Champions for Hope is the annual dinner and golf tournament benefiting Hope’s Door, a comprehensive domestic violence agency in Collin County, serving all of North Texas.
         
The dinner is slated for Sunday, May 31^st at III Forks restaurant on Dallas Parkway with Janet and Tony Dorsett serving as honorary chairs. Beginning at 7:00 p.m., it is an intimate evening featuring cocktails, silent auction and dinner. Individual tickets are $150 and couples are $250.
         
Cary Clayborn is chairing the golf tournament on Monday, June 1^st takes place at the fabulous Las Colinas Country Club in Irving. There is still room for teams of four at $2,000 for each team. Individual players are $500 each.  It’s a scramble format with a shotgun start. Registration is at 9:30 a.m. Tee time is 11:00 a.m.
         
Sponsors include: Guardian Sponsor: Consolidated Communications. Defender Sponsors: Mercury One, Rent-A-Center, CMGRx.
Advocate Sponsor:Emerson.
         
Host committee: Diana and Rich Cesario, Nancy and Mark Champion, Cherryl and Cary Clayborn, Suzanne and Michael Grishman, Cortland and Mathew Grynwald, Anita Hawkins, Mercury One, Bronwyn and Dan Levitan, Charles Kallassy, Misty and Phillip Koch, Stephanie and Chris Milligan, Jennifer and David Panter, Bill Wallace.
         
Hope’s Door’s mission is to offer intervention and prevention services to individuals and families affected by domestic violence and to provide educational programs that enhance the community’s capacity to respond.
         
Hope’s Door is a shelter and counseling center in Collin County that offers comprehensive programs and services designed to help break the cycle of domestic violence to families in Collin County, Dallas County and surrounding areas.  Since its inception in 1986, Hope’s Door has provided emergency shelter for over 6,000 women and their children, answered more than 30,000 crisis line calls and provides counseling hours to community members affected by domestic violence.
         
Hope’s Door is a non-profit 501c-3 organization. Visit the website at HopesDoorInc.org
         
For tickets, details for both events, contact Suzanne Bock Grishman, Chief Development Officer, at Suzanne.Bock@hopesdoorinc.org , (972)-422-2911.

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 New York Times best-selling author Jeannette Walls will be the featured speaker at the 18^th Annual Pot of Gold luncheon benefiting Rainbow Days, Inc. to be held in the Chantilly Ballroom at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Friday, April 24th.

 Co-chaired by Karen Currie and Brooke Andrews, the luncheon also features a silent auction chaired by Nicole Williams and festive entertainment by Eddie Coker and the children of Rainbow Days, Inc.

 Jeannette Walls is a journalist and author of the memoir, The Glass Castle, which has been on the New York Times Best-Sellers list for more than six years. The book has sold four-and-a-half million copies in the U.S., been translated into 30 languages, and was named one of the “Top 10 Books of the Decade” by Amazon.com. Her story gives hope to those facing challenges and makes them realize anything is possible. Her follow-up books, Half Broke Horses: A True Life Novel and The Silver Star, were both New York Times Best-Sellers as well. As a journalist, her work has appeared in New York Magazine, Esquire, USA Today, and on MSNBC. The Glass Castle is being made into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence. A release date has not been announced.

 “Jeannette’s nomadic childhood of living out of the family car or in rundown houses with her siblings, alcoholic father and mentally unstable mother, as captured in her memoir, is similar to the situations of many of the children we serve,” said Cathey Brown, Founder and CEO, Rainbow Days, Inc. “We are excited to bring this well-known author and speaker to Dallas, to share her story which we believe will not only be captivating, but inspiring.”

 Mrs. Nancy Ann Hunt, 2012 Luncheon Honoree said, “I continue to support Rainbow Days because they are an organization that is dedicated to their mission of helping thousands of children and youth in need in our community.”

Underwriting and sponsorships are available. Individual tickets are $150. Contact Emily Candee at 214-217-3833, via email at emilyc@rainbowdays.org or visit the website for more information at www.RainbowDays.org 

The DSM Academy of Performing Arts is pleased to announce auditions for an opportunity to be selected for the Academy Industry Showcase.

As the Academy expands its relationship with the premiere Industry professionals in the Metroplex, we will find the most “industry ready” actors to present their finest skills to top agents, casting directors, and other professionals.

Auditions will be held Saturday, March 14^th from 8:30 a.m.to Noon and 1:00 p.m.to  6:00 p.m. for the first 75 people, ages 10 or older, to sign up. Younger students may be invited. An additional audition day on Tuesday, March 17^th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. will be added, if needed. Audition appointments are five minutes in length and will be held at:

Central Christian Church

4711 Westside Dr., Dallas, TX 75209

ATTENTION: You must prepare a one minute monologue from a play. You may be asked to sing and dance as well. The showcase is limited to 24 participants. 

Those selected will become part of a 10 week intensive that will meet at the Central Christian Church on Saturday, March 21^st through May 30^th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It will culminate in a performance on Wednesday evening June 3^rd at 7:30 p.m. following a 5:00 p.m. performance for Family and Friends at:

International Conservatory of Performing Arts

3321 Premier Drive, Plano, TX 75023

There is no charge to register for the audition. Student must be 10 years of age or older unless invited by the Academy. If selected, the program cost is $249 for 10 weeks.

