Giving the usual evening fundraising footwear of stilettos, evening slippers and cowboy boots the night off, the Pantry In The Park guests donned their most showstopping sneakers for the Wilkinson Center fundraiser. After all, the theme for the event taking place at the Dallas Arboretum on Friday, October 18, was “Starry Night Sneakers Soiree.”
Practically the only ones not in sneakers had a great excuse. They were mini-burro bros Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. Insiders reveal that the boys were just a couple of years old but had become the fav magnet with their baskets of beverages like the evening’s espresso martinis and Painted Donkey tequila.
As the sun was setting over White Rock Lake, the boys found themselves greeting VIP guests like Jan and Gerry Worrall, Carlin and Charles Morris and former Wilkinson Center Anne Reeder Corley and Paul Corley Jr. Talk about hands-on attention. When one guest asked why their coats were so soft, their agent admitted that in addition to their sprouting their winter coats, they had a special ingredient in their wash-and-dry program.
In addition to Jerry Lee and Johnny, Jessy Powell and Devin Odell hosted a whiskey tasting featuring Lasso Motel.
And speaking of spirits, there were spirited games for the 250 guests to take their chances on, like “Price Is Right,” where they could win prizes by guessing the correct price of everyday items like those needed by Wilkinson Center’s Food Pantry clients, as well as a wine pull and silent auction.
Then there was the two-fold game of the night where guests purchased $25 tickets, with 11 being drawn, to compete in musical chairs for a case of Hall Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon valued at $900. After nine rounds that last two gals “decided to share their winnings!”
But it wasn’t all fun and games. Event Co-Chairs Jenn and OJ DeSouza and Laura Ailshire and Wilkinson Center Executive Director Daley Ryan and Development Director Lori Baum had arranged for a couple of Wilkinson clients to share their stories on how the Center had impacted their lives, like:
Shannon Adams told how she hadn’t completed high school due to many challenges (i.e. growing up in an abusive household and suffering with seizure disorder and other medical issues). But she persevered and in 2017 started classes at the Center where her teacher Miss Bobbie encouraged her to make a “goals poster” that she brought from home to show the guests. It read “Aim high, go higher. Shoot for your dreams and never give up no matter what.” As a result, Shannon not only got her GED and earned her Associate of Science degree recently. She proudly reported that she been accepted by the University of Texas at Dallas where she will pursue her associate’s degree in nursing. Already she had accomplished the goal of being the first in her family to graduate from a community college and to be accepted into a four-year university. Looking to the future, her ultimate dream was to become a doctor. She summed up her success, “If it were not for the Wilkinson Center, I would not be where I am today. They have helped us students to become whatever we want to become and to be successful in life.”
The other client was Lopez, who, as the oldest child in the family, was put into a role she “never anticipated.” Her sister had been diagnosed with cancer and Lopez had to translate complex medical terminology for her mother. The result was her desire to become part of the medical field. Thanks to Wilkinson Center’s Medical Assistant Program, Lopez enrolled in college, receiving ongoing guidance as she worked toward her degree. As a result of hard work and Wilkinson’s support, she recently completed her internship with Children’s Health, where her sister had received treatment. She finished her story saying, “Today I am proud to say I have joined Children’s Health as an employee. I owe immense gratitude to everyone who played a part in making this possible.”
* Photo credit: Nate Rehlander