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Park Place Dealerships’ Season Of Giving’s Search For Grant Recipients Is Starting Earlier This Year
With all the talk of inflation, it’s comforting to know that Park Place Dealerships is starting its search for its Season of Giving recipients early this year. Unlike last year, when it started accepting applications for its $100,000 grants for North Texas non-profits, the campaign is now off and going.
While “the company supports more than 250 organizations throughout the year,” Park Place Dealership Experiential Marking Manager Kara Connor explained, “Last year, our team wanted to connect with non-profits that we hadn’t worked with and give them an opportunity to receive support. We had a huge response and immediately knew we wanted to do it again in 2022.”
Last year more than 350 non-profits applied for the $100,000, with 24 receiving a grant, including Denton County’s Friends of the Family, Lewisville’s Journey to Dream, Fort Worth’s Don’t Forget to Feed Me Food Bank and Dallas’ Cara Mia Theatre and Texas Winds.
With applications due by midnight on Saturday, October 23, the following criteria require that:
- The organization must be a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization serving at least one of the following counties: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Rockwall, Tarrant and/or Wise
- The charity must support one of Park Place Cares’ Pillars of Giving that includes education, medical research, children’s advocacy or the arts.
- The charity cannot have already received donations or in-kind support from Park Place in 2022.
Recipients for the grants ranging from $2,5000 to $15,000 will be revealed on Monday, November 7.
According to Park Place Dealership Managing Director Tony Carimi, “The process of selecting the grant recipients last year was extremely challenging because there were so many worthy organizations. Our Members are the drivers of the Park Place Cares Program. They believe in making a positive impact, one person at a time and they take great pride in being a part of Park Place Cares through their volunteerism and resources. Park Place Members loved this initiative so much they wanted to see Season of Giving return this year.”
* Graphic/photo provided by Park Place Dealerships
Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show Honorary Chairs, Hall Of Famers Celebrated At The White(s’) House
As an added plus to the Crystal Charity Ball’s 70th anniversary, CCB Chair Susan Farris and 2022 Fashion Show Chair Jennifer Dix decided to keep the good vibes of the recently held fashion show going. To do this they held an invite-only buffet reception underwritten by IBC Bank on Wednesday, September 14, at the home of Lee Ann and Alan White.
The occasion was to honor the four ladies who had served as honorary chairs over the years — Nancy Dedman (2009), Annette Simmons (2011), Norma Hunt (2019) and recently named Gene Jones — as well as the Hall of Fame Honorees, with a special tip of the hat to recently inducted Pat McEvoy.
But as the clock ticked down, possible COVID close encounters and family illnesses forced Norma, Annette and Pat to beg off.
Even so, the showing of the guests was uber-boldfaced. As one onlooker commented, “This is a gathering of philanthropic eagles.”
Why, Gene’s posse alone, including husband Jerry Jones Sr., Lori and Jerry Jones Jr., Charlotte Jones with Amir Rozwadowski and her daughter Haley Anderson, and Gene’s sister Kathy Counce with daughter Meredith Counce, was a party in itself.
HoF-er Robyn and Don Conlon were on hand with daughter-in-law/Ten Best Dresser Marybeth Conlon, whose husband Kevin Conlon was home taking care of their kids. Robyn and Don, who have been spending time at their place in the Grand Cayman, admitted that their plans to visit Little Cayman had been stalled due to two years of the pandemic.
And speaking of seas, Hall of Famer Claire and Dwight Emanuelson were just back from a “once-in-a-lifetime” week of floating with family along the Italian Coast, a sort of “pre-60th birthday party” for Dwight. When asked about Claire’s chairing the Kips Bay Decorator Show House patron dinner on Tuesday, September 20, Claire didn’t miss a beat. Despite the show house being open for just four days this year, down from four weeks, work was still underway for the debut on Thursday, September 22. Due to the house still being in the finishing stages, the dinner had been moved to The Mansion on Turtle Creek, with nary a guest bailing.
