The 20th Annual Women of Distinction Luncheon, presented by Verizon, will honor women and young women for their leadership and service

DALLAS, TX / July 23, 2024 / The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) will commemorate the 20th anniversary of their prestigious Women of Distinction Luncheon (WDL), celebrating exceptional female leaders from accomplished high school students to influential executives. This milestone event, presented by Verizon, will be held on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Hilton Anatole, under the esteemed leadership of Event Co-chairs Andrea Weber and Kim Williams.

“Verizon is proud to partner with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas to present its Women of Distinction Luncheon,” said Michelle R. Miller, Senior Vice President and Coastal Plains Market President for Verizon and GSNETX Board Member. “With a commitment to enrich lives every day, Verizon is honored to join together with the North Texas community to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Women of Distinction Luncheon. This amazing event has amplified the contributions of numerous trailblazing future women leaders, along with many established men and women, who have made a positive impact right here where we live, work, and play.”

This year’s honorees include two Women of Distinction, Caren Lock, Regional Vice President & Associate General Counsel, TIAA, and Cassandra McKinney, Executive Vice President, Executive Director of the Retail Bank, Comerica Bank. High school students Rida Ahmed, Dylan George, and Katherine Polimerou will be recognized as the Mary Anne Cree Young Women of Distinction, a prestigious title awarded to Gold Award Girl Scouts whose projects made a sustainable impact on a local challenge linked to national or global issues.

"As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our Women of Distinction Luncheon, we reflect on two decades of honoring extraordinary leaders who inspire us with their dedication and commitment," said Jennifer Bartkowski, CEO of GSNETX. "These honorees exemplify the highest standards of service in our community. By recognizing their achievements, we not only celebrate their individual successes but also encourage others to strive for excellence and continue their legacy. Together, we can build a community where service and compassion are at the forefront of our values and make Northeast Texas the best place to be a girl."

For two decades, the Women of Distinction Luncheon has celebrated the achievements of women of all ages, acknowledging their service to the community and their investment in girls and women in Northeast Texas. Funds raised during the luncheon help empower over 19,000 girls, providing them with leadership development, mental health support, STEM education, life skills, outdoor leadership activities, and more.

Individuals, corporations, and community organizations are invited to join this momentous occasion and support the future leaders of our community. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.gsnetx.org/WDL.

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We Are Girl Scouts

Whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges. Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas serves girls and adult volunteers across 32 counties. To change the workforce pipeline in STEM and meet the urgent need for female voices, engagement, and leadership in the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas opened the STEM Center of Excellence. Learn more at gsnetx.org or call 972-349-2400.

Honoree Biographies

*All headshots courtesy of Gittings Photography 

Women of Distinction:

Caren Lock

As the Regional Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Government Relations at TIAA, Caren Lock has been instrumental in shaping the company's policy advocacy legal and regulatory strategies in her region. Her robust educational background, including a JD from Baylor University School of Law and a BA in Government & Politics from the University of Texas, has been the foundation of her extensive career in legal and governmental affairs. Significant accomplishments mark her professional journey. She has held a position on the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas since 2024, which allows her to contribute to the governance and strategic direction of the legal profession in Texas. Additionally, she demonstrated her leadership and commitment to women's empowerment by serving as the President of the Texas Women's Foundation Board from 2017 to 2019. In this capacity, she championed initiatives that support and uplift women across Texas. Her expertise in government relations, combined with her legal acumen, has positioned her as a respected leader in her field. She is a co-founder of The Orchid Giving Circle, a group of Asian women committed to supporting social and economic change through collaborative giving.  Since 2015, the group has granted close to $2M into the Greater DFW community. She continues to advocate for policies and practices that benefit her organization and the broader community, ensuring that TIAA remains compliant with evolving regulations while also advancing its mission to serve clients effectively. 

