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Sharon McGowan, Executive Director, Friends of Wednesday’s Child; Amanda Ryan, G. Brint Ryan, Honorary Chairs; Cachet Petty Weinberg, Luncheon Chair

This year celebrated 31 years of transforming students’ lives in foster care by improving their educational path

Friends of Wednesday’s Child celebrated its 31st anniversary with a luncheon recently at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center to benefit the organization in its mission to transform the lives of children in foster care through education. Former First Lady, 

Mrs. Laura W. Bush was the keynote speaker, sponsored by the Ryan Foundation, which is also the sustaining sponsor. The event was chaired by Cachet Petty Weinberg with Amanda and G. Brint Ryan as Honorary Chairs.

Underwriters, sponsors and VIP guests were welcomed with a champagne reception as they were treated to a photo opportunity with Mrs. Bush.

Cynthia Izaguirre, WFAA newscaster was emcee and moderator, began the event by welcoming everyone and introduced special guests Allie and Luis, Friends of Wednesday’s Child Success in School students and their foster parents; Paula and Scott Beasley, founders and added a special thank you to the caseworkers and judges in attendance.

Luncheon began following the invocation, including a caramelized pecan chicken cranberry salad, citrus blended vegetable couscous, baby arugula salad, grilled asparagus and tomato gratin drizzled with white balsamic dressing. Dessert was a fresh baked apple streusel galette with caramel sauce.

Brint Ryan introduced Mrs. Bush, who brought the gathering up to date on the most current happenings with the Bush family, saying her father-in-law, George H. W. Bush, celebrated his 90th birthday the same way he celebrates every birthday, by sky diving and related other family anecdotes.

Her message was clear as she shared a story about when she first started teaching school and a young boy whose circumstances touched her heart, emphasizing that every child deserves an education and a safe and healthy home. She talked about first responders and their commitment to service, challenging everyone to understand that in these circumstances, even just one hour can make all of the difference in the world.

Cynthia presented the story of Juan, a Friends of Wednesday’s Child foster child and student, saying he continues to be successful through hard work with a tutor, who reports he is gaining confidence in himself and showing pride in all that he accomplishes.

In the Q & A, Mrs. Bush talked about the importance of extra-curricular activities, encouraged parents to be models for their children and said her second grade teacher was her inspiration to become a teacher and help children strive for freedom from ignorance. Her message to foster children is that they have many people who love them, even though they may not know them all. Many are acting on their behalf.

Cachet thanked Mrs. Bush, saying she is a true champion for children. She also offered gratitude to the Ryan Foundation for their continued sponsorship, the Honorary Chairs and all of today’s sponsors and underwriters for their commitment to the organization, saying their donations help create a better tomorrow for children in foster care.  She expressed how much of a positive impact just a few dollars can make towards the successful outcome of a foster child’s future.  She said, “We are raising money to transform foster children’s lives by providing them access to academic and essential supports to be successful in school and in life, everything from one on one and enrichment activities ranging from after-school tutoring, college scholarships, dance lessons and so much more.”

Brittnay Connor, who grew up in foster care and will soon be teaching in Columbia as part of her Fulbright scholarship, had the audience in tears as she shared her personal experience as a foster child, detailing the everyday challenges facing foster children, beginning at a very young age and through her struggles, how she overcame her feelings of desperation and pushed herself so very hard to succeed. The entire crowd showed their support with a rousing standing ovation.          

Sharon McGowan, Executive Director of Friends of Wednesday’s Child, expressed heartfelt thanks to Cachet as a "tireless supporter of foster children today," chairing this luncheon for the second consecutive year. She expressed sincere gratitude to all attendees for joining in celebrating this year and said that 2,500 foster children were helped last year by Friends of Wednesday’s Child and there still remain 3,500 more to help and referred back to the FWC mission: Transforming  the  lives  of  children   in  foster care  through education.Support of Friends of Wednesday’s Child Luncheon helps ensure that foster children graduate high school on time and have a plan for their future.  

For questions or more information, visit the website at www.wedchild.org  Contact Sharon McGowan at smcgowan@wedchild.org or call 972-­‐231-­‐1433, ext. 202.

