As many were preparing for graduations and getting away for the summer, others were beating the drum Tuesday, May 23, to raise money for Dallas’ Habitat for Humanity and the Resource Center Dallas.
Urban Revival Kick-off
The Granbury weather disaster seemed to target the Habitat for Humanity homes in particular. Luckily, the HfH program is so well planned that each homeowner had insurance and assistance in place to help rebuild.
While the Granbury rebuilding will be handled by another HfH chapter, the Dallas Habitat for Humanity is continuing with its mammoth undertaking of “Dream Dallas.”
But to achieve this goal of revitalizing areas of Dallas, it takes money. One fundraiser is the 2nd Annual Urban Revival that is being chaired by Heather and Malcolm Hicks and Nikki and Crayton Webb with Amanda and Brint Ryan as honorary chairs on Thursday, November 7, at Chef Sharon Van Meter’s culinary center at 3015 in the Trinity Groves development. To dress up the event, they’ve drafted Tom Addis.
Once again there will be signature cocktails, food stations, live entertainment and a silent auction of bird houses designed by local creative types. For shoppers, Commonwealth Couture will return with “amazing finds for men and women, such as vintage cowboy boots, clothing and accessories.”
At the kick-off party at The Nest, Crayton, who was HfH board chair in 2009 and 2010, explained how he got involved. “Habitat has been in our blood and in our family for a long time. When you consider the major issues facing Dallas — economic development in the southern sector, improving the schools, decreasing crime — Habitat, home ownership, helps solve them all.”
Crayton told of the Urban Revival’s goal. In addition to having 350 guests, “We’re shooting for a record. We hope to raise $150,000 for the ‘Build a block’ program.”
To help them in achieving that goal, The Nest donated 20% of the evening’s sales to HFH.
Totally off the subject but fashion note: Lynn McBee arrived wearing some very cool sunglasses. Seems she had been in Galveston and gotten something in her eye causing a blood vessel to break. Her eye had progressed from a deep merlot to a cabernet color.
So, the 10 Best Dressed fundraiser found a pair of glasses at a mini-mart that sells Chinese food. The cost of the glasses? $17, but Lynn talked them down to $11. See! You don’t have to spend big bucks to be stylish.
Resource Center Dallas
Philanthropist Faye Briggs was doing double duty. Earlier in the day she had hosted a sit-down reception for 75 gals to hear about Nancy Smith Beck’s new book, “Dallas International With J.R. Ewing.” It was so successful that it didn’t break up until around 3 instead of the planned-for 2 p.m.
Oops! The Resource Center Dallas group was supposed to be setting up their screens and sponsor backdrops around 2:30 for their reception that evening. Luckily, the transition went smoothly, so none of the 100 guests at the evening event knew the difference.
The purpose of the evening was to update key supporters on the Resource Center’s capital campaign for their new 30,000-square-foot facility at Cedar Springs and Inwood. It would replace their present location in a 12,000-square-foot “old church” on Reagan Street. It presently serves over 50,000 people each year with programs and services needed by the LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities. One of the services is the two HIV dental clinics that have made a vast difference for so many.
The new facility will allow the Resource Center to expand and update its medical clinic, hot meals program and food pantry and other family, community and education programs.
According to Resource Center CEO Cece Cox, they’ve gotten $4.2M and aim to raise $9M to $10M more. They launched the “public phase” of the campaign about three years ago.
Resource Center President Gregory Pynes said the new home would be a “community center” as well as the Resource Center Dallas’s headquarters. He went on to say that this project was an exciting new chapter for the group that has been around for 30 years.
In celebration of their 30th anniversary, they plan on “celebrity events” later in the fall.
In conclusion, Cece told the guests, “I’m not shy about asking for money.” She then asked folks to pledge to the capital campaign. Almost immediately, a guest pledged $25,000.