Please join my children and I at "Into the Garden"

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Dallas Cowboys Women's Association First & Goal Yard Sale

The Dallas Cowboys Women's Association will host their second FIRST & GOAL YARD SALE benefiting Nexus Recovery Center for Women and Girls at Hunt Middle School in Frisco on Saturday, June 7 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

Open to the general public, the FIRST & GOAL YARD SALE will feature gently used household items donated by Dallas Cowboys players, coaches and front office executives. From refrigerators to dining room tables, pots and pans to lightly worn clothes – all proceeds will offer a brighter future for the women and children assisted by Nexus Recovery Center and its many programs.

For those fans wishing to walk away with unique treasures, the FIRST & GOAL YARD SALE will also offer a silent auction of donated Dallas Cowboys and other sports team memorabilia, exciting items from local retailers, restaurant packages and much more!

Nexus Recovery Center is a Dallas nonprofit at the forefront of specialized substance abuse services for females. Nexus removes barriers by allowing children to accompany their mothers into treatment, welcoming those who are pregnant, and providing treatment without regard to ability to pay. Over the last 40 years, Nexus has been the “miracle in between” addiction and recovery for more than 20,000 women, adolescents and children.

The Dallas Cowboys Women’s Association is a program of Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation – the nonprofit arm of the Dallas Cowboys. Comprised of players, coaches and front office executives’ wives and significant others, the Women’s Association works year round for causes that better the North Texas community.

Various sponsorship levels are available if you are interested in supporting the event through an in-kind or financial sponsorship. Please contact Whitney Faulkner with the Dallas Cowboys at wfaulkner@dallascowboys.net for more information.

Volunteer on the Farm this Saturday - Love your Farmer Days

White Rock Local Market

Love Your Farmer Days

 

Get your hands dirty during a Work Day on the Farm

at Rae Lili Farm in Cooper, Texas

this Saturday, May 31st

 

Help build a greenhouse, mend a fence, round up cattle, dig and weed - you name it!

 

RSVP: info@whiterocklocalmarket.org

Dallas Zoo Sizzles with Safari Nights this Summer

Saturday nights will sizzle again this summer at the Dallas Zoo, where the Safari Nights evening concert series will feature live music from original songwriters and tribute bands, extended hours and a chance to mingle with some of the Zoo’s wildest stars.

 

For eight consecutive Saturday nights, beginning June 7 and ending July 26, visitors can embrace a blend of nature and live music on the zoo’s shady Cat Green. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs.

 

Stars from the zoo’s Animal Adventures outreach program also will make special presentations, along with a special SOAR, A Festival of Flight show.

 

The concerts, which start at 7 p.m., will continue bringing music to Texas’ largest zoo until 9 p.m. Food will be available for purchase, along with soft drinks, cold beer and wine.

 

The gates open Saturdays at 9 a.m., with the concerts ending at 9 p.m. The concerts are free with the price of zoo admission, which is $15 for ages 12-64; $12 for ages 3-11 and seniors; and children under age 2 and DZS members are free. Parking is $8 per vehicle, or take the DART Red Line straight to the Zoo entrance to avoid traffic.

 

The summer concert lineup, arranged through a partnership with The Kessler in Oak Cliff, includes:

June 7: The Killdares (Celtic rock)

June 14: Brave Combo (Polka/rock/world beat)

June 21: Escape (Journey tribute band)

June 28: Sara Hickman (Texas singer/songwriter)

July 5: A Hard Night’s Day (The Beatles tribute band)

July 12: FastLane (The Eagles tribute band)

July 19: Petty Theft (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers tribute)

July 26: The O’s (Acoustic country/bluegrass)

Dallas Center for Architecture Welcomed Guests to ROCKITECTURE 2014

On Thursday, May 1, the Dallas Center for Architecture welcomed guests to ROCKITECTURE 2014. The event was held in Dallas’ original Masonic Temple, The Room on Main, which offered a panoramic view of downtown and beyond. It was the perfect venue for a night of stylish cocktails, bites, tunes and a silent auction.

Bernadette Schaeffler, Candy Evans

While Lucy Wrubel spun hit music, guests enjoyed delicious hors d'oeuvres as they bid on the silent auction items. The silent auction was uniquely curated with items that appeal to admirers of great design and architecture, donated by local and national designers, artists and architects.

