children’s Hospital and Medical City Women’s Hospital Dallas CEO Jessica O’Neal.
* Photo credit: Melissa Macatee
Northwood Woman’s Club’s Dine By Design Was Spook-tacular With Guests Costuming Up
Leave it to Northwood Woman’s Club to have fun while fundraising. And they took full advantage of Halloween for their annual Dine By Design with tablesettings dressed to the nines while guests costumed up on Thursday, October 31, at the Renaissance Dallas Addison Hotel. Here’s a report from the field:
Lions, tigers and bears, oh my, along with witches, elves, Uncle Sam, cowgirls and more – these were the guests who arrived in their Halloween attire to celebrate the Northwood Woman’s Club Bewitching Holidays Dine by Design fundraising luncheon on Thursday, October 31.
Guests were treated to a feast for the eyes with creatively adorned holiday-themed tables while strolling through the beautifully appointed room at the recently renovated Renaissance Dallas Addison Hotel. Co-Chairs Ann Lemmons, Debbie Sedwick and Marty Williams selected the ‘any’ holiday theme for this festive event and were decked out as bewitching witches.
The tablescapes on parade provided fun and colorful eye candy created by NWC members and Dallas area designers. The holiday themes included delightfully gourd-geous Fall designs, scary Halloween and Day of the Dead creations featuring spooky skeletons. There were tables with giant-size bunnies, a life-sized turkey, a lovely green and white table celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Christmas tables were adorned with an adorable schoolhouse theme, a Partridge in a Pear tree, an Irish Christmas featuring a fantastic collection of Irish characters and a snow village which made you want to sing ‘Let It Snow.’ Mother’s Day, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year were all displayed in their finest. Several tables were decked out in the stars and stripes to celebrate America. There was even a Cowboy’s Tailgate table. While not really a holiday, to Cowboy’s fans, game day is always a holiday.
All this fanfare was designed for some Halloween fun as well as to promote fundraising for the NWC non-profits chosen for the 2019-2020 year. While this was the first fundraiser of the year, NWC President Jan Folmar, adorned in her queenly garb, stated, “We’re excited about our partnerships with four amazing non-profits, Bonton Farms, Bryan’s House, Dallas Life and Emily’s Place. This spook-tacular event is a great way to kick off our annual fundraising to support these partners.”
Gay, orange and white polka-dotted Trick or Treat boxes were offered for $35 each and sold quickly. Prizes included gift cards to area restaurants, spa treatments, jewelry and more. A special treat, or trick, a tour of Big City Crushed Concrete, donated by NWC member Barbara Brown, was won by NWC Member Liz Martin who thought her 9 and 11-year-old grandchildren would love the tour.
Members and guests were treated to a fabulous lunch while seated at lovely tables dressed up with flowers provided by Fleurt Flowers. While enjoying lunch, entertainment was provided by Goga who sang a wide-variety of music from classic to pop and rock. His rousing rendition of “We Are Family” prompted spontaneous dancing and then a conga-line around the room. Needless to say, it was a boo-tiful event!
NWC is in its 51st year as an all-volunteer organization committed to supporting Dallas area non-profits through volunteer time and financial support with a membership of over 300.
* Photo provided by Northwood Woman's Club
Cristo Rey Dallas Students Revealed Their School Experiences With Grow The Grove Patrons
Just days before the Cristo Rey Dallas Grow the Grove event at Sixty Five Hundred, Lindsay and George Billingsley opened their home for the fundraiser’s patrons on Tuesday, October 29. The highlight of the evening was a presentation by Cristo Rey Dallas students about their experiences at the college preparatory school. Here’s a report from the field:
Cristo Rey Dallas celebrated sponsors of the 4th annual Grow the Grove at a cocktail reception on Tuesday, October 29, at the home of Lindsay and George Billingsley.
Blake Meadows*
Attendees arrived and mingled as they enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Midway through the reception, Cristo Rey Dallas President Kelby Woodard gathered the crowd including Isabell and Trey Higgenbotham, Lydia Novakov, Kathleen and Frank Lauinger, Mary Blake and Chuck Meadows, Christy and Craig Scheef and Maryann Mihalopoulos for brief remarks.
Woodard thanked the Billingsleys for opening their home, before recognizing this year’s Honorary Co-Chairs Karen and Mark Carney and Honorees Liza and Will Lee. He then took a few moments to introduce the Cristo Rey Dallas students who shared details about their experience at the school, as well as experiences at their Corporate Work Study Program assignments, which allows the students a Catholic, college-preparatory education while earning work experience in a corporate setting.
