Leap Day had all types of nonprofits taking full advantage of the extra day. While a couple of Alzheimer’s fundraisers were taking place, the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame at the Omni sort of put a crimp into the Art in Bloom patron party at Gigi Potter Salley’s and Roy Salley’s University digs.
It seems that AinB Honorary Chair Amy Warren had to miss out on the get-to-meet guest speaker/florist to the British royal family Shane Connolly. But the adorable brunette had a very good excuse — husband Kelcey Warren was officially being inducted as a Hall of Fame Laureate at the Omni.
What a miss! Irish-born Shane was towering and charming the guests in the living room. Regarding the recent concern over the coronavirus outbreak, Shane felt that the reaction was a bit over the top. Having arrived from the other side of the pond and heading to the northeast following his Monday presentation at the Dallas Museum of Art, he was to be a part of the Bach Choir program.
When asked about working the British royal family, he didn’t hesitate reporting that both working with the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had been wonderful.
One guest with British roots approached Shane saying that since she had arrived to North Texas, she hadn’t met many native types. Multi-generational Texan Gigi laughed at the comment.
Just past 7 AinB Chair Therese Rourk was introduced to the near 100 guests including Empress Gilbert, Barbara Harris, Joni Krieg, Jeri Harvin, Linda Spina, Phyllis Comu, Kay Weeks, and Patti Jo Turner in the family room by Dallas Museum of Art League President Dyann Skelton. After thanking Gigi and Roy and the sponsors, Therese made a special shout out for Amy, who had “been far more than the usual honorary chair.”
In describing the live auction items, Therese got a laugh from the crowd when one of the packages included Botox treatments.
Before inviting guests to return to their cocktailing, Therese had Floral Exhibit Chair Nikki Beneke report on the floral exhibition that had just been installed earlier in the day for the Monday event at the Dallas Museum of Art.