Dallas Cherish the Children Luncheon was a Sold-Out Success

Before a sold-out crowd of 400 at the Omni Dallas Hotel for Dallas CASA’s Cherish the Children luncheon, Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall and WFAA-TV anchor Cynthia Izaguirre shared their professional commitments and personal connections to children in foster care.

Cynt Marshall, Cynthia Izaguirre (on stage)

The room was still as Cynthia shared about her son Henry, adopted out of foster care in 2018. When Cynt shared her stories of each of her four children and their journeys in foster care, you could hear a pin drop.

“My son knows he grew in my heart long before we met him,” Izaguirre said with tears in her eyes. “My heart was in adoption and so was my husband’s. We knew we could do more.”

Hannah May, Beth Cholerton, Nicki Stafford, Kathleen M. LaValle, Cynthia Izaguirre, Cynt Marshall 

The Dallas CASA Children’s Council Cherish the Children luncheon honored Izaguirre with the Caroline Rose Hunt Cherish the Children Award for her years of service to Wednesday’s Child, a WFAA-TV program that features children in foster care looking for permanent homes.

“Wednesday’s Child is often a ‘last chance’ for children in foster care,” Izaguirre said. “But we don’t give up on these children. We’ve featured a child up to five times to find them a permanent home. We want to get as many children out of the foster care system as possible.”

Kenneth Marshall, Cassandra D. Smith, Cheryl Jackson

Marshall and Izaguirre encouraged the audience to do whatever they could to support children who are in the protective care of the state, whether it be adoption, advocacy, awareness or simply showing up for a child in need.

“I know firsthand what it means to show up for a child because I had people in my life who did, including three teachers and a principal,” said Marshall, whose childhood in the projects in California was marred by domestic violence and fear. “I represent a life saved because someone showed up.”

Kelcey Hamilton, Megan Sterquell

Luncheon co-chairs Beth Cholerton and Hannah May welcomed the crowd back to in-person events to a round of applause.

Dallas CASA board members in attendance included Corey Anthony, Christie Carter, Margaret Cervin, Janice Davis, Greg May, Retta Miller, Kristy Hoglund Robinson, Virginia Schaefer, Nicki Stafford, Megan Sterquell and Linda Swartz.

Mingling among of crowd including special friends of Dallas CASA like Priscilla Anthony, Fran Berg, Pam Busbee, Jana Brosin, Barbara Cervin, Sally Hoglund and Betty Regard, guests perused a silent auction that included items like Texas Rangers tickets, a Dr. Delphinium master class, jewelry, spa days and special child-sized furniture.

Dallas CASA’s volunteers work closely with the judicial system to ensure safety for children, and judicial members in attendance included judges Kim Cooks, Delia Gonzales, Rhonda Hunter, Andrea Lane, Jean Lee, Derrick Morrison, Regina Moore, Cheryl Lee Shannon and Drew Ten Eyck. Representing Dallas County Commissioners Court were Judge Clay Jenkins and commissioners Theresa Daniel and Elba Garcia.