Smith, who has volunteered since 2016, was the guest of honor at the Storehouse’s 2025 volunteer appreciation event at Riders Field, where she threw out the first pitch before a Frisco RoughRiders game 

The Storehouse Community Center has named longtime volunteer Joan Smith as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year. Since 2016, Smith has volunteered 1,613.75 hours across multiple Storehouse programs. On May 4, she was the guest of honor at The Storehouse’s 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at Riders Field, where she was invited to throw out the first pitch at the Frisco RoughRiders game.

“I am so honored to be named The Storehouse Volunteer of the Year,” stated Joan Smith. “When you volunteer for something that you are already getting so much from, it feels strange to get an award for it! I love working with an organization that exactly aligns with the way I believe and how I want to help people when I volunteer.”

Smith first began volunteering with The Storehouse in the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, where she met one-on-one with neighbors arriving for food. She has also served in Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, and today she not only volunteers in food distribution but also serves as the dean of registration for The Storehouse’s Academy Education Program.

“As dean of registration for The Academy, I volunteer an average of 10 hours a week inputting information into a software program about the various classes and students in The Academy,” said Joan Smith. “I also volunteer about four to five hours most weeks in Seven Loaves, where I enjoy working alongside other volunteers, greeting neighbors, and taking food carts to their vehicles.”

The Storehouse’s four integrated programs – the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, Project Hope Neighbor Care, and The Academy Education Program – work hand in hand to provide pathways toward transformation for the neighbors. As neighbors’ needs are identified in various programs, team members provide additional direction and assistance to help serve them holistically.

“While we provide food and clothing, we also provide vital resources through Project Hope, and through The Academy, we help our neighbors move past those immediate needs into employment and self-sufficiency. That is the vision of The Storehouse, and it is very rewarding to be a part of it and watch it become a reality.”

Throughout her years volunteering, Smith shared how impressed she has been with the team’s continued streamlining of all processes, helping The Storehouse to not only better serve neighbors but to also serve more neighbors. She reflected on how the team has also figured out multiple touchpoints to engage with each neighbor, such as through greeters in the food line or with volunteers running the food carts and assisting neighbors in Joseph’s Coat.

“We are all working together to get to know our neighbors, find out their needs, and direct them to all of the ways we can help them,” continued Smith. “And with The Academy that relationship grows even deeper as they come to classes regularly and have that one-one-one time with the staff and volunteers.”

“One memory that has stayed with me from the beginning is from my early years volunteering at Seven Loaves and meeting with neighbors to gather their information,” said Smith. “A well-spoken, well-dressed young woman came in for food assistance. I asked for her ID, made a copy, and returned it to her. Suddenly, she couldn’t find it. I retraced my steps but didn’t find it either. When I returned, she had found it and mentioned that moments like these are common for her as she continues her journey of recovery from substance use. That moment reminded me that every neighbor has a story—one that brings depth and humanity to their visit to The Storehouse. Nobody wants to have to come get clothing or food, but when it happens, I’m grateful this community is here to offer care and dignity.”

Smith expressed many things she enjoys about volunteering at The Storehouse. She has made wonderful friends who enjoy doing things together socially outside of volunteering together.

“When you work with others who also believe in what you are doing, you build a great relationship and want to spend more time together,” added Smith. “I have made some very close friends. We share text strands, and we pray for one another in times of need. This is an added bonus of doing something we love together.”

“Volunteering has also made me much more aware of what others are experiencing in our community,” continued Smith. “It’s easy for us to think that people in a food line aren’t working or don’t want to be contributing members of society. Because of my work completing data entry for The Storehouse, I happen to know that most neighbors in The Academy program are college educated and above. When we first meet our neighbors, we do not know all they have accomplished or what led them to that food line. This has been a true lightbulb moment for me.”

Joan Smith is no stranger to volunteering in her community. She has been a loyal volunteer with the Women’s Auxiliary of Children’s Medical Center Plano for more than a decade. She served as its president during the pandemic, and this past year she led a five-year strategic plan detailing how the auxiliary can best support the new tower in Plano, which tripled the size of the hospital. Since 2011 she has volunteered for the Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, which provides Plano ISD graduates who have overcome adversity with scholarships for higher education. She enjoys mentoring students in this program and is currently mentoring the daughter of one of The Storehouse’s neighbors, who is in her sophomore year and studying to become a nurse. Smith is the one who connected this family with this foundation.

Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Joan and her husband Berk, live in The Colony. The couple first met as science partners in eighth grade but did not date until their sophomore year of high school. After attending separate colleges, the couple married, moved to California, and then relocated to Plano, where they resided for 30 years and raised their family. Their daughter, Kayla, who lives in Frisco, and son, Nick, who lives in Richardson, are both married and are expecting babies a couple of weeks apart. Kayla already has a son.

“The Volunteer of the Year is our highest honor, awarded to one individual whose dedication, consistency, and impact exemplify the spirit of service in our community,” said Candace Winslow, CEO, The Storehouse Community Center. “Joan Smith has been a beloved volunteer across multiple areas of our mission at The Storehouse for many years and is so deserving of this honor. We cannot begin to thank her enough for her extraordinary service and dedication, helping so many of our neighbors on their pathways to self-sufficiency.”

To volunteer at The Storehouse, visit www.thestorehousecc.org/volunteer-sign-up. 

# # #

The Storehouse Community Center (formerly The Storehouse of Collin County) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the community through food, clothing, resources, education, and employment support. By creating strong partnerships and offering transformational programs, TSCC works to address the root causes of food insecurity and empower neighbors to achieve self-sufficiency. During its previous fiscal year, The Storehouse served 182,024 unduplicated neighbors with the support of more than 2,000 volunteers. Visit www.thestorehousecc.org. The Storehouse EIN: 27-1883333

Smith, who has volunteered since 2016, was the guest of honor at the Storehouse’s 2025 volunteer appreciation event at Riders Field, where she threw out the first pitch before a Frisco RoughRiders game 

The Storehouse Community Center has named longtime volunteer Joan Smith as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year. Since 2016, Smith has volunteered 1,613.75 hours across multiple Storehouse programs. On May 4, she was the guest of honor at The Storehouse’s 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at Riders Field, where she was invited to throw out the first pitch at the Frisco RoughRiders game.

“I am so honored to be named The Storehouse Volunteer of the Year,” stated Joan Smith. “When you volunteer for something that you are already getting so much from, it feels strange to get an award for it! I love working with an organization that exactly aligns with the way I believe and how I want to help people when I volunteer.”

Smith first began volunteering with The Storehouse in the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, where she met one-on-one with neighbors arriving for food. She has also served in Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, and today she not only volunteers in food distribution but also serves as the dean of registration for The Storehouse’s Academy Education Program.

“As dean of registration for The Academy, I volunteer an average of 10 hours a week inputting information into a software program about the various classes and students in The Academy,” said Joan Smith. “I also volunteer about four to five hours most weeks in Seven Loaves, where I enjoy working alongside other volunteers, greeting neighbors, and taking food carts to their vehicles.”

The Storehouse’s four integrated programs – the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, Project Hope Neighbor Care, and The Academy Education Program – work hand in hand to provide pathways toward transformation for the neighbors. As neighbors’ needs are identified in various programs, team members provide additional direction and assistance to help serve them holistically.

“While we provide food and clothing, we also provide vital resources through Project Hope, and through The Academy, we help our neighbors move past those immediate needs into employment and self-sufficiency. That is the vision of The Storehouse, and it is very rewarding to be a part of it and watch it become a reality.”

Throughout her years volunteering, Smith shared how impressed she has been with the team’s continued streamlining of all processes, helping The Storehouse to not only better serve neighbors but to also serve more neighbors. She reflected on how the team has also figured out multiple touchpoints to engage with each neighbor, such as through greeters in the food line or with volunteers running the food carts and assisting neighbors in Joseph’s Coat.

“We are all working together to get to know our neighbors, find out their needs, and direct them to all of the ways we can help them,” continued Smith. “And with The Academy that relationship grows even deeper as they come to classes regularly and have that one-one-one time with the staff and volunteers.”

“One memory that has stayed with me from the beginning is from my early years volunteering at Seven Loaves and meeting with neighbors to gather their information,” said Smith. “A well-spoken, well-dressed young woman came in for food assistance. I asked for her ID, made a copy, and returned it to her. Suddenly, she couldn’t find it. I retraced my steps but didn’t find it either. When I returned, she had found it and mentioned that moments like these are common for her as she continues her journey of recovery from substance use. That moment reminded me that every neighbor has a story—one that brings depth and humanity to their visit to The Storehouse. Nobody wants to have to come get clothing or food, but when it happens, I’m grateful this community is here to offer care and dignity.”

Smith expressed many things she enjoys about volunteering at The Storehouse. She has made wonderful friends who enjoy doing things together socially outside of volunteering together.

“When you work with others who also believe in what you are doing, you build a great relationship and want to spend more time together,” added Smith. “I have made some very close friends. We share text strands, and we pray for one another in times of need. This is an added bonus of doing something we love together.”