Photos by Daniel Driensky and Chris Waits

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Doug Box, author of Cutter Frisco: Growing Up on the Original Southfork Ranch and featured speaker; Alyce Heinrich, president, Les Femmes du Monde; Douglas Haloftis, host.

The Bluffview home of Douglas Haloftis and Fernando Gonzales set an elegant scene as they hosted the second luncheon in the Soup and Salad series of Les Femmes du Monde recently.
         
Guests enjoyed champagne and wines as they chatted with Alyce Heinrich, president of Les Femmes du Monde and Doug Box, the featured speaker and author of Cutter Frisco: Growing Up on the Original Southfork Ranch as they mingled throughout the home filled with fresh flowers, accompanied by a pianist entertaining all with classic favorites.
         
The second in a series of three events, the Soup and Salad luncheon began service with a selection of gourmet cheeses accompanied by fresh fruit and a selection of baguettes. A luscious salad of spinach and arugula with baby lettuces combined with dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, candied walnuts, feta and a special dressing accompanied the hearty Philadelphia Steak soup. Topping it all off were a selection of freshly baked cookies, specialty breads and huge fresh strawberries, the perfect setting for Box’s delicious stories.
         
Alyce welcomed everyone and thanked the hosts for their generous hospitality in opening their fabulous home for today’s luncheon, which received a round of appreciative applause.
         
Taking the stage, Doug Box dimmed the lights and began his presentation speaking about his childhood home in Frisco, then called the Box Ranch, which was the original home used by the Dallas television series in its first season’s first five episodes. He introduced his family through the presentation, including his father, Cloyce Box, the storied patriarch and entrepreneur thought by many to be the inspiration for Dallas’ J. R. Ewing, his mother, Fern, older brothers and stories about growing up on the ranch and riding his favorite cutting horse, Cutter Frisco.
         
The Box family was very well known and liked in Frisco and supported the city and its residents in all aspects of community service and involvement. In anecdotes both sweet and bitter, the youngest Box son remembered what it was like to grow up as a member of Texas royalty; if Frisco had a “first family,” the Boxes were it.
         
Doug’s childhood was replete with professional athletes, television crews, celebrities, Miss America pageants, and all the glitz and glamour of southern grandeur. Through a news video, he related how the house caught fire in 1987 through a painter’s accident.  It was being rebuilt in 1993 when Cloyce suffered the heart attack that killed him. The partially rebuilt house’s steel frame stands today as it was then, at the northeast intersection of Main Street and Preston Road in Frisco. 
         
Ultimately, a downturn in the Texas economy would come back to haunt the Box family, leading to the eventual sale of Doug’s beloved horse, Cutter Frisco, and ultimately the ranch itself.
         
After a round of applause, Alyce reminded everyone about the next Soup and Salad luncheon on Tuesday, August 18th, which features Ambassador Robert Jordan, who was the USA Ambassador to Saudi Arabia when 9/11 took place.  He has written a book entitled The Desert Diplomat.
         
Mark your calendars for the Woman of the Year gala on Wednesday, October 14th, chaired by Venise Stuart, celebrating Virginia Cook as the Woman of the Year. Proceeds from the gala event benefit The Child Life Program at Children’s HealthSM Children’s Medical Center and the International Education Program of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Les Femmes du Monde has donated more than $2 million to the World Affairs Council of Dallas Fort Worth, and more than $670,000 to Children’s Medical Center.
         
Tickets for the gala begin at $250 each.  Sponsorships and underwriting are available. Visit the website for details at www.lesfemmesdumonde.org        
         
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 celebration, New Member reception, Annual Meeting and Luncheon, and the opportunity to meet new friends and learn more about the world we live in.
         
Past Woman of the Year Honorees (in chronological order): Doris S. Dixon; Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler; Caroline Rose Hunt; Annette Strauss, Mayor of Dallas; Vivian Castleberry; Mary Kay Ash; Ebby Halliday; Catherine Crier; Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Senator; Laura Bush, First Lady of Texas; Juanita Miller; Nancy Brinker; Gloria Campos; Florence Shapiro, Texas State Senator; Liz Minyard and Gretchen Minyard Williams; Karen Hughes, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs; Billie Leigh Rippey; Dee Wyly; Anita Perry, First Lady of Texas; Yvonne Crum; Geraldine “Tincy” Miller; Dr. Gail Thomas, President and CEO, The Trinity Trust Foundation; Mary Lee Cox; Virginia Chandler Dykes, Gina Ginsburg, Lynn McBee, Margaret McDermott, Pat Smith, Nina Vaca.