Shalissa Colwell, John Perry

 

Houston Wurtele, Loren Brouillette

Items ranged from photographs by Highland Park High School students to luxurious travel packages to New York City and Sonoma Valley.  

Mark Denesuk, Pam Denesuk

The DCFA works to encourage the conversation about why architecture matters to YOU. The DCFA seeks to foster the public's understanding of the power of architecture to enrich the city and its residents’ lives. Through the scholarships, programs, exhibits and tours that the Center presents, the DCFA has hosted more than 3,000 events and welcomed more than 30,000 people to its programs. The organization has also created a robust series of public programs to fulfill its mission of fostering the conversation about why architecture matters to the community.

Lucy Wrubel

Shad Spears, Alexa Spears

Tara Worthey, Tina Terry, Allison Weiner

 

2nd Annual Dallas Afterschool Fundraiser Earns an A+

On May 5, Faye Briggs' beautiful backyard became a playground for a grown up version of everyone's favorite school activity, RECESS! The 2^nd annual RECESS! benefiting Dallas Afterschool was a huge success, as guests took advantage of the immaculate weather to join Briggs and event co-chairs Meredith Camp and Christina Norris for an evening of fun and games. 

Leigh Anne Haugh, Kate Rose Marquez, Julie Bagley

Guests were welcomed to the converted backyard for a recess-themed evening, complete with a Cafeteria, Art Class, Gym, Monkey and Hopscotch Bars with drinks provided by Moet Hennessy USA, and of course, a Sandbox. But this wasn't just any sandbox. Guests dug through the Sandbox, sponsored by Neiman Marcus Sandbox, in search of coins redeemable for prizes such as a $1,000 Neiman's gift card and Waterford crystal. The Sandbox was designed and constructed by students from Color Me Empowered, one of Dallas AfterSchool's partner programs along with Big Thought, Bridge Lacrosse, Circle of Support, Communities in Schools, Dallas Can Academies, Dallas ISD's After School Achievers, City of Dallas Park & Recreation, Family Place, Foundation Communities, Girls on the Run, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Heart House, Heart of a Warrior, Interfaith Housing Coalition, Jubilee Park, Junior Players, Project Transformation, Rainbow Days, Reader 2 Leaders, R.O.C.K., Voice of Hope, Wesley-Rankin Community Center, Wilkinson Center and YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas.

The Sandbox presented by Neiman Marcus

After playing basketball games, hula hooping, and bean bad tosses, guests could recharge with cuisine from the incomparable Chef Christopher Short of Kent Rathbun Catering, wowing the guests with an assortment of southern comfort foods such as fried chicken strips, Yukon potatoes, corn dogs, beef sliders and a macaroni and cheese station.

Aaron and Jennifer Tobin, Christina and Alan White and Kevin Cotten

Finally, RECESS! could not be complete without a field trip. A 7-day trip to Fiji's spectacular Turtle Island Resort was the featured item of the evening's silent auction. The evening raised a total of $225,000 to fund Dallas Afterschool's important mission and partners.

Christina Norris, Taya McDonald, Faye Briggs and Meredith Camp

Amy Turner and Nancy Gopez

Photo Credits: Kristina Bowman

 

Dallas Afterschool ensures that afterschool and summer is a time for safe, educationally enriching experiences for our community's disadvantaged youth. Dallas Afterschool provides staff training, coaching, student curriculum, field trips, teaching tools and other resources to 120 free or low-cost afterschool and summer programs. With students spending 80% of waking hours outside of the classroom, it's imperative that out-of-school time inspires students to learn, connects them to their community, and expands their horizons.

Second Annual Wilkinson Center Luncheon Honored Locals with Can-Do Spirit

The Second Annual Wilkinson Center Can Do! Luncheon took place Tuesday, May 13th from 11:00am-1:00pm at the Dallas Country Club. At this event, Wilkinson Center presented its second annual CAN DO Awards to celebrate entrepreneurship in philanthropy – the CAN DO Spirit.

 

Guests dined on tomato basil soup, pan seared herbed chicken with fresh vegetable couscous and chocolate financier and citrus tart.

