Giving People
FROM LEFT: Nicole Paquette, Michelle Mai, Caroline Brown, Calvert Collins-Bratton, Bree Miller, Rocio Castaneda, Alan Rose, Julia Cotton. KIM LEESON
INSPIRED VOICES
Our residents are one of the best reasons to join us at The Tradition. Here is what one of them has to say about what contributes to her enjoyment.
“I have several friends that are really interested in moving here, and I would tell them not to wait, honestly because I think the earlier the better, and you’re not by yourself. A lot of them are single females that really need to understand that it is just so much better to be around a lively bunch of people, who have a lot of fun, and I would say that this is a great, great property to live in.”
I hope that you will consider a new way of living and join us at The Tradition. Please make an appointment to tour our spacious model units, meet residents and learn more. I look forward to welcoming you home!
Founder & CEO The Tradition
BE A CHAMPION OF GIVING
Give to causes you care about
Irecently celebrated my one-year anniversary as a North Texas resident and as President and CEO at Communities Foundation of Texas. While I was not new to the profound impact that generosity and giving has on our quality of life, I am now certain that there’s nowhere as generous as North Texas.
Over the past 15 years, your collective gifts to thousands of organizations through CFT’s North Texas Giving Day have created more than $560 million of impact. Last year, more than $60 million was raised. This local movement has grown to become the largest regional giving event in the nation, and it all centers around giving from the heart. It’s truly inspiring, and we thank you.
you’ll reflect on this as you browse the NorthTexasGivingDay.org website to learn about the needs and opportunities across our region and share your care for this community. Turn your care into action by giving now through September 19. I look forward to giving alongside each of you, your families, and businesses through this Texas-sized giving movement.
With gratitude for your generosity,
Wayne White President and CEO Communities Foundation of Texas
GET INVOLVED
Early Giving — Eager donors can start the celebration early. Visit NorthTexasGivingDay. org to “shop” through the nonprofits and start deciding who to give to — or, if ready, donate before the big day.
5850 East Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75206
Independent Living (214) 361-2211 • Assisted Living & Memory Care (214) 361-2219
THE TRADITION – PRESTONWOOD
15250 Prestonwood Blvd., Dallas, TX 75248
Independent Living (972) 388-1144 • Assisted Living & Memory Care (972) 661-1880 THE TRADITION – LOVERS LANE
5755 Clearfork Main, Fort Worth, TX 76109
Independent Living (817) 484-6602 • Assisted Living & Memory Care (817) 484-6603
North Texas Giving Day makes it easy to give. There are 3,000+ nonprofits participating this year, representing more than 25 unique cause areas. You can conveniently search these organizations at NorthTexasGivingDay.org by location, size, or even by those that will match your donation. Communities Foundation of Texas, sponsors, and generous givers cover all program fees during North Texas Giving Day, so 100% of gifts go to nonprofits. I take CFT’s charge to grow community giving seriously, and I want to personally ask each of you – our region’s Giving People, to help us do just that - in support of the causes you care about.
What matters most to you? I hope
Peer-to-Peer Campaigns — Community members may act as “ambassadors” for the participating nonprofits by holding their own fundraisers through personalized fundraising pages. The campaign links can be created and shared on social media starting Sept. 1 to broaden North Texas Giving Day’s reach. Online Donations — This year’s North Texas Giving Day lands on Sept. 19 from 6 a.m. to midnight. Visit the website to support 3,000+ organizations spanning 20 counties in North Texas. Attend an Event — Featured event “SCHEELS Celebrates North Texas Giving Day at Grandscape” is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 14 at 4450 Destination Drive in The Colony. Go online to learn more about it and find other events such as the 26th annual Katy Trail 5K hosted by the Friends of the Katy Trail on Sept 5. Volunteer — For a directory of volunteer options, visit NorthTexasGivingDay.org/opportunities.
STANDING FROM LEFT: Communities Foundation of Texas team members Erica Lopez, Caroline Brown, Alan Rose, Nicole Paquette, Michelle Mai, Rebecca Babin, Lexi McCarthy, and Carri McDonald. SITTING: Rocio Castaneda and Julia Cotton. CAN TURKYILMAZ
WAYNE WHITE
Give ’Till It Helps: Various North Texas Nonprofits Make Their Pitches For Your Support
For 40-plus years, People Newspapers has supported nonprofits of interest to our readers with coverage of their work and fundraisers.
North Texas Giving Day, presented by our partner Communities Foundation of Texas, arrives on Sept. 19. It offers opportunities to support favorite causes and learn about the efforts of worthy charities.
Find here quick pitches from many participating nonprofits on why donors should give to them again this year.
Be generous!
AWARE Dallas
Focus: Alzheimer’s disease awaredallas.org
For more than 35 years, AWARE has given hope and help to those affected by Alzheimer’s disease in Dallas and the greater North Texas area, and researchers working on its causes, treatments, and prevention.
We undertake in-depth reviews, conduct site visits, and award grants to assist nonprofit organizations and scientists whose work supports our mission.