The class will be led by DSM Academy Instructor and Director Steven Kavner (award-winning actor, former member of the legendary Los Angeles improvisation company The Groundings, and Peabody Award-winning Producer). Mr. Kavner will be supported by DSM Academy’s musical, dance and production staff.

Class: Industry Showcase

Showcase Auditions: Ages 10 and up, Saturday March 14, 9:00 a.m.–Noon and  1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Class & Audition Location: Central Christian Church, 4711 Westside Dr., Dallas, TX 75209
Class Dates & Times: Saturdays, March 21-May 30, 2015, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Class Limit: 24 students

Performance:  Wednesday June 3, 2015, 5:00 p.m. for family and friends, 7:30 p.m. for industry professionals

Performance Location: International Music Conservatory, 3221 Premier Dr., Plano, TX
Program Cost: $249 - There is no cost to audition.

Link to the Registration Form: http://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/rxy8RjbqconiaOCEVs9Jd3B8d

Details on our website at: http://www.academyatdsm.org/

          Call for more information: 214-969-7469

About DSM Academy Of Performing Arts:  The DSM Academy of Performing Arts was founded in 1999 and operates as an affiliate of Dallas Summer Musicals in several locations in the Dallas area. Dallas Summer Musicals is a company that produces and presents Broadway, off-Broadway, West End and touring theatrical productions. The DSM Academy is comprised of 75% teens and 25% adults ranging in age from 7 to adult. The Academy is proud of its diverse and ethnic student population. The DSM Academy has granted over 250 need-based scholarships. The Academy helps to prepare the amateur and the professional for involvement in the performing arts. The purpose of this page is to connect people who have a common interest in the performing arts of any type.

Mission: Recognizing the positive influence of the arts on the human experience, DSM Academy of Performing Arts strives not only to increase appreciation of the performing arts, but to teach those arts professionally.                                          

The Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society (PCHPS) is thrilled to announce that Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty has come on board as presenting sponsor for the 2015 Annual Historic Home Tour and Distinguished Speaker Luncheon. Additionally, Highland Park Village has joined in support as its Preservation Partner and D HOME as media sponsor.

          All three of these major sponsors are longtime supporters of PCHPS. The first luncheon in 2011 featured a major sponsorship with Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty and highlighted Ray Washburne as the speaker, detailing the Village’s renovations with historic photos in a fascinating slide show.  The Washburnes have also served as honorary chairs. Both Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty and Highland Park Village were major supporters in 2013 and 2014. D Home has been the media sponsor for many years, as well as other community businesses.

          Joan Clark, PCHPS president said, “Without the support of local individuals and firms, PCHPS could not achieve its goals of preservation awareness and education.  I am extremely grateful for the ongoing, outstanding commitment of our Presenting Sponsor, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty.  Additionally, it is a thrill to welcome our new Preservation Partner, Highland Park Village.  We are excited about the history that will be on view with the 2015 Home Tour.  It will be an opportunity for ‘Shaping the Future of Our Past.’ ”

          “The Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society is committed to preserving the architecture, history and heritage of the Park Cities so it remains a beautiful place to live,” says Robbie Briggs, President and CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. “As a longtime sponsor and supporter, I applaud their efforts toward keeping the community strong and economically sound while looking to the future.”

          Ray Washburne said, ““Our family is deeply committed to the ongoing success and growth of the Park Cities heritage. The mission of the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society is something we are actively involved in and strive to make a difference. Our community is very important to us and we want to ensure our residents are actively involved in supporting these goals as well.”  
    
          Themed A Century of Classics, the home tour and luncheon will celebrate historic preservation and are designed to generate awareness of the role history and preservation play in enhancing the quality of life for everyone who lives and works in the Park Cities communities.

          Kendall Jennings is chairing the 2015 Historic Home Tour along with Lucinda Buford chairing the luncheon. PCHPS is proud to have Marla and Mike Boone as honorary chairs for both events.

          Slated for Wednesday, April 1, 2015 at the Dallas Country Club, the luncheon features Dr. R. Gerald Turner, president of Southern Methodist University, as the keynote speaker. SMU reached the centennial of its founding in 2011 and 2015 marks the centennial of its opening.

          The Historic Home Tour will take place on Saturday, April 11^th, featuring architecturally and historically significant homes in the Park Cities that illustrate how they have been restored, remodeled and updated to serve the lifestyle needs of families today.

          The society’s mission is to preserve and promote the history, architecture, aesthetics and cultural traditions of the Park Cities. A portion of the proceeds of the 2015 Home Tour will be used to help preserve and maintain the Park Cities House at Dallas Heritage Village, which was the second home built in Highland Park. It also funds the Society’s land marking ceremonies. The proceeds from both the Distinguished Speaker Luncheon Series and the tour will go toward the PCHPS scholarship program for Highland Park High School graduating seniors who plan to study architecture, history, preservation, or another major related to the preservation of the community’s heritage.