 (Photos by Dana Driensky)

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Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts Presents PIPPIN! 

Join in the fun on Saturday, July 25, 2015 for one of three shows presented at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. as the Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts presents PIPPIN! The show runs about 2 hours.  Parking is free at the Dallas Children’s Theatre in the Rosewood Center for Family Arts located at 5938 Skillman Street, Dallas, TX 75231.

You can buy tickets at the door. Prices are: Adults 17 years old and older: $10 per ticket. Children 6 years old to 16 years old: $5 per ticket. Children under 5 years old: FREE.

If you have questions about tickets, please call Amanda Farrow at 325-370-2215 or email afarrow@dallassummermusicals.org

Here is some information about the show: With an infectiously unforgettable score from the four-time Grammy-winner, three-time Oscar-winner, and musical theatre giant Stephen Schwartz (WICKED, GODSPELL, CHILDREN OF EDEN), PIPPIN has been successfully produced on stages ranging from High School to Broadway. Sweeping the New York Awards circuit (Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle) in 2013, PIPPIN continues to captivate the young at heart throughout the world.

The story is: In the Middle Ages heir to the Frankish throne, prince Pippin, searches for the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of love and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father King Charlemagne the Great). In the end Pippin discovers that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the un-extraordinary moments that happen every day.

The students have trained hard this summer. This is about the classes: It was a triple threat program that emphasizes acting, singing and dancing for the professional stage. Multiple DSM Academy instructors teach this intensive. Morning activities include classes in Acting, How to Audition, Lessons about Agents, Voice, Steven Kavner’s Improv for the Actor, Circus Skills and preparation of Broadway songs to be filmed as a keepsake. In the afternoon skills taught in the morning are applied to the script and score of Stephen Schwartz’s PIPPIN. This is an intense program geared for the serious student. Music Theatre International rates the script PG-13. 

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. Visit the website at:http://www.academyatdsm.org

Evidence shows that arts education has a powerful effect on student achievement. When students participate in arts programs along with the core subjects of math, science, language, and social studies, these young people are:
* Three times more likely to be elected to class office.
* Four times more likely to participate in math and science.
* Three times more likely to win an award for school attendance.
* Four times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem.
* Four more times likely to be recognized for academic achievement.*
**Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Americans for the Arts, November 1998

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.

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Paulette Hopkins, Director of Marketing, received the Outstanding Achievement in Road Marketing Award

Holly Reeves, Executive Committee and Board Member, received a Star of Touring Broadway Award

 

 The Broadway League has presented two awards to Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM).  Paulette Hopkins, Director of Marketing, was honored with the Outstanding Achievement in Road Marketing Award and Holly Reeves, DSM Executive Committee, Board Member and longtime volunteer and supporter, was honored with a Star of Touring Broadway Award.

Under Paulette’s leadership, Dallas Summer Musicals, which has been entertaining North Texas audiences with live, musical theatre entertainment since 1941, continues its long history of successful marketing initiatives. Hopkins is an energetic leader who strategizes unique concepts for each show and works to attract new audiences. Hopkins welcomes and embraces joint marketing efforts and is open to new ideas. Her collaborative spirit has proven beneficial to many organizations, and a new era of collaboration now exists in Dallas-Fort Worth.
         
Paulette’s colleagues describe her as imaginative, thoughtful and honorable.  Touring press agents describe her as positive, tenacious and charming. She is all of these things, and more to the industry, to her peers and to her community. Throughout her career she has embraced each new challenge with openness, determination and a sense of humor. She is always ready to listen, exchange ideas and can always be counted on for a creative idea or solution. She is dependable, loyal and committed. She has earned the respect of her colleagues around the country by lending her time and her creative spirit on numerous committees and marketing forums. She always finds time to collaborate, mentor and give advice as needed.          

