PHILANTHROPY &Heroes

By

Giving of one’s time and treasure may sound cliche or even “easy” for those blessed to have resources to give, but I’ve been around many benevolent souls in animal welfare that take giving to a huge level…and believe me, it’s not anywhere near easy! Taking on the endeavor of philanthropy, as well as volunteerism, requires enormous passion and a tireless commitment.

Meet The Faulkners

“The best philanthropy is not just about giving money but giving leadership. The best philanthropists bring the gifts that made them successful – the drive, the determination, the refusal to accept that something can’t be done.” This famous quote from British Prime Minister Tony Blair is spot on when describing the philanthropic, dynamic duo of Tracy and Harry Faulkner. Together, their fundraising, leadership and participation in bringing solutions to displaced, abused or neglected women, children and animals belies their determination to impact the greater good. It’s this exhaustive yet passionate drive to help others that compelled PetTalk to share their story in our Philanthropy & Heroes issue.

Twelve years ago, a chance meeting at a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society event turned into a match of fairy-tale proportions, as both Tracy and Harry were there to support a mutual friend, Brenda Cheney, at her Annual “Sip n’ Sail" for a Cure. As they perused the silent auction items, they began chatting and as they say, the rest was history! They married over a decade ago and have gone on to fill their years since that fateful night with a mutual motivation to devote their lives to family and philanthropic endeavors to support the community.

It has been said that charity is just writing checks while philanthropy is being engaged, not only with your resources but getting yourself and others really involved and doing things that haven’t been done before. There is no doubt that the Faulkners dive passionately into the many causes they support, as evidenced by the recognition bestowed upon them from the Houston community. Both Tracy & Harry were LLS Man & Woman of the Year Candidates, with Harry placing 2nd in the 6-week campaign, having raised $127,000 with Tracy as his campaign manager. Collectively, they have been honored by St. Jude’s Children’s Research and The Indo-Asian Society as “Families of Philanthropy.” Separately, Tracy has received many awards and honors, most notably as a Woman of Distinction for the Crohns & Colitis Foundation and a Woman of Substance from The Mission of Yahweh, two of the most prestigious awards in the Houston charitable scene.

Some may say that those with abundant financial resources only have to “write a check” but for many like our cover couple, Tracy and Harry Faulkner, that could not be further from the truth. They are much more actively involved through hosting fundraisers, chairing galas, and promoting other activities that raise awareness, funds and action toward a cause.

In this feature, we highlight many hard working souls who give so generously to the animals. Although we couldn’t possibly thank the many people who support animal welfare in our city, we wanted give you a little sample of the types of things people do, quietly, in our pet community. We hope they inspire you to thank those around you that take the time to GIVE or that you are inspired to join in!

I met Tracy while communicating with her about the Unity For A Solution Gala, which she Co-Chaired with Angelita Sampaio, their Executive Director. As we discussed promoting the animal welfare extravaganza in PetTalk Magazine, I was immediately taken by her big smile and big heart as most are when they meet Tracy. And, the “vibe” of her and Harry’s home is no different. For our photoshoot, we arrived at their beautiful home with an instant greeting from the rag-tag group of rescues offering us warm noses and wagging tails. This very same group of furry paws has welcomed scores of guests to their home, which they have generously opened up for hundreds of fundraising events. It’s no surprise that Tracy’s hashtag, (long before there was #) has always been, #PartyWithaPurpose. Every holiday, birthday and event has always been devoted to a local charity or cause. One of their favorite fundraisers is their annual, “BEADS for BARC” benefitting The Friends of BARC. This annual Mardi Gras Party with a Purpose (10 years straight) has raised thousands of dollars and brought in enough pet food and supplies to help keep the Friends of BARC running for months. Their love of this group began with the adoption of their original rescue, Rex, the scared and abused Rhodesian Ridgeback. It was while making a delivery of donations after their Mardi Gras party that they met their most recent rescue, Seizure Scotty, a black and white Border Collie, just like their other border collie Bo who was rescued from BARC and then adopted by the Faulkners. Scotty was their “Covid Canine” that they agreed to foster for another favorite of the Faulkners, RPM (Rescued Pets Movement.) Once Scotty had his first seizure, they knew he could not transport to Colorado and he became their forever pet too.

On the day of our photoshoot, it was the eve of the Unity For A Solution gala and Tracy’s home was filled with tables and tables of auction items, (most of which she donated) and all of which still needed to be transported to Hotel ZaZa and set up for the big event. Just looking around the room, I could palpably feel the amount of time, the phone calls, the organiz- ing….essentially the exhausting work of putting together such a significant fundraiser, all to work toward solving Houston’s homeless pet problem. Soon after I arrived, I spotted the cutest pup I think I’ve ever seen running around their house. Tracy introduced me to this adorable nugget (the black and white pup seen in the photo opposite page) and explained that she was temporarily housing this puppy while she and a local rescue were working to find her just the right home. As if the Faulkner house did not have “enough going on” with the upcoming gala, they were also fostering a puppy whom they found during a Pop Up Adoption Event by Houston PetSet. Kudos to Tracy, Harry and their son Robby for opening their home to both humans and animals many times over to promote a cause or save a pet in need.

During my visit I also discovered more details about her and Harry’s background. In addition to being a professional philanthropist offering her time, talents and treasures to help women, children and animals, she’s also a real estate investor managing multiple homes in Memorial, a “flipper” and designer, and the proprietor and managing partner of Willow Winery – A Faulkner Family Vineyard. The couple purchased the 5th oldest working winery and vineyard with the best views on the Leelanau Peninsula, named the #2 Wine Region in the U.S. by USA Today in 2021. Since then, they’ve auctioned stays at their Vineyard VRBO to raise over $65,000 for local Houston charities. Yes, the Faulkners are ALWAYS giving! Spending the summer in Michigan rather than Houston sounds quite tempting and fortunately for Tracy, Harry and Robby, they get to do just that due to Harry’s position as one of the Founding Partners and CEO of Lambda Energy LLC, the largest energy provider in the great state of Michigan, with corporate offices in Houston and Michigan.

Despite chairing many galas together and spending untold hours working on charitable causes, the couple makes sure they also devote themselves to their son, cheering him on at his LaCrosse matches or traveling. As Tracy puts it, “We love to travel, especially with Robby as our adventures serve as a chance to see the world, experience amazing opportunities and make memories to last a lifetime.”

Most recently, Tracy took Robby to Miami for Art Basel and then Hollywood for the Academy Awards, mostly because of the documentary she and Harry were Executive Producers of that was being considered for an award. For the documentary, the two traveled to Budapest for the making of “Surviving Sex Trafficking” and they helped raise funds and awareness for the two film-making monks, Sadvi Anubhuti and Sadvi Siddhali Shree. These same two filmmakers also produced a recently released documentary, “For the Animals” in conjunction with Houston PetSet, of which Tracy and Harry serve as Advisory Board Members.

Houston is fortunate to have many people that give back to our city, making H-Town a vibrant, dynamic place to call home. The generosity of those like Tracy and Harry Faulkner is what makes a group of random people a community. Without caring souls to help both humans and animals in need, our existence would be devoid of love and connection. The closing words of Tracy, as shared by Harry are, “We do not know where life will take us, but we do know we can make a difference in the lives of many by showing kindness and sharing our many blessings.”

In this issue of PetTalk, we celebrate ALL of those that give, as well as the beautiful example the Faulkners represent. Their drive, determination and desire to find a solution are the hallmarks of great philanthropy. We applaud their relentless body of work in helping create the strong fabric that makes Houston proud!