The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) hosted Art Ball 2016: Art + Architecture with more than 400 guests on Saturday, April 23, 2016, at the Dallas Museum of Art. Ann and David Sutherland served as this year’s Art Ball Co-chairs.

Guests arrived to a red architectural display of the Dallas skyline and an oversized blueprint of the DMA that served as a step and repeat, which touted Entertainment Sponsors Nancy and Richard Rogers; Silent Auction Sponsors Jennifer and John Eagle;

Red Carpet Sponsor Neiman Marcus; Patron Party Sponsors Forty Five Ten and The Joule Hotel; After Party Sponsor Stanley Korshak; Security Sponsor Sidley Austin LLP; Auction Sponsor Christie’s; Dinner Sponsors Peggy and Carl Sewell; Invitation Sponsor Dallas Art Fair; Travel Sponsor Durham Family Foundation; Financial Services Sponsor J.P. Morgan; and Goldman, Sachs & Co. as the Catalogue and Program Sponsor.  

During the cocktail hour, guests sipped on mixology cocktails from Luxury Cocktail Sponsor Belvedere Vodka and Hennessy Cognac while they bid on an eclectic mix of experiences, art and gorgeous decorative items curated by Silent Auction Chair, Gonzalo Bueno. Top bidding was on Nicolas Alquin’s Diapason sculpture, featuring old oak with burned patina and lime, and a Presidential Live Oak, grown at the prestigious ranch of President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush in Crawford, Texas.

At 7:45 p.m., a 30-foot tall curtain dramatically opened revealing another Todd Events masterpiece of contemporary reds, greens, and yellows.  Sprays of yellow florals, moss drenched chandeliers, and oversized head tables in the shape of a plus sign tied the room into a sensory wonderland. 

The Dallas String Quartet provided lively and electric dinner entertainment while patrons feasted on a multi-course dinner catered by Cassandra Fine Catering, which included lobster, duck and fish courses.  The live auction, assembled by interior architectural designer Trisha Wilson and sponsored by Christie’s, proved spectacular with items including a Dallas sports package, Napa Valley Wine country getaway and an African Safari at the Izingwe Lodge, a private South African lodge home on the 82,000-acre Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, located in the Waterburg mountain region. 

Following dinner, After Party Co-chairs Rachel and Michael Osburn welcomed guests to the Hamon Atrium and Eagle Family Plaza for Folly at the Art Ball, sponsored by Stanley Korshak and presented by the DMA Junior Associates. DJ Lucy Wrubel and Georgia Bridgwater Orchestra provided music while guests danced and mingled, and tickets were available for entrance into a raffle for the not-yet-released in the United States, Jaguar F-Pace Prestige SUV, courtesy of Automotive Raffle Sponsor Park Place Jaguar.

Guests included: Co-chairs Ann and David Sutherland, Dallas Museum of Art Interim Director Walter Elcock, Micki and Mayor Mike Rawlings, Dallas Museum of Art President Catherine Rose, Will Rose, Brian Bolke, Nancy Rogers, Cindy and Howard Rachofsky, Elaine and Neils Agather, Andy Beal, Olya Sinitsyna, Deedie Rose, Peggy and Carl Sewell, Margaret McDermott, Jennifer and John Eagle, Allen and Kelli Questrom, Lance Bass, Candice and Tony Romo, and After Party Co-chairs Rachel and Michael Osburn. 

Proceeds from Art Ball directly affect the DMA’s commitment to providing free access to its collection and to a wide range of exhibitions and educational and public programs.  

Connecting Point of Park Cities (CPPC) welcomed football great, Coach Gene Stallings, as the featured speaker of its third annual fundraiser, Emerald City Connects, on April 13, 2016, at the Belo Mansion.  Stallings’ coaching legacy has impacted thousands of athletes and millions of fans.  His career in football spans more than 40 years and four teams, most notably as the head coach of the 1992 National Championship-winning Alabama Crimson Tide. Prior to his arrival at Alabama, Stallings worked with the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys, and his alma mater Texas A&M. Off the field, he is an avid philanthropist and highly awarded supporter of special needs individuals. He has used his influence to bring awareness to the struggles of those with disabilities. Through his writing, speaking, and philanthropic efforts, Stallings has helped better the lives of those in the special needs community.

CPPC Executive Director Jamie Reynolds presented restaurateur and special needs advocate Tom Landis with the inaugural Ryan Albers Lifetime Achievement Award, which was created to honor an individual who is a champion for the special needs community by impacting, influencing and advancing awareness of individuals with disabilities. Landis was honored for his achievements and commitment to enhancing the lives of those with special needs.  