The Star Of Touring Broadway Awards are designed to honor board members, government officials, donors and volunteers who have given support to promote and enrich the Broadway Series in their hometowns. First presented in 1992, the Broadway League Awards recognize the contributions of those who have displayed exemplary service to the Broadway industry and are considered innovators of their craft.
         
Long-time dedicated member of the board and a diligent fundraiser, Lakewood resident Holly Reeves is a proactive and strong supporter of Dallas Summer Musicals, its touring shows and is a vital part of the DSM nonprofit organization. First participating in DSM as a board member, season ticket holder, Producers’ Circle member, generous donor and supporter in 2009, Holly has jumped in full force since that time to increase donations, awareness and community support. As a member of the Guild in 2010, she helped serve the show’s cast and company brunch on many Saturdays and Sundays, donating her time and preparing meals. Her donations through the Guild helped underwrite the cast parties and her personality added to the home feeling expressed by so many of the performers, always saying how they feel so welcome in Dallas.
         
That welcome still exists every season. Holly and her husband, Brad, open up their lovely home for cast parties, inviting in up to 100 people for an after-show sumptuous buffet, hosted by the Guild. She goes beyond opening her home by setting up a scene in the front gardens or driveway that is decorated in the show’s theme.
         
She currently serves on the Executive Committee and also on the Development Committee and has since 2012. She joined in DSM’s fundraising gala, Curtain Call, as a major donor in 2013. She and Brad took on the leadership role of chairing the gala in 2014. Her crucial and sustaining work has benefited Dallas Summer Musicals in literally all aspects of development, community outreach and marketing.
         
She accomplishes all of this while raising their two children. Daughter Payton is college bound next year and has been accepted to many schools including Abilene Christian University and Belmont University for her outstanding work in Musical Theatre and their son Cole attends Shelton Academy in Dallas.

Dallas Summer Musicals is presented by Texas Instruments and gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors and partners The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and The Original Cupcakery.

For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214.421.5678 or visit our website at www.dallassummermusicals.org .

 

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Cutter Frisco: Growing Up on the Original Southfork Ranch

  Looking for a wonderful summer read? Check out Cutter Frisco: Growing up on the Original Southfork Ranch, a memoir by Doug Box.

          “This is perfect reality summer reading,” Doug said. “It reveals the real story, the untold tale of what life was really like on the Box Ranch (known today as the Brinkmann Ranch).”  In anecdotes both sweet and bitter, the youngest Box son remembers what it was like to grow up as a member of Texas royalty; if Frisco had a “first family,” the Boxes were it.

          Doug’s father was the storied patriarch and entrepreneur Cloyce K. Box, thought by many to be the inspiration for Dallas’ J. R. Ewing. Doug’s was a one-of-a-kind childhood replete with professional athletes, television crews, celebrities, Miss America pageants, and all the glitz and glamour of southern grandeur. The house caught fire in 1987 and was being rebuilt in 1993, when Cloyce suffered the heart attack that killed him. The partially rebuilt house’s steel frame stands today as it was then, at the northeast intersection of Main Street and Preston Road in Frisco.

          Ultimately, a downturn in the Texas economy would come back to haunt the Box family, leading to the eventual sale of Doug’s beloved horse, Cutter Frisco, and ultimately the ranch itself.

           Cutter Frisco is a powerful retelling of the end of an era, with 40 photographs and a eulogy written by Frank Gifford, which he read at Cloyce’s funeral.   Kathy Lee Gifford also sang a solo of "He Giveth Me Grace."  In this book, Doug beautifully captures those early years of magnificence and magic- albeit a magnificence and magic not meant to last. 

          The book is available for purchase through the website at BoxFamilyAdvisors.com, Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com and also for download through the ibooks app, Amazon.com’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook.

About Doug Box:

Doug is a North Dallas resident, went to grade school at Walnut Hill Elementary and later, graduated from Greenhill. Received an MBA with honors from Baylor in 2004 and  Masters in Dispute Resolution from SMU in 2011. He also holds the Certificate in Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute, which he completed in 2011. His business is Box Family Advisors:     http://boxfamilyadvisors.com/

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Robbie Briggs, Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty, Presenting Sponsor; Gail Turner, Dr. Gerald Turner, featured speaker

            The Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society (PCHPS) Distinguished Speaker luncheon themed A Century of Classics featured Dr. R. Gerald Turner, President of Southern Methodist University as the keynote speaker, speaking on “SMU and the Park Cities: One Hundred Years of Developing Together.”