To date, AWARE has awarded more than $14 million to worthy programs and research by those on the front lines in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Together with compassion and dedication, we can make a difference.
Chi Omega
Focus: education and charity chiomegachristmasmarket.org
Since 1978, Chi Omega has supported Dallas community causes with an annual pre-holidays market. The Chi Omega Christmas Market has raised $10.4 million for 146 nonprofits in its 46-year history.
This year, the market will benefit 13 Dallas-area organizations: Ascend Dallas, Behind Every Door, Bonton Enterprises, Children’s Craniofacial Association, Family Compass, Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, Make-A-Wish of North Texas, Network of Community Ministries, Swan
Strings, Texas International Theatrical Arts Society, The Stewpot, Together We Thrive, and Young Women’s Preparatory Network.
Scheduled for Sept. 26 through 28 at Dallas Market Hall, the holiday shopping experience will offer unique gifts, home décor, jewelry, clothing, and gourmet treats from more than 200 merchants.
We hope you will join us for the 47th annual Chi Omega Christmas Market and appreciate your help raising essential funds for our deserving beneficiaries.
Community Partners of Dallas
Focus: providing what abused children urgently need today to thrive tomorrow cpdtx.org
For 35 years, Community Partners of Dallas has been a steadfast advocate for children, focusing on four key service areas:
•Basic needs, ensuring children have essentials like clothing and school supplies; •Individualized needs, providing tailored support for each child’s unique situation; • Childhood experience, enriching lives with joyful experiences and positive memories; and •Caseworker engagement, supporting case workers with welcoming facilities and activities to decompress.
Through close collaboration with case workers, we bridge the gap between vulnerable children and the vital support they need. Our passionate network of volunteers and donors significantly impacts the lives of more than 20,000 Dallas County children annually, empowering them with hope and stability. Join us in our commitment to build a brighter future for our community’s most vulnerable youth, ensuring every child feels valued and protected.
Connecting Point of Park Cities
Focus: adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities mycppc.org
Connecting Point of Park Cities (CPPC)
provides an inclusive day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) by fostering independence through impactful educational, social, recreational, and vocational initiatives.
CPPC is unique in that we serve individuals of all abilities, from those wholly dependent to others holding part-time jobs. Centrally located in University Park, CPPC serves individuals from multiple zip codes throughout Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties.
For each teammate (program participant) we serve, there are family members who also benefit. By caring for their loved ones, families have time to work, help aging parents or grandchildren, and focus on their own well-being. CPPC assists families in connecting to the resources required to keep their teammates active in the community.
Our staff is dedicated to making each day at CPPC worthwhile and rewarding for our teammates.
Dallas CASA
Focus: advocating for children dallascasa.org
Dallas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteer advocates protect children, restore childhood, and help child victims of abuse and neglect achieve their full potential.
Danny came into foster care at age 12, covered in bruises the shape of his uncle’s belt buckle. He had already experienced the trauma of being born positive for drugs, his biological parents’ rights being terminated, the death of his adoptive mother, and moving to his uncle’s home.
After an additional four failed foster placements, Danny’s advocate, Cené, placed her hopes in yet another placement.
With Cené’s support, the fifth time worked, and that family adopted Danny last year. Today, Danny is like any other teenager –working a part-time fast-food job, attending
school, and training for his driver’s license.
Dallas CASA’s volunteers are often the only constant caring connection for children and youth as they navigate an overwhelmed child welfare system.
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center
Focus: improving the lives of abused children dcac.org
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) is the only agency of its kind in Dallas County, providing unduplicated services to victims of criminal child abuse.
Our multidisciplinary team reads every report of child abuse made in Dallas County — about 30,500 reports each year. We work alongside law enforcement, Child Protective Services, and other partner agencies to coordinate the investigation and prosecution of cases that rise to the criminal level, and provide healing services and care for victim children and families.
DCAC’s clients are children who have been sexually abused, severely physically abused, or children who have witnessed a violent crime, like a homicide. Our average client is a 9-year-old girl who has been sexually abused by someone she knows and trusts.
Dallas Historical Society Focus: history of Dallas dallashistory.org
North Texas Giving Day is a pivotal opportunity to support the Dallas Historical Society (DHS) in preserving, collecting, and displaying Dallas and Texas’ rich heritage. Funds raised will aid in restoring and protecting historical artifacts, digitizing valuable audio and visual recordings, and providing essential supplies for our archival and collections staff. Your generosity ensures that our history remains alive and accessible for future generations. Join us in making a lasting impact on North Texas Giving Day.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF DALLAS
DALLAS CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER
CHI OMEGA
CONNECTING POINT OF PARK CITIES
DALLAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
AWARE DALLAS
DALLAS CASA
ROB WYTHE PHOTOGRAPHY AND COURTESY
Dallas Pets Alive!
Focus: saving companion animals dallaspetsalive.org
Dallas Pets Alive! is on a mission to promote and provide the resources, education, and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals in North Texas.
We rescue pets at risk of euthanasia in partner shelters and provide assistance and resources to pet owners having problems so significant that they need to surrender their pets to a shelter.
