Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 17, 2019 and join Les Femmes du Monde president Martha C. Cox and Anne Sutherland, chair of the Woman of the Year gala dinner as they honor Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott as the Les Femmes du Monde Woman of the Year.
The fabulous newly renovated Tower Club is the venue for this exciting event benefiting Les Femmes du Monde and its two beneficiaries, Children’s HealthSM Children’s Medical Center and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth.
At the Announcement Party at HALL Arts Residences, Mrs. Abbott said she is honored to be the Woman of the Year and also to represent the State of Texas, a state like no other. She said that we are each called to serve and should do so in our own special way. Talking about being the granddaughter of immigrants, she was raised in San Antonio and was taught a love of learning and helping others by her parents, who were both educators. She has been devoted to helping others not only in her professional life, but in her personal life, as well. She currently serves on the board of several educational organizations and numerous philanthropic groups.
Mrs. Abbott also believes strongly in giving back. Her signature initiative as First Lady combines the two things that she is most passionate about – Texas and philanthropy. She calls it Texanthropy, and through it she promotes volunteerism and service to others across Texas. Cecilia has also partnered with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on a similar initiative – Network of Nurture – to raise awareness about the ways Texans can support the children and families in the state’s child welfare system.
Sponsorships and underwriting are available from the website at www.LesFemmesduMonde.org Individual tickets begin at $250. A single sponsorship ticket is $500 and includes attendance at the Patron Reception. Spots will sell quickly, so now is the time to put together your tables and secure your seats!
Les Femmes du Monde is a group of women helping youth in health and education. Membership in Les Femmes du Monde is open to the public and includes many benefits, such as invitations to events in private homes, the Woman of the Year gala dinner, New Member reception, Annual Meeting and Luncheon, and the opportunity to meet new friends and learn more about the world we live in.
Les Femmes du Monde makes an incredible impact on the psychosocial needs of the patients and families of Children’s Health and Children’s Medical Center through The Child Life program. Some of those services include keeping the playrooms open (where the patients get to be kids), providing medical play to help the patients/siblings better understand the procedure they are going to undergo, providing diagnosis specific weekend and weeklong summer camps, providing tools like ipads to help explain procedures; wii’s for entertainment, prize closet items and music therapists help the children express their feelings through music. And a big favorite, the therapy dogs.
As one of thebeneficiaries,the World Affairs Council of Dallas and Fort Worth sponsors The Global Young Leaders Program. Plano Independent School District maintained its grip on the World Affairs Council’s regional PwC Academic WorldQuest crown, with Jasper High School winning the nationals this past spring.
2019 Beneficiaries:
The Child Life Program’s primary goal is to minimize the impact of illness on a child’s normal growth and emotional and cognitive development. This involves establishing supportive relationships with patients and families and providing them with developmentally-appropriate information that helps them prepare for, understand and cope with their healthcare experiences.
The Global Young Leaders and Education Programs at the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth seeks to educate students and teachers on how international events affect their lives, their communities, and their country. The goal is to empower students to become effective, active global citizens and leaders in the community. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2019, this program has impacted more than 1 million students and trained more than 8,000 teachers since its inception in 2004."
Mission Statement: Since its beginning in 1961, Les Femmes du Monde is celebrating its 59th year of service. The mission is to provide funds for the support of the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas Child Life Program and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth International Education Program.
Les Femmes Du Monde: Dedicated To Serving Dallas
Les Femmes du Monde has donated more than $2 million to the World Affairs Council of Dallas Fort Worth, and more than $700,000 to Children’s Medical Center.
Past Woman of the Year Honorees (in chronological order): 1986 Doris S. Dixon; 1987 Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler; 1988 Caroline Rose Hunt; 1989 Annette Strauss, Mayor of Dallas; 1990 Vivian Castleberry; 1991 Mary Kay Ash; 1995 Ebby Halliday; 1996 Catherine Crier; 1997 Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Senator; 1998 Laura Bush, First Lady of Texas; 1999 Juanita Miller; 2000 Nancy Brinker; 2001 Gloria Campos; 2002 Florence Shapiro, Texas State Senator; 2003 Liz Minyard and Gretchen Minyard Williams; 2005 Karen Hughes, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs; 2006 Billie Leigh Rippey; 2007 Dee Wyly; 2008 Anita Perry, First Lady of Texas; 2009 Yvonne Crum; 2011 Geraldine “Tincy” Miller; 2012 Dr. Gail Thomas, President and CEO, The Trinity Trust Foundation; 2013 Mary Lee Cox; 2014 Virginia Chandler Dykes, Gina Ginsburg, Lynn McBee, Margaret McDermott, Pat Smith, Nina Vaca; 2015 Virginia Cook; 2016 Couple of the Year Nancy and W. Herbert Hunt; 2017 Carmaleta Whiteley Felton; 2018 Dr. Sandra “Sandi” Chapman.
Photo by Dana Driensky.