Honoree Liza followed and extended her gratitude to Cristo Rey Dallas for honoring her and husband Dr. Will Lee. She also thanked all for their support of this year’s Grow the Grove, which would be held on Saturday, November 2.
Woodard closed by thanking the many sponsors who helped make the event possible, which include the following:
- Buy our Books ($10,000) – Lindsay and George Billingsley, Lucy and Henry Billingsley, Lucy and Tom Burns, Peter and Michelle Collins, Maryann and Frank Mihalopoulos, Mary and Mike Terry and Texas Security Bank;
- Stock the Shelves ($5,000 +) – Anthony Family Foundation, Lynn and Win Bell, Karen and Mark Carney, John and Kathleen Dziminski/The Catholic Foundation, Laura and Jim Einspanier, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Joyce and Larry Lacerte, Kathleen and Frank Lauinger, Nancy Cain Marcus, Mary Blake and Chuck Meadows, Tricia and Bill Miller, Jennifer and Jon Mosle, Nelda Cain Pickens, Chris and Joe Popolo, Carolyn and Karl Rathjen, Jeff and Darrel Rice, Barbara and Randall Rosenblatt/Dallas Jewish Community Foundation, Megan and Joe Barrie-Schwarz and Michelle Vopni;
- Support a Teacher for a Month ($3,500+) – Sue and Lee Coleman, Jessica and Doug Epperson, J.M. Haggar, Jr. Family Foundation, Liza and Will Lee and School Sisters of Notre Dame;
- Sponsor an Act Prep Class ($1,800+) – Bob Baillargean, Stuart Bumpas/Locke Lord, Sylvia and Jeff Chavez, Lee Cullum, Judy and John Dryden, Isabel Esteve, Carmen and Raul Estrada, Jack Fraker, Glenn Partners, Susan and Mark Godvin, Nancy S. and Jeremy L. Halbreich Charitable Fund at Communities Foundation of Texas, Hoglund Foundation, Joeris, Cheryl and Richard Joyner, Muffin Lemak, Rosemarie Marshall, Janie and Cappy McGarr at Texas Women’s Foundation, Vicki and Brian Miller, Laura and Scott Moore, Kathy and Edward Ramirez, Micki and Mike Rawlings, St. Augustine Parish, Joanna and David Shuart, Michele and John Stephens and Ana and Jim Yoder.
Attendees of the 4th annual Grow the Grove sponsor party included: Isabell and Trey Higgenbotham, Lydia Novakov, Pat and Tom Burns, Kathleen and Frank Lauinger, Mary Blake and Chuck Meadows, Christy and Craig Scheef and Maryann Mihalopoulos.
For more information about Cristo Rey Dallas visit cristoreydallas.org.
About Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep – Located in Pleasant Grove, Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep provides economically challenged students of all faiths with a college preparatory education enabling them to become men and women of purpose and service. Through a rigorous curriculum, integrated with a hands-on professional work experience, students graduate ready to succeed in college and in life. cristoreydallas.org
* Photo provided by Cristo Rey Dallas
MySweetWishList: St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon And Fashion Show
According to 2020 St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show Chair Nikki Webb,
“As chair of the 2020 St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show, I hope that you will join me to see what the Power of Love Can Do on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at the Meyerson Symphony Center to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) of North Texas. By supporting this event, you are helping LLS in its mission to find cures and help patients and families right here in North Texas.
“As a parent, I was very moved to hear about LLS’ Children’s Initiative aimed at funding research to find better, safer cures for children. No parent should have to hear the words, ‘your child has cancer much less lose their child to these diseases.’
“Join me at the 36th annual St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show to help put an end to cancer. To sponsor, purchase tables or tickets, visit www.saintvalentinesdayluncheon.org.
“For more information on LLS and the services they provide here in North Texas, visit www.lls.org/ntx.”
Grovel Alert: Breakfast With Santa Spectacular
Well, darn it. Seems that Sunday morning at NorthPark is going to be turned into NorthPole for a heaping lot of kids and their adult escorts thanks to Breakfast With Santa Spectacular benefiting Children’s Health. Along with the legendary NorthPark Santa, there will be prancers, dancers and all types of cupids entertaining and selfie-ing.
And as for the grownup types, they’re going to be a bit bleary-eyed after partying the night before at the Crystal Charity Ball.
If you haven’t already locked down those reservations for breakfasting and partying with the jolly king of elves, you may soon be out of luck. According to sources, there just aren’t many tickets left.
If you’ve decided not to attend, then start coming up with heartbreaking excuses for the munchkins why their pals are partying on Sunday and they missed out on the Children’s Health fundraiser. For instance, the reindeer ate my iPad?
On the other hand, why not take a chance and get one of the last tickets?
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