Dallas Zoo
Focus: creating a better world for animals dallaszoo.com
By providing our guests with real-world opportunities to make memorable connections with wildlife and supplementing their experience with conservation messaging, the Dallas Zoo aims to inspire and empower visitors to take action on behalf of wildlife in Texas and worldwide.
The Dallas Zoo provides the highest quality of care for more than 2,000 animals and creates opportunities for families to connect with nature and one another. We take pride in inspiring people to care about wildlife conservation.
The generous support of North Texans enables the Dallas Zoo to provide affordable tickets and high-quality educational experiences for zoo guests, schools, families, and special population audiences, including learners with sensory sensitivities.
Friends of the Katy Trail
Focus: a clean, safe, and beautiful Trail
The Katy Trail is a treasured greenspace destination for Dallas citizens and visitors. On pace to reach 3 million visits this year, the community-funded Katy Trail is one of our city’s greatest assets and a driver of the local economy.
The funds raised by the nonprofit Friends of the Katy Trail on North Texas Giving Day are important in reaching the approximate $1.5 million needed each year to operate and improve the Katy Trail.
Generous donors support landscape maintenance, lights, safety signs, upgrades, and water for people, pets, and plants.
Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support
Focus: women and children who have experienced domestic violence genesisshelter.org
Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support was founded to help women and children experiencing domestic violence by formulating our services to address their unique experiences holistically.
We provide critical services like counseling, advocacy, occupational therapy, emergency shelter, and legal services to walk alongside women and children as they heal from the trauma of abuse at no cost and with no strings attached.
This year, for North Texas Giving Day, join us in raising life-saving funds for the women and children we serve, sending the message that there is help and hope.
Grant Halliburton Foundation
Focus: mental health resources for children, teens, and young adults granthalliburton.org
Grant Halliburton Foundation was established in 2006 in memory of a Dallas teen who battled depression and bipolar disorder for several years before his suicide at the age of 19.
The foundation that bears his name works to help prevent suicide by providing education, resources, and support for child, teen, and young adult mental health.
Over the past 18 years, the foundation has provided mental health education and
training to more than 325,000 students, educators, parents, and professionals.
The foundation also offers help and support through HereForTexas.com and the Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line. These free community tools provide easy access for North Texans seeking information and resources for mental health and substance abuse.
Interfaith Family Services
Focus: empowering families in crisis to break the cycle of poverty interfaithdallas.org
Interfaith Family Services helps single mothers who are facing homelessness. Most women come to us because of reduced wages or a job loss that has them and their families facing eviction. We provide housing and rent assistance to stabilize families, followed by career training, childcare, counseling, and more to help them succeed.
KidneyTexas
Focus: kidney disease kidneytexas.org
Over the last 25 years, KidneyTexas has donated more than $4.7 million to support projects that help North Texas patients living with the tremendous physical, financial, and emotional toll brought on by kidney disease.
Through your generosity, we can fund a program that provides kidney screenings at no cost in low-income communities. We support hardworking nurses and hospital staff by providing modern training devices and much-needed patient care equipment. We replace aging systems, including hemodialysis machines and organ transport pumps. And, most near and dear to our hearts, we can send our Kidney Kids to summer camp. It is an incredible opportunity for them to just “be a kid” while having access to round-the-clock medical care, including on-site dialysis.
Whether you’re drawn most to improving health outcomes in stressed communities, filling the needs of dedicated health workers, or making a child’s dream come true, we need you.
Make-A-Wish North Texas
Focus: life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses wish.org/ntx
Supporting Make-A-Wish North Texas transforms lives by granting the wishes of children with critical illnesses. A wish experience can be a game-changer, providing children and their families with hope, strength, and joy when they need it most.
Donations directly fund wishes for local kids. Your generosity empowers children to fight harder against their illnesses, positively impacting their physical and emotional health. Contribute today and make a tangible difference in a child’s life, helping them to dream, hope, and believe in the impossible.
Preservation Park Cities
Focus: Park Cities’ tradition, history, and architecture preservationparkcities.org
Support for Preservation Park Cities (PPC) is essential in celebrating and preserving the unique architecture, history, aesthetics, and cultural traditions of the Park Cities.
As demolitions threaten some of our most treasured homes, the preservation movement is gaining momentum, resonating throughout our community. PPC’s initiatives include Property Landmarking, stewardship of the PPC archives at the University Park Library, the HPISD Architecture/History Student Scholarship Award, and funding the Distinguished Chair for History at Highland Park High School. Our recently published book, The Houses of the Park Cities, written by PPC member
THOMAS GARZA, ROB WYTHE, AND COURTESY
INTERFAITH FAMILY SERVICES
FRIENDS OF THE KATY TRAIL
KIDNEYTEXAS
MAKE-A-WISH NORTH TEXAS
DALLAS ZOO
GRANT HALLIBURTON FOUNDATION
DALLAS PETS ALIVE!