 

The honorees were philanthropists Anne and Terry Conner, The Women of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church and a Wilkinson Center Adult Education client Alphonso Brooks who recently completed his GED at Wilkinson Center and is now attending his first year of college.

 

The event closed with Kristen & Alex Bumpas singing a closing song from Saint Michael Choir.

Brittany Kuykendall, Brandy Rider, Shaneen Lang

Alphonso Brooks (Wilkinson Center Client Award Recipient)

Jane Murray, Anne Reeder

Mary Kardell, Martha Holden, Gene Coleman

Anne & Terry Conner, Christie Carter (Can Do Luncheon Chair)

OJ DeSouza, Natalie Westbrook

 

 

2014 Mayor’s Summer Reading Club (June 7 - August 2)

Hey kids and parents! This summer, hop on the book bandwagon for a fun-filled journey of fables, fiction and more with the 2014 Mayor’s Summer Reading Club. The free eight-week program, which runs June 7 - August 2, encourages reading throughout the Dallas community.

 

Presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club, the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club is now a family affair, open to both children and adults.  You can sign up online at dallaslibrary.org, or at the kick-off parties held Saturday, June 7, at all branches.

Young club members can win weekly incentive prizes – from free books and fun foods to zoo, circus and baseball tickets – simply by reporting what they read in person at any Dallas Public Library or online at dallaslibrary.org. Grand-prize drawings will be held for kids and adults who faithfully log reading hours for at least six of the eight weeks. Three of the weekly prizes will include a new book for Reading Club participants up to 18 years of age. All readers may report any reading material including books, e-books, audiobooks and magazines.

 

"All students experience some degree of learning loss during vacation months, but one of the best ways to prevent that from happening is to keep kids reading throughout the summer,” Mayor Rawlings said. “The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club makes reading exciting and gives children a way to earn terrific prizes. Getting parents and adults to read is also important because children model the behavior of the adults in their lives.”

 

Weekly incentive prizes include tickets and gift certificates to Auntie Anne’s Pretzels; Benihana Restaurant; Chipotle Mexican Grill; Dallas Children’s Theater; Dallas Zoo; FC Dallas; Mesquite Rodeo; Nasher Sculpture Center; Legoland; Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus; SMU (tickets to the Meadows Museum and a soccer game plus a drawstring bag); and the Texas Rangers.

Grand prizes include tickets, passes and gift certificates for area attractions and restaurants such as the Al Biernat's Restaurant; AMC NorthPark 15; American Airlines Center; ASI Gymnastics; Bahama Beach; Billy Bob's Texas; Brinker International; Casa Manana Theatre; Celebration Restaurant, Catering and Market; Chuy's Restaurant; Creative Arts Center of Dallas; Dallas Arboretum; Dallas Film Society; Dallas Marriot City Center; Dallas Museum of Art; Dallas Summer Musicals; Dallas Zoo; Fort Worth Zoo; Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation (for AT&T Stadium tour); HP; James Avery Jewelry; Jumpstreet; Ken's Man's Shop; Learning Express; LOOK Cinemas; Maggiano's Little Italy- NorthPark; Magic Time Machine; Medieval Times; Mesquite Arena; Neiman Marcus NorthPark; Perot Museum of Nature and Science; Place at Perry’s; Plano Symphony Orchestra; Pocket Sandwich Theatre; Richardson Bike Mart; SeaWorld San Antonio; Six Flags Over Texas; Speedzone Dallas; State Fair of Texas; Terilli’s Restaurant & Bar; Texas Motor Speedway; The Aaron Family Jewish Community Center of Dallas; The Dallas Opera; The Fairmont Dallas; The First Tee of Dallas; Theatre Three; Tootsies; and the YMCA.

For more than 40 years, the Dallas Public Library’s summer reading program has encouraged more than 250,000 children to read. The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club is a collaborative effort between the City of Dallas Mayor’s Office, the Dallas Public Library, Dallas ISD and dozens of community sponsors and donors.

TJ Martell Foundation's Best Cellars Dinner was a Night of Fine Wines and Gourmet Dinner

The T.J. Martell Foundation’s 2^ndAnnual Best Cellars Dinner Dallas, which was held May 1, 2014 at Hotel ZaZa, was a huge success doubling its attendance from last year’s event and drawing attention to the collaborative efforts of two local medical institution’s quest to stamp out lung cancer forever. The exclusive night of fine wine and food was hosted by the area’s top chefs.

