Anyone who has bought a brand-spanking new home just knows that the builder’s promises of a firm finish date is a bit like a North Texan matron swearing she can still wear her high school prom dress. Well, it may have been something like that when The Family Place’s ReuNight Co-Chairs Brooke Hortenstine, Margaret Stafford and Piper Wyatt relied on soon-to-be-broken promises at the reveal party that The Family Place fundraiser would take place at the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District on Thursday, May 18. What a coup! While other media like The Dallas Morning News’ real estate mastermind Steve Brown had been reporting that the Marriott wouldn’t open its doors until mid-June, this fundraiser would be a remarkable curtain-raiser for the shiny new property.
Okay, so honestly, it wouldn’t be as remarkable as a La Quinta opening at the Vatican, but still. Even so, MySweetCharity had just announced the mega location, wondering whether ReuNight guests would have to wear hard hats on their split-end-less coifs?

Alas, word just arrived that the night of dining, wining, bidding, being seen and seeing the boldfacers “is moving to the beautiful and newly relocated Dallas Petroleum Club‘s” new digs located on the 14th floor of the Hunt Oil Company building.
According to The Family Place CEO Mimi Crume Sterling, “The venue is a true gem in the heart of Dallas, offering breathtaking views of the city skyline and Klyde Warren Park. We are grateful to the Dallas Petroleum Club for their generous support, and we can’t wait to share this unforgettable evening with our dear friends and supporters.”
But not to worry if you already had your heart set on the event at the Marriott. All the other ReuNight elements are still in place — Celebrity Chef Junior Borges is still in charge of the dinner; too adorable Joyce Goss is still holding the honorary chair title; there’s still a lively auction; gorgeous peeps will still be sashaying around; top sponsors will still include the Charlie and Moll Anderson Foundation, Ashley and Greg Arnold, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Bunny and Harold Ginsburg and Nancy C. and Richard Rogers; and the cause remains “to serve the North Texas community by bringing brighter futures to survivors of family violence.”
Hopefully, with Sewell sponsoring the valet parking, it will be a smoother vehicle hand-off than occurred at the recent Robert S. Folsom Leadership Award Dinner Patron Party at the Petroleum Club on Wednesday, April 5 … but that post is still on the burners.
After announcing the news of the relocation, organizers were asked, “Why the move?” The response was, “As soon as we learned the JW Marriott Arts District would not be ready for ReuNight’s 2023 event, we made a swift, strategic, and somewhat captivating relocation decision. We’re incredibly thankful for our stakeholders’ flexibility, as well as the Petroleum Club’s willingness to welcome us with open arms.”
That’s how North Texans respond in such situations … with open arms. After all, it’s the cause that counts.
* Photo provided by The Family Place