PRESERVATION PARK CITIES
Larry Good, serves as an architectural guide, highlighting the rich history and heritage of our historic homes. Through these efforts, PPC ensures that the legacy of the Park Cities remains vibrant for future generations.
Rainbow Days
Focus: children facing adversity rainbowdays.org
Over the last 11 years, Rainbow Days has raised more than $534,000 from generous community members through North Texas Giving Day events to support vital programs benefiting local children and youth. This year, Rainbow Days’ goal is to raise $40,000, which will be matched by our Board of Directors and several major donors.
Founded in 1982, Rainbow Days’ mission is to help children and youth in adversity build coping skills and resilience to create positive futures. Through support groups, mental health fairs, classroom presentations, camps, mentored events, and critical needs services, Rainbow Days supports and improves the mental, emotional, and behavioral health of over 15,000 children and youth in Dallas each year. Join us in making a lasting, positive impact on children’s lives.
The Family Place Focus: empowering survivors of family violence familyplace.org
Help end family violence with a gift on North Texas Giving Day. The Family Place is the largest domestic violence shelter service agency in Texas, and your contribution empowers survivors of family violence with safe housing, counseling, and skills for independence.
With just $75, provide one night of emergency shelter, offering a safe haven and a pathway to new beginnings.
A $125 contribution ensures one week of pet safety at our kennel, supporting the
bond with beloved companions.
By donating $500, sponsor one month of childcare at our Safe Campus, allowing children to heal and thrive after trauma.
With $750, provide one month of critical medical supplies for our clinics, offering essential care to those in need.
And with $1,500, your generosity supports 375 meals at our emergency shelters, nourishing both body and spirit.
Together, we can build brighter futures and create lasting change to stop family violence.
The Senior Source Focus: quality of life of older adults theseniorsource.org
Even though aging looks different for everyone, we all deserve to age with dignity and purpose.
The Senior Source serves as a one-stop shop in Dallas for older adults and their loved ones to navigate the aging process. We offer a broad array of financial and emotional programs. We give older adults a sense of purpose through volunteering; we provide resources and support for family caregivers; we fiercely protect those residents of nursing home and assisted living facilities, and we improve the financial security of all older adults through employment assistance, frauds and scams education, and technology training.
The Senior Source should be your first call when you encounter aging challenges because our one-on-one case management, educational seminars, and hands-on advocacy improve the emotional and financial well-being of seniors in our area.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of North Texas Focus: growing personal holiness and serving neighbors svdpdallas.org
The Society is a network of trained
volunteers who seek to grow in personal holiness and, from that, reach out to neighbors in need, befriend them, and help them in a myriad of ways.
Our signature program is the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy, which provides life-sustaining medications to thousands of low-income, uninsured patients across Texas at no cost to the patient.
Donations through North Texas Giving Day help us to help others overcome their day-to-day struggles and build better lives.
Turtle Creek Association
Focus: Turtle Creek Corridor turtlecreekassociation.org
The Turtle Creek Association (TCA) is a nonprofit dedicated to being the primary guardian, advocate, and champion that leads in preserving, enhancing, and protecting the Turtle Creek Corridor.
Our members are leaders in preserving the corridor’s natural beauty and developing a vision for the future. Organized more than 35 years ago, TCA’s partnership with the city of Dallas continues to be a successful model of cooperation in preserving and enhancing community and city assets for all who drive, walk, or jog along Turtle Creek.
In addition, TCA provides seasonal color changes along the creek, irrigation and watering, and litter and trash cleanup. It maintains 25 landscaped medians, helps to preserve 2,600 trees that provide a habitat for wildlife, and funds drinking fountains, trash cans, and benches throughout the park. All of this is accomplished without city funding.
Twelfth Step Ministry
Focus: the recovery community
twelfthstepministry.org
Twelfth Step Ministry hosts 48 Twelve Step recovery meetings a week for 18 different “Anonymous” groups. These peer-based
support groups teach the Twelve Steps, principles that help people overcome substance use disorders, behavioral addictions, and other dysfunctional habits.
Our participants, adults from all over North Texas, attend an average of 2,700 meetings each month and find a “power greater than themselves” that helps them recover. Members of all faiths or of none are welcome.
“These meetings have literally saved my life,” one participant said. “I would not be here had I not walked into that room. I was done, broken, and lost, but this program helped me through some of the darkest days of my life.”
White Rock Rowing
Focus: opportunities through rowing whiterockrowing.org
Help Dallas youths pave a bright future towards college and beyond by donating to White Rock Rowing.
Our middle school and high school athletes from around Dallas-Fort Worth come from all socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds to learn discipline, teamwork, leadership, and perseverance — on and off the water.
We provide the highest level of coaching and mentorship, featuring Olympians and world champions who spend quality time with each athlete. Our alumni leave the boathouse as better people and certainly better athletes than when they entered – many of them bound for prestigious universities like Harvard, the University of Texas at Austin, and Syracuse on full rowing scholarships. This year, we need new equipment to continue providing opportunities to perform at the highest level and keep pace with other youth programs nationwide.