          Chaired by Lucinda Buford, the luncheon began with emcee Scott Murray welcoming the crowd and Robbie Briggs, Presenting Sponsor, leading the invocation. After lunch, Joan Clark, President, PCHPS expressed heartfelt thanks to Honorary Chairs Marla and Mike Boone, Presenting Sponsor Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, Preservation Sponsor Highland Park Village and media sponsors D Home and The Park Cities News. She also thanked Kendall Jennings, Home Tour Chair, for her leadership in chairing the tour and reminded everyone to pick up their tickets for the tour on Saturday.

          Robbie introduced Dr. Turner, saying SMU reached the centennial of its founding in 2011 and in 2015, reached the centennial of its opening.

          Dr. Turner began his presentation announcing that from the beginning, when SMU started purchasing land, they received help from the Caruth, Armstrong and Daniels families. His slideshow had many graphics and renderings, showing the original layout of the properties, the acquisitions and future plans. He emphasized the feeling is that everyone is a neighbor, all using the same land and that Highland Park, University Park and the City of Dallas join together as a community at SMU.

          Joan thanked Dr. Turner for his presented Dr. Turner with a copy of Virginia McAlester’s “Great American Suburbs,” autographed by the author.

          Proceeds from the luncheon will fund scholarships at Highland Park High School for graduating seniors who plan to study architecture, history, preservation, or another major related to the preservation of our heritage.  The purpose of the scholarships is to promote interest in education in fields of study related to historical preservation of the Park Cities Communities. A portion of the proceeds of the 2015 Home Tour Weekend 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 landmarking ceremonies.

          The home tour and luncheon 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.

The mission of the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society is to reserve and promote the history, architecture, aesthetics and cultural traditions of the Park Cities. The vision is to inspire passionate community support for the preservation of historic homes, buildings, parks, landmarks and traditions of the Park Cities.

            Membership in PCHPS is open to the public. For further information, visit the website at www.pchps.org or contact info@pchps.org or call (214) 528-0021.

 

 (Photos by Rob Wythe/Gittings and Chuck Clark.)

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Janet and Tony Dorsett

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 31st 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 1st 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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3607 Amherst. Photo by Danny Piassick.

         Tickets on Sale now! Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society 2015 Historic Home Tour - A Century of Classics

Saturday, April 11th

Tour the oldest home in Highland Park, the oldest home in University Park, a 1951 Culture Gulch home which has been architecturally acclaimed and published in many magazines and a 1929 Cape Cod classic

Presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty along with Preservation Partner Highland Park Village with media sponsors D HOME and The Park Cities News

The Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society (PCHPS) Historic Home Tour, themed A Century of Classics, features four exciting Park Cities homes, including the oldest home in Highland Park and the oldest home in University Park, along with a1951 Culture Gulch home which has received architectural honors and a 1929 Cape Cod classic, owned by only one family. These architecturally and historically significant homes have been restored, remodeled and updated to serve the lifestyle needs of families today .

3607 Amherst: Culture Gulch: Completed in 1951, the home was immediately honored for its unique design by the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and featured  in magazine and news articles.

3432 University Boulevard: Built in 1929 high above the street is an unpretentious Cape Cod home oriented to a massive side yard to the east. The memories that reside within these walls are innumerable since only one family has owned it.

3444 University Boulevard: Neoclassical. The oldest remaining home in University Park. The family also has a very interesting history with SMU.

3505 Lexington: Oldest extant home in Highland Park and located on the first developed street.

            The home tour celebrates historic preservation and is 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, who chaired the Distinguished Speaker luncheon last week. PCHPS is proud to have Marla and Mike Boone as honorary chairs for both events.

          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.