Cassandra McKinney

In her role as the Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the Retail Bank at Comerica Bank, Cassandra McKinney is responsible for driving business growth and ensuring an exceptional experience for the bank's Consumer and Small Business Segments. Her strategic vision and leadership have been instrumental in enhancing Comerica's retail banking operations. She also lends her talents as an Independent Director for Lithia & Driveway. Cassandra's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Dillard University. These degrees provided her with a strong foundation in analytical thinking and problem-solving, skills that she has effectively translated into her banking career. Throughout her career, Cassandra has garnered numerous accolades. She has been recognized by American Banker's Most Powerful Women in Banking, highlighting her influence and achievements in the industry, Diversity Woman Elite 100 and, locally, by Dallas Business Journal’s Top 100. Her commitment to community service is equally impressive; she is a 25-year member of the United Way Tocqueville Society and a Charter member of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas' Women of Tocqueville Committee, where she served two terms as Committee Chair. She serves the African American community through her leadership in The Links, Incorporated, and the Executive Leadership Council. Her contributions to the banking industry's future as a Board Member of the Consumer Banker Association, focusing on education initiatives, further demonstrate her dedication beyond her professional role as a distinguished figure in the larger sector and community.

Mary Anne Cree Young Women of Distinction:

Rida Ahmed

Rida Ahmed will graduate from Independence High School in 2025. She holds numerous leadership positions, including President of her school's Action 4 Acculturation Club and a Captain of the Speech and Debate team. Outside of school she is a Girl Scout Media Spokeswoman and Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Alumni. Prior to Independence, Rida was creator of her school's Multicultural Week, Editor-in-Chief of her school's publications and?NJHS OAA scholarship winner. Rida's Gold Award project tackled the cultural gap experienced by refugees in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She created cultural orientation videos, conducted workshops, and established a school chapter to assist refugees in adapting to their new environment while preserving their cultural heritage. Her efforts provided crucial support for their integration into the community. Rida is also a published author, having written two books. In 2022, she published a 200-page fictional book and co-wrote a collection of short stories with several Indian authors. As a passionate writer, Rida draws inspiration from her lineage and hopes to continue her literary endeavors in the future.

Dylan George

Dylan George will graduate from The Hockaday School in 2025. She is an active leader in the school's musical and fine arts performances. Dylan's Gold Award project focused on supporting children coping with trauma through social-emotional learning lessons based in the performing arts. She developed and led six sessions at Mosaic Family Services, covering topics such as forgiveness and self-awareness. With the help of volunteers, Dylan's initiative empowered children to express themselves, build confidence, and address the lasting impacts of trauma. She also shared her curriculum and trained staff to ensure continued support in the future. Dylan's passion for musicals, acting, singing, and dancing extends beyond the stage. She enjoys sharing her appreciation for the arts and using them as a force for good in the community. As a leader in TeenAge Communication Theater, Dylan educates teens in the Dallas area on sex education, mental health, dating violence, and other important topics through peer-to-peer education. She is also the President of a club that she and other musicians created called the Music and Creative Expression Organization where they perform around the Dallas area and raise money for local music-oriented causes. 

Katherine Polimerou

Katherine Polimerou is a senior at Plano East Senior High School. She is a founding member and former media manager of the Williams High School Hope Squad, a faculty-nominated position in a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. Additionally, she has served as a PISD PALS Mentor, helping peers successfully adjust to school life. Katherine’s Gold Award Project, the Can-Do Community Cookbook, addresses the issue of underutilized food from food pantries by compiling diverse, economical, and healthy recipes. Collaborating with Minnie’s Food Pantry, she engaged peers to test recipes and ensured sustainability with a QR code for online access. She provided Minnie’s Food Pantry with over 100 physical cookbooks and a digitally accessible version that empowers families to maximize donated food and reduce food fatigue through a wide variety of recipes. Katherine also enjoys golfing and is the Captain of the Plano East Girls Golf Team. She is a member of the Plano East Student Athlete Leadership Team, plays violin in the Plano East orchestra, and is a former Tejas Rider.