–Compiled by John Anderson, Lucy Van Meir, and Aadhya Yanamadala
TAMYTHA CAMERON AND COURTESY
THE FAMILY PLACE
THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL OF NORTH TEXAS
THE SENIOR SOURCE
WHITE ROCK ROWING
TURTLE CREEK ASSOCIATION
RAINBOW DAYS
Crystal Charity Ball
The 50th-annual Crystal Charity Ball 10 Best Dressed Fashion Show will honor Dallas’ busiest and most stylish philanthropists on Sept. 12 at the downtown Neiman Marcus. Visit our website to learn more about this year’s honorees.
Hall of Famer Lisa Cooley
2024 Hall of Fame honoree Lisa Cooley was recognized in the Crystal Charity Ball 10 Best Dressed Fashion Show and Luncheon from 2017 to 2019. She is a supporter of the Salvation Army and the Crystal Charity Ball. A favorite moment from her extensive past charitable involvement was watching youngsters walk down the runway at the end of the Children’s Cancer Fund Gala, when “the whole audience was on their feet cheering them on, and the joy on their faces was just palpable.” She and her husband, Clay, have three children and welcomed their first grandchild this year.
Tell us about your all-time favorite piece of clothing. A classic Chanel coat that I have had for years. I have worn it with gowns and jeans. Truly – lol — can’t say that about many items of clothing!
Sunie Solomon
The two-time honoree and retired periodontist has a 12-year-old daughter and three adult children. She and her husband, Steve, are involved in the Young Presidents’ Organization and the George W. Bush Library. She has taught Sunday School and Confirmation at Highland Park United Methodist Church. She served as co-chair for the Preston Hollow Presbyterian School Auction and Gala, and for the Texas Ballet Theater’s Beauty and the Beast Brunch in 2024. Her past philanthropic work also includes co-chairing the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Dec My Room’s Room to Grow Luncheon in 2023. The active member of the Crystal Charity Ball Committee is a former co-chair of the Cattle Baron’s Ball, and of other events supporting the March of Dimes, the Family Place, and the Housing Crisis Center.
What is your fashion motto?
“One is never over-dressed or under-dressed with a little black dress.”
Tracey Kozmetsky
The first-time honoree and native Dallasite raised her three children with her husband of 29 years in her historic childhood home. She started her career at Women’s Wear Daily and L’Oréal Professionnel before co-founding Engelking Kozmetsky Communications. She joined the Crystal Charity Ball in 2013 and serves on the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Tory Burch Foundation. She is an ex officio member of the UT Southwestern President’s Advisory Board and has been a Junior League of Dallas and Cattle Baron’s Ball member. She has served as Bradfield Elementary School PTA president, on the Board of Directors of Children’s Medical Center, and as a trustee on the Children’s Medical Center Foundation Board. She also completed two six-year terms on the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center Board of Trustees, where she served as president and development chair.
What is your fashion motto?
“A woman makes an outfit her own with accessories.” — Oscar de la Renta.
Anne McPherson
The three-time honoree and SMU grad has lived in Dallas for the past 30 years. She and her husband, John, have four grown sons. She is a strong supporter of the Callier Center for Communication Disorders. Two of her sons have hearing loss and have been patients there for more than 20 years. She also supports the Salvation Army, is a past member of the Cattle Baron’s Ball, and has served on the board at Readers 2 Leaders, the Dallas Alumnae Association of Kappa Kappa Gamma, and La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas.
Tell us about your all-time favorite piece of clothing. White jeans. They go with everything for so much of the year.
Katherine Wyker
The first-time honoree is CEO of her family’s foundation, which was founded by her grandparents in honor of an aunt with special needs. She is a supporter of The Crystal Charity Ball, where she has served on the research committee and serves on the underwriting and silent auction committees. She is a former board member of Equest, where she has chaired the nonprofit’s gala, served as president of the Women’s Auxiliary, and chaired the Women’s Auxiliary luncheon. She served as luncheon chair for the Forefront Living Foundation in 2024. She is 2025 luncheon chair for After-School AllStars and is an enthusiastic supporter and long-time volunteer for the Salvation Army, where she served as member-at-large for the Women’s Auxiliary luncheon, as well as a supporter of Camp John Marc.
What cosmetic is always in your purse?
I am a ChapStick and lip gloss gal! My current obsession is the lipstick from Carolina Herrera. They have the most darling shades and colorful caps — run, don’t walk, to buy the Good Girl Mini Tint!
Tracy Lange
The first-time honoree has lived in Dallas for more than 20 years and is married with two children. After a successful career in telecommunications, she switched her focus to philanthropy and other business ventures. She is actively involved in Luke’s Fastbreaks, a nonprofit founded by her son, Luke, who was diagnosed with pediatric cancer when he was 8. Luke’s Fastbreaks restores dignity to young cancer patients by replacing their hospital gowns with unique medical shirts. She is also a supporter of Family Gateway and Family Legacy.