After graduating from the University of Texas and pursuing a successful marketing career, Landis opened his first restaurant in 1996. Each one of his concepts has provided an avenue for the marginalized to succeed, whether teaching English classes during slow hours or creating jobs for those with disabilities at his Texadelphia locations. In 2004, Landis was the recipient of the Center for Nonprofit Management’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year.  After opening 13 restaurants in 19 years, Landis turned his efforts to open Howdy Homemade, the first for-profit restaurant designed to employ people with special needs.  Howdy Homemade is a tribute to Coach Gene Stallings and every parent of a child with special needs.

Event co-chairs were Jan and Scott Osborn, WFAA Good Morning Texas Host Carrie McClure emceed and Coleman Jones, vice president of Howdy Homemade, gave the invocation.  The evening included a silent and live auction and entertainment by the Emerald City Band who had guests on their feet and out on the dance floor. Funds from the evening will assist CPPC in continuing to build and expand its all-inclusive day programs for adults with disabilities, which are already close to capacity due to the lack of opportunities for adults with disabilities in the community.

“We were so thrilled to welcome the inspirational Coach Stallings as our featured speaker, and to present this first annual Ryan Albers award to Tom Landis. Both of these men are truly champions of the special needs community and fully embody the spirit of Connecting Point of Park Cities,” said Jan Osborn, Emerald City Connects Co-chair. 

Guest list:  Ruth and Gene Stallings, Michael and Cristina Young, JoAnn and John Ryan, Janet and Orlando Salazar, Purvi and Bill Albers, Debbie and Kevin Sherrington, Shay and Jack Sides, Crystal and Chad Pinson, Tori and Joe Mannes, Janie and Patrick Hamner, Sue and Lee Coleman

The Junior League of Dallas recently kicked off its nationally recognized Kids in the Kitchen program. Sponsored by UnitedHealthcare, the eight-week after-school program educates more than 600 Dallas youth in kindergarten through fifth grade with the goal to develop lifelong healthy eating habits. 

During the daily one-hour sessions, staff from local agencies, as well as volunteers from Junior League of Dallas and UnitedHealthcare, engage with kids to teach age-appropriate recipe preparations, exciting exercise activities and ways to introduce nutrition and fitness to their families. This year’s local agencies include: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, Dickerson Center for Civic Responsibility, Foundation Communities, Frazier Revitalization, Inc., Kids-U, Ronald McDonald House, St. Philip’s School & Community Center and Voice of Hope Ministries, Inc. 

“Kids in the Kitchen provides children and their families with the tools they need to make nutritious eating choices,” said Meredith Mosley, president of the Junior League of Dallas. “Since 2006, we have been working to promote healthy lifestyles, and we hope to change the trajectory for many children and their families.” 

“UnitedHealthcare is a natural partner for Kids in the Kitchen,” added Mosely. “The lifestyle changes and healthy eating habits this program promotes help UnitedHealthcare further its mission of helping people live healthier lives.” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of children and adolescents in the United States are obese or overweight. The Junior League of Dallas and UnitedHealthcare hope to decrease this number by encouraging children to make healthy choices to reverse the prevalence of obesity and its associated health issues. 

Research has demonstrated that proper nutrition and regular exercise are necessary to prevent obesity, yet many Dallas-area families lack the resources to practice healthier lifestyles. Kids in the Kitchen provides children and their families with the tools they need to make nutritious eating choices with the belief that education is the first step in making a lasting change in the current childhood obesity statistics.

About Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen was founded in 2006 and is supported by the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) and more than 250 Junior Leagues around the country. The goal of this program is to empower youth in grades K-5 to make healthy lifestyle choices and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues. For information on the Kids in the Kitchen program, visit http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org/?nd=about. 

About The Junior League of Dallas

The Junior League of Dallas is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Founded in 1922, the Junior League of Dallas trains members for effective participation in the community and is dedicated to the belief that volunteer service is an essential part of responsible citizenship. Whether tutoring students, rocking infants, providing basic needs to families in crisis or serving on non-profit boards and coalitions, the 5,000 Junior League members provide more than 130,000 hours of community service each year, while making sure that each donated dollar works its hardest to help those in Dallas who need it most. Active members range in age from 22 to 49, and 74 percent are employed outside of the home. For more information, please visit www.jld.net. 

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