Goddess of the Flowers: One Girl’s Journey

by

Stefanie Auerbach Stolinsky

The shocking, eye-opening story of a young girl’s desperate run from a powerful Mexican cartel leader.

Gorgeous Xochitl (pronounced “so-she”) Gonzalez is a fifteen-year-old street waif in rural Mexico who is seized with her mother by cartel leader Carlos Morales to be his “queen” at his massive hacienda. 

Life becomes a dream of wealth, gold, expensive cars, bag loads of cash, and jewelry. And all she has to do is “train” new girls to the tricks of the trade. How to please the men they will be sold to across the Rio Grande and into the U.S. Not realizing these girls will also be sneaking drugs and other contraband into the States, Xochitl entices them into the life of fantasy that a gang girl can have riches in America. 

During a trafficking exchange, Xochitl witnesses the brutal murder of a 13-year-old; she realizes the same thing will happen to her. She escapes with two girls, a stash of coke, and a gun. 

She tells Carlos she is pregnant with his child and thus starts one of the most astounding chases in storytelling. Aided by the U.S. Government, incarcerated in a detention hall, and bailed out by a brothel madam, she agrees to trade her son for the release of girls primed for slavery, emerging triumphant.

Goddess of the Flowers by Stefanie Auerbach Stolinsky is a riveting tale of one girl’s harrowing escape from the hands of a vicious drug lord, drug smuggling, human trafficking, international corruption, and the unbelievable amounts of money involved. Her story is shocking and eye-opening, not only in its life-threatening brutality and non-stop danger but for the sheer reach of the cartel’s power and influence. However, even the cartel is no match for her resilience, determination, and inextinguishable hope for a better life for herself and her unborn child. 

Xochitl (meaning “Goddess of the Flowers”) is just days shy of her sixteenth birthday when cartel leader Carlos Morales, who keeps her as his sexual plaything, coldly murders a thirteen-year-old girl who is in their mansion headquarters to be trained to perform sexually for her buyer across the border in the U.S. She’s known all along that she’s just a cog in the horrific sex human smuggling machine and her usefulness to Carlos, too, would soon reach its expiration date as she aged. But Xochitl had connected with the younger girl when she’d arrived that day, and her ruthless execution galvanized Xochitl into action to get herself and two more of the new girls out of the cartel compound and to safety across the river. 

Xochitl had been aware that Carlos had a network of connections in the U.S., but it wasn’t until she made her desperate run for freedom that she realized just how far and wide his reach really extended. He has eyes and ears everywhere she turns, and she constantly feels she’s still easily within his grasp and that he is just toying with her before snatching her back up. Xochitl quickly finds out she can trust no one and with good reason. Even the ‘good’ guys have agendas where she is just a pawn and an expendable one at that. There’s no respite for this poor girl: no real moments free from fear or pain. Still, she perseveres. 

The story unfolds from Xochitl’s point of view, and the author gives her a voice, attitudes, and emotions that feel starkly authentic. The narrative is, at times, stream-of-consciousness, and the language and actions are raw, desperate, and uncensored. Characters are brutalized, and many die. The picture that is painted is shocking and grim, yet throughout it all, Xochitl continually taps into inner sources of strength, replenished by hope. The style of narrative may not be to everyone’s taste; the events are often too brutal for comfortable reading. However, I was mesmerized by her story and rooted for Xochitl to find freedom and justice, compelled to see the story through to its resolution. 

I recommend GODDESS OF THE FLOWERS to readers of gritty and dark crime thrillers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

ABOUT PUNCH BOWL SOCIAL

As the proud host of the unexpected, Punch Bowl Social’s mission is to bring people together through a one of a kind offering of food, fun, first-rate hospitality, and exceptional entertainment. Scratch kitchens, craft cocktails, social gaming, and music are presented in eclectic and creatively designed spaces to provide the perfect setting for unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re looking to have a night out with friends or want to host THE event of the season, Punch Bowl Social has you.