10 BEST DRESSED
HAYNSWORTH PHOTOGRAPHY
Tracey Kozmetsky
Anne McPherson
Katherine Wyker
Tracy
Sunie Solomon
Lisa Cooley
What is your favorite eatery to get dressed up for?
Bob’s Steakhouse on Lemmon. I went there on my first date with my husband, and we have celebrated so many special occasions at this iconic Dallas spot.
Lisa Rocchio
The two-time honoree and her husband, John, moved to Dallas 12 years ago with their three children, Jack, Will, and Sarah. In addition to the Crystal Charity Ball, Lisa has been involved with New Friends New Life, and the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Health, where she started a mahjong fundraiser that has tripled in size and proceeds raised and become a recurring event since its founding. She and her husband also support other Dallas charities, including Teach for America and the Salvation Army.
What is your favorite eatery to get dressed up for?
We love Le Bilboquet for both casual and celebratory occasions!
Kim Quinn
The three-time honoree has lived in Dallas since attending SMU. She and her husband, Terry, have three sons, two who have graduated from Highland Park High School, and one who is a senior there. The family also has two labrador retrievers. She is board president of La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas, chaired the 2023 Salvation Army Fashion Show and Luncheon, and served as this year’s charity selection chairman for the Crystal Charity Ball. Charity selection, she said, is at the heart of the Ball and involves researching multiple charities over a six-month period. She is also a supporter of the Senior Source.
What cosmetic is always in your purse?
Sisley Nutritive Lip Balm.
Monica Eastin
The three-time honoree and her husband, Joe, have three children, daughters Kate and Alex, and son Nick. Kate is a freshman at The University of Texas, while Alex and Nick attend The Episcopal School of Dallas. She is dedicated to giving back to those in the community who are most in need, and supports the Momentous Institute, Folds of Honor – North Texas, the Aging Mind Foundation, the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Crystal Charity Ball. She also enjoys being involved in the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary.
What fashion statement this year do you dislike, and why?
Anything too boxy or masculine ... I love beautiful fabrics and feminine clothing!
Meredith Land
The three-time honoree was brought to Dallas 20-plus years ago by her career in television. She and her husband, Xan, have two children, McCall, 15, and Alexander, 11. She co-chairs the National Advisory Board for the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, which works to enrich the lives of women and girls by breaking gender biases in medicine. She has served on the Salvation Army’s advisory board. She is proud to help honor young cancer heroes as co-chair of this spring’s Children’s Cancer Fund Gala.
Tell us about your all-time favorite piece of clothing. My mother’s wedding gown that I had remade for my big day.
Wendy W. Messman
The two-time honoree who hails from Houston declared Dallas home after attending SMU. She and her husband of 27 years,
ABOUT THE 10 BEST DRESSED
The annual Crystal Charity Ball 10 Best Dressed Fashion Show has celebrated the most philanthropic and fashionable women in Dallas for the last 49 years. Kim Hext is chairing this year’s fashion show.
ABOUT HALL OF FAME
After being named to the 10 Best Dressed list for three consecutive years, honorees become members of the Hall of Fame. Each year, one member of the Hall of Fame is recognized for her personal style and commitment to the community.
The 72nd-anniversary Crystal Charity Ball will be on Dec. 7 at the Hilton Anatole.
Boyd, have two daughters, Blaire, 21, and Devan, 17. She has balanced a more than 30-year-long career in investment management and banking with nonprofit work. She serves as regional managing director/market leader at Bank of America Private Bank. She has partnered with many nonprofits over the years, and now dedicates her time to New Friends New Life, CitySquare, and the Turtle Creek Conservancy.
What fashion statement this year do you dislike, and why? Long/oversized jackets and anything in butter yellow.
— Compiled by Sarah Hodges
DRESSED
Tracy Lange
Lisa Rocchio
Kim Quinn
Monica Eastin
Meredith Land
Wendy W. Messmann
GRAB YOUR BOOTS AND BOOGIE DOWN TO SOUTHFORK RANCH: CATTLE BARON’S BALL IS BACK!
By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com
It’s a new day for the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball, and that means even more reasons for Dallasites to dust off their boots, scoot over to Southfork Ranch, and support the American Cancer Society’s largest single-night fundraiser.
“New Horizons,” the theme of this year’s mega-celebration on Sept. 28, is a nod to both the event’s legacy and the hope created by advancements in cancer research. The Cattle Baron’s Ball marked its 50th Anniversary in 2023 by raising a record-setting $5,510,772 in a star-studded soiree headlined by Shania Twain.
Organizers are hoping that this year’s Ball will kick off Cattle Baron’s second half-century by bringing the total funds raised since its inception to over $100 million. They’ve tapped the talents of country superstar Carrie Underwood, and added a marketplace where partygoers will be able to shop at a variety of local businesses.
Forget the right footwear? Boogie on down to Partlow Boots. Looking for accessories? Find cowboy flair at McKinney Hat Co., add some sparkle at Bachendorf’s, or grab a handbag from Parker & Hyde. A glam room from Nieman Marcus will be available for those looking for anything from a touch up to a luxury experience, and Mizzen+Main will sponsor a sports lounge.
