Honorary Co-chair Roger Staubach was there with his wife, Marianne Staubach. So was Chair Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, as well as last year’s Co-Chairs Candice Romo and Hollie Siglin. But on the evening of Tuesday, March 26, the real star of the patron party for the Children’s Cancer Fund‘s 31st Annual “An Evening in the Garden” fundraiser was little Haylie Geraci.
Twelve-year-old Haylie, who’s from Trophy Club, has been battling cancer for awhile, and in fact had just had a round of chemotherapy within the last week. But she was up for the patron party — attending with her parents, Melissa and Michael Geraci, as well as her brother Brennan Geraci — and for the upcoming CCF gala, too. The April 26 bash at the Hilton Anatole will have pediatric cancer patients like Haylie walking the runway in fashions from Dillard’s with celebrities like Roger and Troy Aikman, who’ve participated in the event for 31 and 22 years, respectively.
When Kim, addressing the crowd of about 50 at the spectacular new home of Jennifer and Walker Royall, asked Haylie whether she was ready to walk the runway, Haylie replied without hesitation: “Yes, ma’am!” Meantime, guests including Nancy Gopez, Brent Christopher, Karen Bradshaw and Lynn and Jim Stroud chatted with CCF officials including Jennifer Arthur, the nonprofit’s executive director. “Kim is leading the charge to share our mission across the nation,” Jennifer said. “We have donations coming in from New York to L.A.”
Other attendees caught up with each other and shared the latest news. Kim’s parents, Myrna and Bob Schlegel, have been busy preparing their manse for the May wedding there of daughter Krystal Schlegel. Bob also was buoyant about a new single-family-home development in the Southern California town of Hesperia that he’s involved with. Walker was pleased his new home was finally finished — a few months past the expected delivery date! And, Marianne was just back from a “lady’s ski trip” to Big Sky, Montana.
The “An Evening in the Garden” gala is expected to raise more than $1 million for pediatric cancer research and treatment programs at Children’s Health and UT Southwestern. RSC Show Productions will produce the fashion show, DJ Souljah and a violin accompanist will provide the entertainment, and Karen Borta from CBS 11 will serve as the event’s emcee.
* Photo provided by Children's Cancer Fund
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