Benji Homsey, Tinti Moffat, Gary Smith, Angie Clayton Brown

Dallas music favorite Ray Johnston performed while guests feasted on (name some great meals here) and premier wines provided by wine hosts. Some wines were also provided from the area’s top private wine cellars.

Ray Johnston

The Best Cellars Dinner Dallas was chaired by Chris and Nita Hudson with John & Mary Martha Pickens serving as Honorary Chairmen. The four-course gourmet dinner was prepared by guest chefs Chef Dan Landsberg of Hotel ZaZa's Dragonfly Restaurant, Chef Bradford Hodgkins of FT33, Chef Cody Sharp of Casa Rubia and Chef Lance Smith formerly of Smoke. Fine wines from the private cellars and local wine hosts were perfectly paired with each meal and served tableside.

MJ Parker, Mike Delzotti, Gretchen Vaughan, Stephanie Baird

The Best Cellars live auction featured a trip to the Country Music Awards with a silent auction featuring music and culinary experiences and other exclusive items, all of which benefitted charity.

Chris Trowbridge, Rachel Trowbridge

Proceeds from the Best Cellars Dinner Dallas go to the TJ Martell Foundation’s mission to fund the combined team of lung cancer experts from the University of Texas Southwestern and MD Anderson Cancer Center in developing new methods to help patients with lung cancer develop immunity against their own tumors thus offering a new approach to treating the disease.

Rick Rogers, Melody Rogers, Tara Null, Jeff Null

Wilkinson Center Hosted Sponsors and Honorees at Can Do! Patron Party

Terry Conner (Can Do Award Recipient), Diane McNulty, Marla Boone, Mike Boone

Wilkinson Center hosted their sponsor and Can Do! Luncheon honorees on Wednesday, May 7th at the home of Milagros and Horacio Moros. This event was a thank you party for everyone involved in the May 13th luncheon.  

Christie Carter (Can DO Luncheon Chair), Anne Reeder, Jan Baldwin, Mary Kardell

Laura Reeder, Kristen Johnson

Music was provided by Hunter Sullivan, and the event was catered by Festive Kitchen and included a griddle seared flatbread station, mini crab cakes with fresh lime, bacon apricot zingers with blue cheese sauce, raspberry brie phyllo tartlettes and tiny waffle cones piped with key lime cheesecake sprinkled with red velvet cookie crumbles. 

Laura Ailshire, Kristen Johnson, Vodi Cook, Chela Moros

Wilkinson Center honorees are philanthropists Anne and Terry Conner and The Women of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. The center expects to raise in excess of $100,000 with this annual luncheon.

Susie Hardie, Missie Huber, Pam Karlos

Second Annual Legacy of Love Featured Spring Fashions and Savory Bites

On April 16, The Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center, Legacy Chapter, partnered with Park Place Lexus and TOOTSIES to host the second annual Legacy of Love Benefit, Fashion Show and luxury raffle. The event took place at the Park Place Lexus dealership in Plano.

Kaylan Hopson, Kelli Hopson, Carley Rupp and Morgan Prentiss

 

Julia Brown and brother

Over 300 guests attended and enjoyed a fashion show directed by RSC Show Productions featuring spring fashions available at TOOTSIES, along with delicious savory bites, with dessert specially provided by Seasons 52 plus a specialty vodka drink offered by Deep Eddy Vodka.

Mark and Lisa Raskin, Amie and Chris Brunner

 

Lauren Scruggs, Courtney Kerr and Shannon Yoachum

Several local fashion influencers attended the event, including Courtney Kerr of KTXD’s The Broadcast and What Courtney Wore; Lauren Scruggs of LOLO Magazine; and Shannon Yoachum of Style by Lolly. The three provided panel commentary during the fashion show.

Taylor Wencis and Michelle Dethloff

Susan Spindler and Jodi Sanders

The event raised over $130,000, with all proceeds benefiting Children’s Medical Center as it continues to uphold its mission of making life better for children for more than 100 years.