Co-Host/Hall of Famer Lee Ann admitted that while Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Thursday, September 8, had deservedly earned worldwide attention, the Whites’ upcoming plans of traveling to London might have to be tweaked some due to the number of people arriving for the services. But with the funeral taking place on Monday, September 19, the Whites’ basic plan stayed put as they were to arrive the day after the services.
As the crowd including Brad Kelly, Erin Mathews, Wendy and Boyd Messmann, Gail Fischer with Ken Christensen, HoF-ers Lana Andrews, Mary Clare Finney, Sonia Hamra and Lisa Troutt and Best Dressed vets Lisa Cooley, Tiffany Divis, Monica Eastin, Meredith Land, Anne McPherson and Aileen Pratt filled the entry, the guests spilled into the living room. There, Alan, Barry Andrews, and Truman Arnold had front-row seats, along with the Whites’ Lab named Sugar, for the presentation by Susan and Jennifer of Nancy D. and Gene following a brief presentation by William Schonacher, president and CEO of IBC Bank-Oklahoma.
While the intro of the two honorary chairs was brief, the ladies looked like kids opening Christmas gifts as they unwrapped boxes holding a personalized Jay Strongwater heart-shaped dish from Madison and a L’Objet silver frame containing their photo by Haynsworth from Neiman Marcus.
And the partying didn’t end there. When Lee Ann told guests there was still plenty of food that needed to be eaten, some guests took her up on the invitation, with one couple staying past the witching hour, not letting the champagne and caviar go to waste.
For looks at the night, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.
MySweetCharity Photo Gallery Alert: Crystal Charity Ball Honorary Chairmen And Hall Of Fame Party
While some of the Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show Honorary Chairs and Hall of Famers were unable to attend the private buffet on Thursday, September 8, at Lee Ann and Alan White’s home, the turnout was still as one person described as a “gathering of philanthropic eagles.”
And fashionable eagles they were with past Honorary Chairs Nancy Dedman (2008) and Gene Jones (2022) and Hall of Famers (Lana Andrews, Robyn Conlon, Mary Clare Finney, Sonia Hamra, Charlotte Jones and Lisa Troutt) plus past and current Ten Best Dressers (Lisa Cooley, Marybeth Conlon, Tiffany Divis, Jennifer Dix, Monica Eastin, Claire Emanuelson, Meredith Land, Aileen Pratt and Kim Quinn).
Adding to mix were fashion show underwriters like Gail Fischer and Erin Mathews, loads of friends and families including a passel of Joneses including patriarch Jerry Jones Sr., Lori and Jerry Jones Jr. and Charlotte Jones with daughter Haley Anderson and Gene’s sister Kathy Counce with her daughter Meredith Counce.
While the post is being finished, check out the faces of the night at MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.
JUST IN: Petco Love Shows The Love For North Texas’ Spay Neuter Network With A $75K Grant
Christmas came a little early this year for North Texas’ Spay Neuter Network (SNN). Petco Love has awarded the organization a $75,000 grant “to help reduce the number of pets entering shelters through its Pet Support and Resource Center and create a lifesaving community for animals.”
According to SNN Executive Director Jordan Craig, “The efforts of our Pet Support and Resource Center aim to help pet owners keep their pets, re-home their pets without them spending time in the shelter or find rescue partner placement with foster networks. This not only keeps pets happy and at home, but it also allows for more time to find lifesaving options for the pets that need the safety net of the shelter as a last resort.”
Thanks to the SNN network of three spay/neuter clinics, a surgery transport service for those with limited transportation and a Mobile Animal Spay/Neuter Hospital (MASH), more than 25,000 surgeries are performed annually. SNN also “provides wellness and supportive services for nearly 50,000 pets at little to no cost to pet owners in North Texas.”
In addition to providing the grant as part of the more than $15M investment recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations, Petco Love President Susanne Kogut revealed, “Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us. We recently celebrated the one-year launch anniversary of Petco Love Lost, a national lost and found database that uses pet facial recognition technology to simplify the search for lost pets.”