          Home Tour tickets are available at these Tom Thumb stores:  Snider Plaza (at Lovers Lane and Hillcrest); Preston Center, (eastern sector at  Northwest Highway and Preston Road); Greenville Avenue at Lovers Lane in Old Town; Inwood Road at University Boulevard; and Lincoln Center (Northwest Highway, across from NorthPark)  for $20. Tickets purchased the day of the tour will be $25. Additionally, you may purchase advance tickets online through Tuesday, April 7th  at the PCHPS website www.pchps.org, contact info@pchps.org or call (214) 528-0021.

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Jeannette Walls is the featured speaker

 New York Times best-selling author Jeannette Walls will be the featured speaker at the 18th 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 

 

 

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On March 12, the official World Kidney Day, buildings around the city will recognize the day by “painting” their buildings in orange, including the Omni Hotel Downtown. 

March 12: Open to the Public: There  will be a free kidney health check from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Dallas County Health and Human Services, 2377 N. Stemmons Frwy, Suite 627, Dallas, TX . 

In recognition of World Kidney Day (March 12), Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, along with Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Zach Thompson presented a Proclamation to the National Kidney Foundation for its efforts to raise awareness about early detection and prevention of kidney disease. 

“Kidney disease often develops slowly with few symptoms, and many people don’t realize they have it until the disease is advanced,” said Zach Thompson, Director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department. “Awareness of kidney disease, especially for those at risk, is the first step to preventing, or slowing the progression of kidney disease,” said Mr. Thompson.

 Pictured (from L to R) Darrell Webb, Carmen Webb, Cora McClendon (part of National Kidney Foundation patient services committee), Commissioner John Wiley Price, Rachelle Caruthers; Mark Edwards, Regional Program Manager, National Kidney Foundation, Serving North Texas; Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Zach Thompson.

Courtesy photo from the National Kidney Foundation - Serving North Texas. Visit the website at nkft.org

March 12: Today is World Kidney Day and the National Kidney Foundation is asking Americans to drink a glass of water to celebrate their kidneys. 

Consuming plenty of fluid helps the kidneys clear wastes and toxins from the body. Studies have also shown that increasing your fluid intake is one of the best ways to prevent the formation of painful kidney stones. 

The right level of fluid intake for any individual depends on many factors including gender, exercise, climate, health conditions, pregnancy and breast feeding. In addition, those with advanced kidney disease or kidney failure often have to restrict their fluid intake. As a general rule, drinking 1.5 to 2 liters (3 to 4 pints) of water per day is considered a healthy amount. 

“Drinking a glass of water is a symbolic gesture to remember that kidneys are vital organs that should be celebrated,” said Joseph Vassalotti, MD, National Kidney Foundation Chief Medical Officer. “It’s also a way to raise awareness about the risks, dangers and burden of kidney disease in the United States, which is estimated to affect more than 26 million American adults.”

Join others around the world and celebrate kidney awareness on World Kidney Day by taking a healthy selfie. Be a #WaterModel on #WorldKidneyDay and take a photo of yourself drinking water and share it with your friends. Those photos tagged with #ISupportWKD will appear in the international World Kidney Day photo newsfeed. 

Staying well hydrated with water can protect your kidneys, but it won’t cure kidney disease. For those at risk of kidney disease, the National Kidney Foundation is offering free kidney health screenings across the country. NKF strongly encourages anyone with diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure and anyone over the age of 60, to attend. Find a KEEP Healthy screening by visiting kidney.org, or ask your doctor for an ACR or GFR test if you are at risk for kidney disease. 

Those who want to learn how they can reduce their personal risk of developing kidney disease can visit www.kidney.org for more information.

Top 10 Things Your Kidneys Do:

  • Filter 200 liters of blood a day, removing two liters of toxins, wastes and water
  • Regulate the body’s hydration and water balance
  • Regulate blood pressure by controlling fluid levels and making the hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict
  • Support healthy bones and tissues by producing the active form of Vitamin D
  • Produce the hormone that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells
  • Keep blood minerals in balance
  • Keep electrolytes in balance
  • Regulate blood acid levels
  • Remove certain drugs from the blood
  • Eliminate excess water-soluble vitamins

 

The National Kidney Foundation is the leading organization in the U.S. dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease for hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals, millions of patients and their families, and tens of millions of Americans at risk. For more information, visit www.kidney.org.