Retailers at the Cattle Baron’s Ball will each donate a percentage of the night’s sales to support north Texas cancer research.
of Cattle Baron’s legacy ride off into the sunset. The Ball that began in 1974 as a Texas barbecue under the leadership of co-chairs Patti Hunt and Jacque Wynne will offer a head-spinning variety of activities, from espresso martinis and gaming to mechanical bull-riding and music.
“Our committee goes above and beyond to support the fight, and I have seen the incredible work in research that our fundraising has done.”
Lora Farris
This year’s co-chairs, Marjon Henderson and Lora Farris, also aren’t letting any
“There’s something for everyone, I think, which is what makes it such a unique event.” Henderson said.
“You’re never bored at Cattle Baron’s.”
Guests fly in from around the country for the once-a-year event, but the funds raised at it won’t travel far. Most of the money will stay in north Texas, supporting local researchers.
BALL BASICS
The 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball on Sept. 28 at Southfork Ranch begins at 6 p.m. for VIPs, and opens to all guests at 7 p.m. Follow the Ball on Instagram, @cattlebaronsball, to keep up with the latest news. Visit the Ball’s website, cattlebaronsball.com, to buy tickets or for more information.
This year’s traditional Paddle Raise honors the memory of Kace Phillips, the husband of Cattle Baron’s Ball committee member Claire Phillips, who lost his battle with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in January. The $500,000 Paddle Raise goal will be used to fund a research grant named in Phillips’ memory.
“Cancer has touched us all,” Farris said. “I believe in Cattle Baron’s Ball and the mission of this organization. I have been a member for 9 years — our committee goes above and beyond to support the fight, and I have seen the incredible work in research that our fundraising has done.”
2024 Co-chairs Lora Farris and Marjon Henderson. TAMYTHA CAMERON PHOTOGRAPHY
Country Music Powerhouse Carrie Underwood to Headline Cattle Baron’s Ball
“All-American Girl” Carrie Underwood, a multi-Grammy winner with a legendary voice, will bring her “Denim & Rhinestones” style to the Cattle Baron Ball’s main stage on Sept. 28.
Underwood’s first single, “Inside Your Heaven,” debuted as number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after she dominated the voting to win the fourth season of American Idol. She recently made headlines by announcing her return to the show 20 years later, this time as a judge.
Since her Idol beginnings, Underwood has won eight Grammy Awards, 25 CMT Music Awards, 17 American Music Awards and been called “the female vocalist of her generation in any genre” by Rolling Stone. She’s released seven multi-platinum or platinum albums. Her long list of country, gospel, and pop hits includes “I Told You So,” “Cowboy Casanova,” “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Before He Cheats,” “So Small,” and “Church Bells.”
“She’s got a song for everyone,” said Marjon Henderson, who co-chairs this year’s ball with Lora Farris. “She has an incredible stage presence. There’s no doubt
about that, also. So, we’re excited to welcome her to Dallas.”
Underwood is also a force outside the recording studio. She has created her own fitness brand, written a New York Times bestseller, spoken out in support of animal welfare and against bullying, and given back to her hometown of Checotah, Okla.
Before Underwood takes the main stage at 10:30 p.m., local talent Straight Tequila Night will perform on the VIP/ Live Auction Stage. Since the ’90s Country Tribute Band’s formation in 2012, it’s been featured in Vogue, D Magazine, and The Dallas Observer, and has been recognized as one of the state’s best.
“Everyone has a different opinion or taste in music,” Henderson said. “But I’ll tell you what everybody loves: all ’90s country.”
Highlighting a local group was important to the Ball’s organizers, Henderson said. The money raised at the Cattle Baron’s Ball — more than $98 million in the past half-century — also stays primarily in the North Texas community.
— Compiled by Sarah Hodges
Longtime Best Friends Reunite For Great Cause
October gala
By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com
For over 30 years, LEAP Global Missions has brought together medical professionals and young patients around the world with complex medical needs. LEAP doctors have performed more than 10,000 life-altering surgeries and procedures in countries including India, Mexico, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.
“LEAP shows up and is not afraid to have a presence and to make a difference.”
Linsey Nixon
This year, LEAP’s mission to provide free, specialized medical care inspired by the love of Christ has brought together three families who live in University Park, Preston Hollow, and Austin, and whose friendship is as old as the organization itself.
Linsey Nixon, Leigh Johnson, and Adair Webb, along with their husbands, are co-chairing LEAP’s 2024 gala, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 at the Dallas Country Club. The three have been best friends since they were in Joanne
chairs
tout reach of faith-based LEAP Global Missions
Cantwell’s fourth-grade class at University Park Elementary School. They became so inseparable as children that the boys in their class nicknamed them “the Golden Girls,” a reference to the thenhit TV show about single women in their 50s and 60s who share a house in Miami.
Though the friends went separate ways after graduating from Highland Park High School, all three have remained close. They were Maids of Honor at each others’ weddings. Johnson and Nixon’s oldest children are six weeks apart, and Johnson’s middle daughter
Save the Dates
September
20 – Dallas Contemporary Gala, Dallas Contemporary, dallascontemporary.org.
