As if Thursday, September 12, wasn’t a killer with the Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon earlier in the day, the evening was the most jam-packed night in memory. Just a smidgen of the events promoting fundraising were:
2013 Texas Trailblazers Awards Announcement
At a well-attended gathering at the Goss-Michael Foundation in the Design District, the walls were adorned with colorful, for-sale artworks created by clients and supporters of The Family Place. Proceeds from sales of the original, one-of-a-kind pieces went to The Family Place, whose Paige Flink had convened the gathering to announce recipients of the nonprofit’s 2013 Texas Trailblazer Awards.
While guests like Carol Seay, Lynn McBee, Tanya Roberts, JB Hayes and Rachel and Chris Trowbridge looked on, it was announced that Gloria Campos would receive the Texas Trailblazer Award, which recognizes a local woman who has achieved success despite obstacles faced along the way. Darlene Blakey was announced as the recipient of the Real-Life Hero Award. The Family Place Advocacy Award will go to Kimberly-Clark, and Hannah Hinton and Karim Bryant will be recognized with the Youth Service Award and Scholarship.
The awardees will be honored at a Sept. 26 luncheon at the Omni Hotel in downtown Dallas, where the guest speaker will be Cynthia Lowen. She is the writer and producer of “Bully,” the first feature documentary about bullied children. Honorary chairs for the luncheon are Sheila and Jody Grant; Barbara and Steve Durham and Julie and Steve Rado are serving as the event’s co-chairs.
Junior League of Dallas 2014 Sneak Preview
If you don’t believe that Thursday night was an incredibly busy one for North Texas nonprofits, just ask Carol Seay and Lynn McBee. Not long after being spotted at The Family Place party at Goss-Michael, Seay and McBee showed up at the Bar at Ser Steak & Spirits in the Hilton Anatole. There, they were among about 175 members, sponsors and donors who turned out to learn who the featured entertainer would be for the 52nd Annual Junior League of Dallas Ball presented by Sewell. The Sept. 12 event also recognized the 2013-2014 Junior League of Dallas Community Advisory Board and Leadership Council.
The ball, sponsored by Community Trust Bank, will take place on Feb. 22, 2014, in the Chantilly Ballroom at the Hilton Anatole. Honorary co-chairs for the evening are Katherine LaLonde and Margaret Crow. The event’s theme will be “Rio Carnival … A Night in La Cidade Maravilhosa …The Marvelous City.”
Suspense over the name of the featured entertainer didn’t last long Thursday night, as 2014 JLD Ball Chair Wendy Messman announced that it will be Austin-based singer/songwriter Bob Schneider. The crowd then got a pleasant extra surprise when Schneider himself took to the Ser stage and launched into a lively solo set of his funk/soul/folk/country songs. Among those enjoying the performance were Trisha Cunningham, Emily Eisenhauer and Nikki and Crayton Webb.
Art For Advocacy Preview Party
No sooner was Forty-Five Ten’s Brian Bolke back from a Mediterranean holiday and a Fashion Week workout than he was hosting more than 250 of Dallas’ most stylish, art loving and kid supporting types at the McKinney Avenue store for Art for Advocacy.
According to Brian, “Last year when I attended the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center’s Art for Advocacy event, I was really taken by the great cause, the great people involved (like Lucy Wrubel) and what a grass-roots organization it was. When Co-Chair Kersten Rettig reached out, I knew our partnership with photographer Gray Malin this season was a perfect fit. Gray’s work is not only optimistic, and thought-provoking, I love that he was born and raised in Dallas.”
Unfortunately, at times it was a tad bit difficult to see the artwork because of the number of beautiful people. How crowded was it? Just five minutes into the event, drivers were being diverted to the back entrance. The front parking was a done deal.
Lucy was in charge of the music and self-dancing after lunching with mom Jennie Reeves at the Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon. What really caught Lucy’s eye were those Alexander McQueen beaded leggings.
Among the beautiful people checking out the clothes and art was jewelry designer/actor Adam Shulman. In addition to partnering with Heidi Nahser Fink to create the James Banks jewelry line that was being shown at Forty-Five Ten, he’s also Dallas’ Peter Brodsky’s cousin. That explains why he was with Peter’s wife Lael. Too bad Adam’s wife of less than a year couldn’t make the party. Did we mention that Adam’s married to Anne Hathaway? Yup! He not only designed her engagement ring, he’s coming up on their first anniversary (September 29).
Just a foot away from Lael and Adam were David Nichols and his real estate partner Erin Mathews, who had also been at the CCB Fashion Show and Luncheon. David had to duck out early due to a birthday dinner for a friend at Brook Hollow. Not to worry about Erin being by herself. Wearing a black lamb shift, she was joined by daughter-in-law Brittany Mathews and Mathews-Nichols associates Richard Graziano and Faisal Halum.
Across the way, Laree Hulshoff was telling Lisa Shardon and daughter Anne Defilippo about her CCB Fashion Show and Lunch earlier with interior designer Barbara Daseke and Linda Ivy. Laree revealed that she and Ben Fischer are planning on being in residence at Museum Tower by November, just in time for the holidays!
Black Tie Dinner Sponsor Appreciation Party
It was an overflow crowd at Faye Briggs’ estate. Thank heaven the weather was nice enough for the crowd (Kenneth Craighead, Steve Green, Ken Morris, Stephen Strecansky, Stephen Tosha, Mitzi Lemons, Lee Nelson, Philip Wier, Margaret Duncan) to enjoy the entire house and grounds. Dang! The petite widow’s never-ending hospitality might drive her neighbors batty with all the cars parked along the road in front of her home, except it’s all to benefit nonprofits.
This night it was for the Black Tie Dinner Sponsors. As one of the valets put it, “the cars just keep coming.”
After holding court on the terrace with boyfriend Ralph Gorman, Faye eventually moved into the living room for the announcements about the November 2nd black tie fundraiser that is both legendary and profitable.
This year’s dinner will benefit 20 North Texas groups including AIDS Arms Inc., AIDS Outreach Center, AIDS Services of Dallas, Celebration Community Church, Congregation Beth El Binah, East Texas Cares Resource Center, Equality Texas Foundation, Health Services of North Texas, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Legacy Counseling Center, Legal Hospice of Texas, Northaven United Methodist Church, Resource Center Dallas, Turtle Creek Chorale, White Rock Friends and Women’s Chorus of Dallas.
With an attendance of 3,000 that would stymie the bravest event producer, this year’s major cocktail party and dinner at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel will feature Academy Award-winning screenwriter/executive producer Dustin Lance Black as the featured speaker. Being recognized will be Zach Wahls for the Elizabeth Birch Equality Award and David Taffet for the Raymond Kuchling Humanitarian Award.
But on this night it was Faye who stole the show. When the time came for a raffle drawing, she could be heard from the back of the crowd that she has never won anything and drove a five-year-old car. With that a ticket was purchased and put into the bin. After a couple of healthy spins, the drum’s door was opened and the ticket drawn. Faye still hasn’t won anything, except the hearts of all there.
* Photo provided by The Family Place
** Photo provided by Junior League of Dallas