Website: https://punchbowlsocial.com

social media: @punchbowlsocial

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“MIRACLE TREAT DAY” SLATED FOR THURSDAY, JULY 25 AT DQ RESTAURANTS IN TEXAS, BENEFITING CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK

DFW Restaurants to Support Children’s Health and Cook Children's Medical Center

Miracle Treat Day, the one-day event at participating DQ restaurants across Texas, will support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® in Dallas benefiting Children’s Health and Fort Worth benefiting Cook Children’s Medical Center on Thursday, July 25.

For each Blizzard® Treat purchased, $1 or more will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Fans can enjoy any flavor including the Salted Caramel Truffle Blizzard Treat, available through the end of July, while supplies last. This delicious treat includes salted caramel truffles, sweet and salty toffee pieces, decadent cocoa fudge, rich choco chunks, and the DQ signature vanilla soft serve, making it the perfect way to beat the summer heat.

Participating in Miracle Treat Day is an easy and tasty way to help provide critical lifesaving equipment and pediatric healthcare resources for local hospitals to treat sick and injured children throughout Texas.

Fans need only to purchase a Blizzard Treat (any size or flavor) at a participating DQ restaurant in Texas and $1 or more will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for each Blizzard Treat purchased.

Fundraising has never been so easy or deliciously satisfying. Mark your calendars for Thursday, July 25, and support the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals by visiting a DQ dining room or using the convenient drive-thru. Miracle Treat Day is an annual event held by Dairy Queen to raise funds and awareness for 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. 

About Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Council
There are few brands as iconic as the DQ brand. Innovative DQ treats and eats, along with the unique DQ restaurant concepts, have positioned DQ restaurants in Texas as a leader in the quick service restaurant industry. The Texas Dairy Queen Operators' Council is a nonprofit organization made up of DQ franchisees operating in Texas. The Council develops the advertising and marketing program for DQ franchisees in Texas and controls the Texas Country Foods menu along with managing supply/distribution for the nearly 600 DQ restaurants in Texas. The DQ restaurants in Texas are franchised by American Dairy Queen Corporation and the DQ franchise system includes approximately 7,000 franchised locations in the United States, Canada, and more than 20 other countries, including the nearly 600 DQ restaurants in Texas. 

For more information about the Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Council, visit dqtexas.com or follow us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

 About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals was founded more than 40 years ago with the vision to Change Kids’ Health, Change the Future. We’ve raised over $9 billion for 170 children’s hospitals by empowering and engaging with local communities and businesses – and we’re not done yet. All donations benefit local member hospitals to fund what’s needed most, like critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during difficult hospital stays, and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services. Together, we can change kids’ health. Together, we can change the future. To learn about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and your local member children’s hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org.

Major League Cricket (MLC) will host an exciting match between the Texas Super Kings and Washington Freedom on Friday, July 19, at 7:30 pm at Grand Prairie Stadium. 

Recently, Cognizant Major League Cricket achieved List-A status, officially recognized by the ICC as a premier T20 league. This milestone cements MLC as America’s first world-class domestic cricket tournament, bringing high-caliber cricket action to the United States.

Cricket, the world’s second most-watched sport, has rapidly attracted a significant following in the United States. Fans can now secure their tickets starting at just $30 by visiting tickets.majorleaguecricket.com.

For those seeking a premium experience, Picnic, Terrace, or Field Box tickets (sections 109-116) are available. These options include all-you-can-eat food and non-alcoholic drinks, along with exclusive access to the air-conditioned Sports Bar & Grille.

This event is perfect for both lifelong cricket enthusiasts and newcomers. Families and friends are encouraged to enjoy an evening of world-class cricket action together. For those new to the sport, Cricket 101 flyers will be available to help understand the game’s rules.

Don’t miss out on this chance to witness top-tier cricket and be part of the growing cricket community in North Texas. Secure your tickets today and get ready for an unforgettable night at Grand Prairie Stadium cheering on your Texas Super Kings!