Advance Home Tour Tickets for the Saturday, April 11th Historic Home Tour will be available at Tom Thumb stores in the Park Cities area the third week of March for $20. Tickets purchased the day of the tour will be $25. Additionally, you may purchase advance tickets online at the PCHPS website www.pchps.org or checks can be mailed to 25 Highland Park Village, Suite 100, Box 286, Dallas, TX 75205-2789 before April 4, 2015.  

Tickets for the April 1^st Luncheon may be purchased in March 2015 online at www.pchps.org Individual tickets are $125, $250, $500, $1,000 each with different benefits in seating, private reception with the speaker, according to the level of purchase. 
Sponsorships and table underwriting are also available. Check the website for updates: www.pchps.org or email info@pchps.org for sponsorship forms.

For further information, visit the website at www.pchps.org or contact info@pchps.org or call (214) 528-0021.

An Evening of Hope Gala benefiting Hope’s Door, a comprehensive domestic violence agency, raised more money than ever before, earning just over $400,000 to benefit the agency.
          The Gatsby-themed evening began with a VIP reception in the Cypress Room at the Westin Stonebriar. Dressed in a gold Gatsby-style fringe and sequin gown, Stephanie Mattison, gala chair, was joined by her husband, Tanner and her family, along with Suzanne Bock Grishman, interim executive director and acting director of development at Hope’s Door and her husband, Michael. Matthew Grynwald is the president of the board. Many board members and underwriters chatted with honorary chair Glenn Beck, founder and CEO of Mercury Radio Arts and best known as the host of The Blaze television and radio shows. His wife, Tania, also an honorary chair, was unable to attend due to a prior family commitment.
          Guests bid in the fabulous silent auction sponsored by Rent-A-Center, bought out the wine pull, gift card pull, enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres and stepped into an eight-foot tall gold frame, snapping photos as remembrances.
          Entertainment by the band Limelight played as emcee Steve Stoler, formerly of WFAA Channel 8 and now the executive director of media relations for the City of Plano, welcomed guests and recognized veterans in the audience, as it was Veteran’s Day weekend.
          After a three-course gourmet dinner ending with a dessert assortment by Nothing Bundt Cakes, Stephanie thanked everyone for supporting Hope’s Door by attending the gala and encouraged the crowd to participate in the fundraising opportunities soon to come. She recognized presenting sponsors Nancy C. and Richard R. Rogers and the Becks as honorary chairs, noting that since Tania could not attend, Glenn was joined by their daughter, Mary Cate.
          LaShon Ross, a member of the board, presented Stephanie with an exquisite strand of pearls donated by jeweler Carter Malouf, who is also a member of the host committee with his wife, Jill. She introduced a moving video highlighting the message of Hope’s Door, emphasizing they are here to help heal families affected by domestic violence. She asked the board to stand, thanking them for their devoted service.
          After a spirited game of heads-and-tails, board Secretary Ann Dunham announced    Jessica Bair and The Mary Kay Foundation^℠ as recipients of the Heroes of Hope Award for their generous grant in helping with emergency shelter renovations and ongoing support. Jessica received an exquisite Waterford clock donated by Bachendorf’s.
          Jessica said she was honored to receive the award and emphasized that Hope’s Door is crucial to the victims of domestic violence and helps them become survivors.        Suzanne, who joined Hope’s Door this past summer, said the agency is making a difference in people’s lives through education. With the leadership of Grishman, Hope’s Door is poised for growth and ready for support to move it forward to the next stage. She said the morning after Glenn and Tania toured the safe shelter, Glenn shared his experience with his radio audience and sold over 550 raffle tickets for the beautiful 2014 CLA Class Mercedes-Benz donated by Mercedes-Benz of Plano. Only 1,000 tickets were sold at $100 each, with proceeds benefiting the programs and services of Hope’s Door.
          Taking the stage to a standing ovation, Glenn’s very personal and emotionally charged story touched the hearts of everyone in the ballroom. With many in tears as he ended his presentation, he said Hope’s Door gives hope for a future to so many and encouraged everyone to continue their support because they can truly make a difference in people’s lives. Emotions ran high as another standing ovation rang through the room.
          Following the Fund-A-Cause call for donations, the live auction was a rousing success, including three  tours of Beck’s studio and lunch; a wine lover’s experience visiting Jordan Vineyards, Michel-Schlumberger and Lail Vineyards; a VIP family membership at the Frisco Gun Club; Chef John Coleman, owner of Savor Restaurant offered a private chef experience; Trident Response Group will host an interactive training program and topping it all off, the actor Burton Gilliam, who starred in Blazing Saddles, took the stage and helped move the crowd in bidding on a Blazing Saddles movie script signed by Mel Brooks, including lunch with Burton.
          Limelight took the stage and the crowd filled the dance floor until the lights came on. The gala was a huge success, everyone in smiles, taking home sweets from the candy bar.
          Hope’s Door mission is to offer intervention and prevention services to individuals and families affected by domestic violence and to provide education programs that enhance the community's capacity to respond. Learn more by visiting the website at www.hopesdoorinc.org or call 972-422-2911.