24 – KidneyTexas, Inc. The Runway Report Fashion Show and Luncheon: Celebrating our 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee, Brook Hollow Golf Club, kidneytexas.org.
26-28 – Chi Omega Christmas Market, Dallas Market Hall, chiomegachristmasmarket.org.
28 – Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, dallassymphony.org.
October
1 – Women Take Flight: Fashion to Fission Luncheon, Frontiers of Flight Museum, flightmuseum.com.
3 – Goodwill Industries of Dallas The Lunch, Omni Dallas Hotel, goodwilldallas.org.
5 – Park Cities Car Show, Burleson
and Webb’s oldest son are two months apart. When Nixon visits from Austin, her friends’ children call her “Aunt Lins.”
The three have also continued to support LEAP. Nixon’s father, retired plastic and craniofacial surgeon Dr. Craig Hobar, founded the nonprofit around the time when their friendship began. Johnson and Webb were introduced to many patients with complex medical needs who stayed in the Hobar home while recovering from surgery.
Nixon said that her father has wanted her to chair the nonprofit’s annual gala since before the
Park at SMU, preservationparkcities.org.
10 – Fashion Notes Fashion Show and Luncheon: Bird Song presented by Ben E. Keith, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, dallassymphony league.com/Fashion-Notes.
11 –Humble Beginnings Luncheon with Jenna Bush Hager, Hilton Anatole, austinstreet.org.
18 – Turtle Creek Association Gala, Virgin Hotel Dallas, turtlecreekassociation.org.
COVID-19 pandemic. It was his dream for her to organize the event with her two best friends and their husbands.
“I know how busy everyone is. I didn’t assume that they would say yes,” Nixon said. “But when I asked them, they both quickly responded very passionately with a yes, which was so meaningful to me.”
The theme of this year’s Gala is A Journey of Hope, and the friends aim to highlight both LEAP’s history, and how the nonprofit will continue changing lives around the world in the future.
“LEAP shows up,” Nixon said,
IF YOU GO
What: The LEAP Global Missions 2024 Gala: A Journey of Hope
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3
Where: Dallas Country Club, 4155 Mockingbird Lane.
Tickets: $500. Sponsorships and underwriting start at $2,500. Visit leapgala2024.givesmart.com.
Details: The evening will begin with a reception featuring cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a three-course seated dinner. LEAP will share news of its past and ongoing mission trips, as well as updates on its future plans.
“and is not afraid to have a presence and to make a difference.”
That’s true even in countries that are struggling but hesitate to permit faith-based organizations to provide aid. LEAP was one of the first organizations to respond after the catastrophic 7.0 Haiti earthquake in 2010. Most recently, its medical professionals have been on the ground in Ukraine, teaching doctors how to care for victims of the Russia Ukraine war.
Nixon said that she hopes the gala spreads the word of LEAP’s work to a younger generation who want to support an organization that follows through and fulfills its promises to donors.
“Seeing how LEAP has grown, and seeing that firsthand, has been really incredible,” Johnson said. “I would want to do everything I can to support this organization.”
Hotel, dfwworld.org.
25 – Women of Distinction Luncheon, presented by Verizon, Hilton Anatole, gsnetx.org.
Excellence benefiting the Dallas Historical Society, Fairmont Dallas, dallashistory.org.
December
28 – A Revolution for Life Luncheon, Hilton Anatole Hotel, councilforlife.org.
18 –Pantry in the Park, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, thewilkinsoncenter.org.
20 – Turtle Creek Association Tour of Homes, bus service begins at 3131 Turtle Creek, turtlecreekassociation.org.
21 – Preservation Park Cities Distinguished Speaker Luncheon, Dallas Country Club, preservationparkcities.org.
November
8-10 – Dr. Tiffany Moon’s LeadHer Summit, JW Marriott Dallas Arts District, leadhersummit.com.
9 – Folds of Honor Gala, AT&T Stadium, northtexas.foldsofhonor.org.
13-15 – BMW Dallas Marathon Festival, race packet pickup at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, dallasmarathon.com.
February
22 – Catholic Foundation Award Dinner, Hilton Anatole Hotel, catholicfoundation.com.
March
22 – H. Neil Mallon Award Dinner Honoring Clark Hunt, Fairmont
9 – Ending Addiction Stigma Walk, The Sound at Cypress Waters, shatterproof.org.
13 – A Writer’s Garden presented by the Weber Foundation benefiting the Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Rosine Hall, wcdabg.org.
21 – Dallas History Makers Awards for
29 – Bruce Wood Dance 15th Anniversary Performance & Gala, Gilley’s Dallas, brucewooddance.org.
FROM LEFT: Adair Webb, Linsey Nixon, and Leigh Johnson are chairing the 2024 LEAP Gala. ROB WYTHE
— Compiled by Maria Lawson and William Taylor
Clark Hunt
Jenna BushHager
COURTESY PHOTOS
