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