The North Texas fundraising got off with a slam on the early evening of Thursday, September 5. While some headed to the Meyerson Symphony Center for the preview of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala and the boot-scooters moseyed on over to the elegant Swexan Hotel for the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball Underwriting get-together (aka CBB Chair Marjon Henderson‘s birthday), the lineup of vehicle on both ways along Preston Road created a bit of a traffic jam.
The reason for the logjam was the Forefront Living Foundation‘s Each Moment Matters Luncheon preview at the Crow Library celebrating the 2024 Luncheon honorees who “make a significant difference in the community and impact the lives of others.”
In the foyer, Forefront Living Foundation Executive Director Diane Fullingim greeted guests like past recipients Marnie and Kern Wildenthall, Vicky Riley, Pam Busbee, Melinda and Mark Knowles, Andy Walsh, Austin Wyker, Honorary Co-Chairs Beth and Dan Plumlee, Christie Carter and Junior Villanueva. While the rendition of the Oval Office at the far end of the foyer overlooking Turtle Creek was a major draw, guests found themselves updating on activities that were on the fall radar. Kappa Tablescapes Co-Chair Frances Mitchell reported that the Luncheon on Tuesday, October 15, featuring Herrera’s Wes Gordon was sold out. But the flexible night before Tablescapes by Candlelight still had openings, as well as sponsorship opportunities.
As Luncheon Co-Chairs Katie Townend Doherty and Katherine Wyker mixed and mingled with guests in the Great Hall, folks like Marnie and Kern, Bob Baillargeon and Doug Hawthorne took their places for the presentation,
Unlike years past when the honorees were presented individually at the Luncheon, the format was to hold the presentations at the cocktail party allowing more time for the talk by author Christy Cashman at the Luncheon. But not to worry, the honorees would still be highlighted at the luncheon in a video presentation.
Despite honorees Pam Altizer‘s and Randy Bowman‘s being unable to attend the evening, the brief but touching introduction of the honorees (Arnold “Artie” Holtberg, Brad Hunstable, Courtney Underwood, James “Dudie” Thomas, Pam Southern, Wendy Van Bemmel and Patrick Walsh) made the program run seamlessly without losing the poignant importance of the Luncheon’s benefiting the Faith Caring Fund, which plays a pivotal role by “providing benevolent care for patients without funding and facilitating specialized programs, including crucial children’s bereavement services and their renowned ‘Faith Difference’ comfort therapies.”
Thanks to the support of Faith Caring Fund in 2023, it was learned that 3,657 unfunded and under-funded patients were served through Benevolent Care, 464 children received grief support thanks to Child and Family Bereavement and more than 3,500 massages and music therapy visits were provided from “Faith Difference” Integrated Therapies.