* Graphic courtesy of Petco Love ** Graphic courtesy of Spay Neuter Network
JUST IN: Triumph Over Alzheimer’s Foundation’s Forum Returns To Continue A Daughter’s Mission
Until eight years ago entrepreneur Leslie Ann Crozier’s life had been focused on business. Then a change took place. It was one that was literally life-changing. “Alzheimer’s” entered her wheelhouse. No, she was perfectly healthy, outgoing and on top of things as usual, but her mother wasn’t. Irma Ann Crozier had shown some preliminary signs that led to her being diagnosed with the disease.
Like any challenge that had faced Leslie in the past, she threw herself into tackling this one with a vengeance. While Leslie cared for her mother and witnessed the debilitating disease take its toll, she tirelessly researched Alzheimer’s; she talked with the top experts on the disease; she gathered friends to help her in the fight; and she started Triumph Over Alzheimer’s Foundation to raise awareness and funding for research.
Thanks to three forums, the Triumph Over Alzheimer’s Foundation has “awarded over $430,000 in grants for Alzheimer’s and brain health research.”
As Leslie Ann explained, “My passion is… and I want my legacy to be … to help someday find a cure or a breakthrough for this devastating disease. We must all do our part to end this life altering and deadly disease that affects so many of our lives and the lives of loved ones. We must help these scientists get to the finish line… and give us hope.”
After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, the Triumph Over Alzheimer’s Foundation will be holding its 2022 Reception and Forum’s “Helping Prevent Cognitive Decline and Exploring Breakthroughs on the Horizon” featuring renowned UT Southwestern scientists at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.
The timing of the event is especially poignant with Irma having succumbed to the disease on Tuesday, September 6.
Tickets and information are available here.
*Graphic/photo courtesy of Triumph Over Alzheimer's Foundation
Each Moment Matters Patrons Partied Among The Harlan Crow Library Treasures
Each Moment Matters Luncheon mom/daughter Co-Chairs Julie Ford and Tucker Enthoven greeted guests like Marnie and Kern Wildenthal, Carol Smith, Pam Busbee and Brenda Snitzer at Harlan Crow’s library on Wednesday, September 14, and during the reception someone asked Tucker how they had connected with … Read More...
Donna And Herb Weitzman’s Estate Provided The Backdrop For 2022 DSO Gala Theme Reveal
Unlike in years past, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala reveal did not take place at the Meyerson Symphony Center with a healthy handful of folks in attendance. Instead, 2022 DSO Gala Co-Chairs Donna and Herb Weitzman held the unveiling before a large group of guests in the backyard of their home … Read More...
JUST IN: 2023 St. V-Day Luncheon And Fashion Show Awardees And Designers Revealed
Wednesday afternoon as a white Rolls Royce convertible was leaving Highland Park Village, a flurry of other luxury vehicles was pulling in for the 2023 St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show Kick-Off Party at Veronica Beard. While waiting for the reveal of details for the Leukemia and … Read More...
JUST IN: 2022 Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Presents $400K Check To Salvation Army Of North Texas
Highland Park Village’s parking lot seemed a bit more filled than usual. Instead of heading to the ever-popular Starbucks for a cup of get-up-and-go java, ladies were heading to the Mockingbird Room. For some like Beth Thoele, it was their first visit to the upper-level office of Highland Park … Read More...
Canine Companions Celebrated National Service Dog Month At Irving Campus With Tails Wagging
Since its opening in 2015, the Canine Companions at Baylor Scott & White Health - Kinkeade Campus in Irving has been an amazing experience, where adorable puppies like Gator become life-changing service dogs. In celebration of September being National Service Dog Month, it was only natural that … Read More...
JUST IN: Jordan And Annie Spieth Up The Ante With $500K Gift For Children’s Medical Center Plano Expansion
It was five years ago this month that PGA Tour Pro/Dallas’ own Jordan Spieth met an adorable Tatum Teague. It was love at first sight. But don’t get the wrong idea. Jordan’s high school sweetheart Annie Verret was there, too. The meeting took place at Children’s Medical Center Dallas' Center for … Read More...