Pi Phi Garden Party Recap and Photos

On April 3 at Robin and Michael Lewis’ magnificent estate in Highland Park, the Dallas Alumnae of Pi Beta Phi held a garden party to celebrate the donors to the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum. The six-figure gift completed the group’s pledge to the Children’s Garden a year early.

Robert and Sally Wightman, Mallory and Michael Rogers
Photo Credit: Steve Foxall

When the sorority sisters and their husbands entered, they were greeted by a quartet playing classical music. Throughout the home and on the verandas overlooking Exall Creek, the guests visited and sampled the scrumptious buffet of tenderloin, rolls, shrimp, crudités, bite size desserts of brownies and sweets, toasting the success of the fundraising.

 

Taking place the same night was another celebration in New York City: Southern Methodist University’s basketball team was playing in the National Invitational Tournament Championship game. Many of the Pi Phis and their spouses attended SMU, so Event Chairs Carol Dalton and Melissa Utley made sure that televisions downstairs and upstairs were tuned into the game.

Pi Phis and husbands enjoy watching the SMU Ponies

"We are so appreciative to Robin and Michael for opening up their lovely home to thank our donors and allowing us to celebrate our significant donation to the Dallas Arboretum,” said Event Co-Chair Carol Dalton. “We had such a generous outpouring for a Garden that is already receiving rave reviews locally and nationally.”

 

Event Co-Chair Melissa Utley added, “Pi Phis have a long record of supporting charities that improve the lives of children through education. As such, our support of the Rory Meyer’s Children’s Adventure Garden was a perfect match. The garden is already a tremendous place for children and adults to learn about science and nature through plenty of hands-on activities.” 

Linda Yates (Pi Phi Alumnae President), Robin Lewis (hostess), Melissa Utley and Carol Dalton (Co-Chairs of Pi Phi Garden Party)

Officially debuted by the Dallas Arboretum in September 2013, the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden is a sprawling 8-acre interactive garden designed specifically to address state and national science standards in life and earth sciences for preschool to middle school students. Built to encourage youth interest in science and nature, the garden’s interactive exhibits, cutting-edge technology and indoor/outdoor learning labs have earned rave reviews from parents and leading educational experts.