Find out more about The Woman’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center here: http://www.childrens.com/giving/get-involved/join-an-affinity-group/womens-auxiliary/

Eighth Annual Chick Lit Luncheon Welcomed Best-Selling Author, Julia Reed

Caonha Dillon, Bryanna Roop

Community Partners of Dallas announced $260,000 was raised at the April 4th Chick Lit Luncheon presented by Dr. Robert and Lara Tafel.   Featuring best selling author Julia Reed, the annual fundraiser was chaired by Jennifer Evans Morris with honorary chair Jennifer Burr Altabef. 

Julia Reed, featured author; Jennifer Evans Morris, Chick Lit Luncheon Chair; Paige McDaniel, president and CEO, Community Partners of Dallas



Lynn McBee, Juliette Coulter

  The festivities began on Thursday evening, April 3 with a reception honoring sponsors and committee members hosted by Carolina Herrera in Highland Park Village. Store director Melinda Moore Rathke welcomed 100 guests as they mingled and perused the stunning couture collection.  Partygoers enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity to meet the guest of honor and luncheon featured speaker, Julia Reed.

 

Mid-way through the evening, CPD president and CEO Paige McDaniel thanked Ms. Rathke for hosting the lovely evening and then added her thanks to those in attendance, including luncheon presenting sponsors Dr. Robert and Lara Tafel.  Ms. Rathke then announced that the boutique was offering 10% of the proceeds of any sales through the end of April to Community Partners of Dallas to anyone mentioning the Chick Lit Luncheon upon check-out.

Ashley Allen, Jennifer Tobin

Allison Methvin, Christine Danuser, Amy Sherman

 

Heather Leclair, Sarah Burns, Nikki Webb, Mary Lou Webb

  The following day, Friday, April 4, 600 guests arrived at Brook Hollow Golf Club for the eighth annual Chick Lit Luncheon.  The day began with a reception with the author, followed by a seated luncheon of pecan-crusted chicken on greens with dried cherries and apricots and dessert of cherry pie, a nod to speaker Julia Reed’s southern roots.

 

While everyone finished their dessert, Ms. McDaniel came to the stage to recognize committee members, sponsors and attendees, including honorary chair Jennifer Burr Altabef and luncheon chair Jennifer Evans Morris.  Ms. Morris followed by recognizing this year’s Partners for Children Award recipient, the Junior League of Dallas.  Before the award was presented to JLD President Laura Johnson, luncheon guests enjoyed a special video which showcased the unwavering and continued support of the Junior League of Dallas has provided to the agency for the last 21 years.

Kate Rose Marquez, Tamara Bickel

Rebecca Wooters, Diana Hoogland

Ms. McDaniel came back to the stage asked guests to don the birthday tiaras that were placed on their chairs and sing Happy Birthday in honor of CPD’s twenty-fifth anniversary this year, before showing a commemorative video highlighting the importance of volunteers throughout its history.  After Ms. McDaniel’s speech, Ms. Morris returned with a beautifully wrapped “birthday present.”  When Ms. McDaniel opened, she pulled out a pair of brightly colored stiletto heels, providing the perfect visual for the announcement that Community Partners of Dallas would be the 2015 beneficiary of Stiletto Strut sponsored by Neiman Marcus. 

Sandy Moore, Liana Yarckin, Janice Van Arsdale

Kathy Fagan, Michelle Pletcher

Courtney Rider, Angela Choquette

Ms. Morris then introduced the featured speaker of the day, author Julia Reed.  Ms. Reed regaled the crowd with stories and experiences as a Southerner, a published author whose recent book is titled But Mama Always Put Vodka in Her Sangria!: Adventures in Eating, Drinking, and Making Merry, and a regular contributor to publications like Newsweek, Vogue, Garden and Gun, Southern Accents, New York Times and more.  Highlights were her wonderful and humorous memories of covering politics, fashion and food around the world. 

 

Immediately following, Ms. Reed visited with luncheon-goers as she signed her best selling books, available for purchase. 

 

As the day came to a close, guests were given a parting gift including a trio of Satin Hands products from Mary Kay, notepads courtesy of Paper Affair and CPD calendars.

Barry and Sandy Moore

Kim Hudson, Heather Randall