The poor folks over at the Dallas Historical Society have had their share of challenges thanks to the pandemic and Winter Storm Uri. First, they postponed their 39th Awards for Excellence Luncheon on November 2020 at the Fairmont to an evening event on February 18, 2021, in the recently renovated Hall of State in Fair Park.
Alas, due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, DHS leadership was forced to postpone the event again to a date to-be-determined in November 2021 at the Hall of State.
Actually the move proved to be fortuitous. Just a couple of days before the February get-together was to have taken place, the ice storm hit and the Hall of State took a major hit with water damage.
Taking a deep breath, the DHS-ers have sent word that the event will be a luncheon presented by Pegasus Bank on Thursday, November 18, with the Fairmont Dallas as the destination to finally honor the 39th group of awardees that include:
- Jubilee History Maker Award – Cece Cox for her leadership and advocacy in the LGBTQ community through her tireless commitment to civil rights for over 30 years.
- Arts Leadership – Gayle Halperin for her commitment to the arts as an advocate, leader, administrator, mentor, and philanthropist, making Dallas a richer environment for all.
- Creative Arts – Jonathan Norton for his work as a homegrown, nationally recognized playwright whose rich characters and stories are inspired by growing up in Dallas.
- Education – Catherine LeBlanc for her dedication to education through her Catch Up and Read program which trains primary school teachers in new and effective reading techniques.
- Health/Sciences – Agape Clinic for providing free medical care to the medically under-served of Dallas for almost 40 years.
- History – Nancy McCoy for her extensive work as a preservation architect in the commercial, cultural, residential, parks, and educational sectors.
- Humanities – Alessandra Comini for her accomplishments as an art historian, lecturer, author, and professor for more than 40 years.
- Philanthropy – Diane Bumpas for celebrating Texas state history and Dallas heritage through her generosity of time, effort, and contributions.
- Volunteer Leadership – Rene Martinez for his long-term dedication to the betterment of Dallas through his accomplishments as an educator and political and civic leader.
According to DHS Executive Director Karl Chiao Esq., “Through their time, energy, influence and support, these Dallas History Makers have shown tremendous civic leadership and a commitment to our city’s rich and important history. We are thrilled to honor their service and celebrate the contributions they make to the past, present and future of Dallas.”
Keep your fingers crossed for this event that has been a long time in taking place.