“Volunteering has also made me much more aware of what others are experiencing in our community,” continued Smith. “It’s easy for us to think that people in a food line aren’t working or don’t want to be contributing members of society. Because of my work completing data entry for The Storehouse, I happen to know that most neighbors in The Academy program are college educated and above. When we first meet our neighbors, we do not know all they have accomplished or what led them to that food line. This has been a true lightbulb moment for me.”

Joan Smith is no stranger to volunteering in her community. She has been a loyal volunteer with the Women’s Auxiliary of Children’s Medical Center Plano for more than a decade. She served as its president during the pandemic, and this past year she led a five-year strategic plan detailing how the auxiliary can best support the new tower in Plano, which tripled the size of the hospital. Since 2011 she has volunteered for the Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, which provides Plano ISD graduates who have overcome adversity with scholarships for higher education. She enjoys mentoring students in this program and is currently mentoring the daughter of one of The Storehouse’s neighbors, who is in her sophomore year and studying to become a nurse. Smith is the one who connected this family with this foundation.

Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Joan and her husband Berk, live in The Colony. The couple first met as science partners in eighth grade but did not date until their sophomore year of high school. After attending separate colleges, the couple married, moved to California, and then relocated to Plano, where they resided for 30 years and raised their family. Their daughter, Kayla, who lives in Frisco, and son, Nick, who lives in Richardson, are both married and are expecting babies a couple of weeks apart. Kayla already has a son.

“The Volunteer of the Year is our highest honor, awarded to one individual whose dedication, consistency, and impact exemplify the spirit of service in our community,” said Candace Winslow, CEO, The Storehouse Community Center. “Joan Smith has been a beloved volunteer across multiple areas of our mission at The Storehouse for many years and is so deserving of this honor. We cannot begin to thank her enough for her extraordinary service and dedication, helping so many of our neighbors on their pathways to self-sufficiency.”

To volunteer at The Storehouse, visit www.thestorehousecc.org/volunteer-sign-up. 

# # #

The Storehouse Community Center (formerly The Storehouse of Collin County) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the community through food, clothing, resources, education, and employment support. By creating strong partnerships and offering transformational programs, TSCC works to address the root causes of food insecurity and empower neighbors to achieve self-sufficiency. During its previous fiscal year, The Storehouse served 182,024 unduplicated neighbors with the support of more than 2,000 volunteers. Visit www.thestorehousecc.org. The Storehouse EIN: 27-1883333

Smith, who has volunteered since 2016, was the guest of honor at the Storehouse’s 2025 volunteer appreciation event at Riders Field, where she threw out the first pitch before a Frisco RoughRiders game 

The Storehouse Community Center has named longtime volunteer Joan Smith as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year. Since 2016, Smith has volunteered 1,613.75 hours across multiple Storehouse programs. On May 4, she was the guest of honor at The Storehouse’s 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at Riders Field, where she was invited to throw out the first pitch at the Frisco RoughRiders game.

“I am so honored to be named The Storehouse Volunteer of the Year,” stated Joan Smith. “When you volunteer for something that you are already getting so much from, it feels strange to get an award for it! I love working with an organization that exactly aligns with the way I believe and how I want to help people when I volunteer.”

Smith first began volunteering with The Storehouse in the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, where she met one-on-one with neighbors arriving for food. She has also served in Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, and today she not only volunteers in food distribution but also serves as the dean of registration for The Storehouse’s Academy Education Program.

“As dean of registration for The Academy, I volunteer an average of 10 hours a week inputting information into a software program about the various classes and students in The Academy,” said Joan Smith. “I also volunteer about four to five hours most weeks in Seven Loaves, where I enjoy working alongside other volunteers, greeting neighbors, and taking food carts to their vehicles.”

The Storehouse’s four integrated programs – the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, Project Hope Neighbor Care, and The Academy Education Program – work hand in hand to provide pathways toward transformation for the neighbors. As neighbors’ needs are identified in various programs, team members provide additional direction and assistance to help serve them holistically.

“While we provide food and clothing, we also provide vital resources through Project Hope, and through The Academy, we help our neighbors move past those immediate needs into employment and self-sufficiency. That is the vision of The Storehouse, and it is very rewarding to be a part of it and watch it become a reality.”

Throughout her years volunteering, Smith shared how impressed she has been with the team’s continued streamlining of all processes, helping The Storehouse to not only better serve neighbors but to also serve more neighbors. She reflected on how the team has also figured out multiple touchpoints to engage with each neighbor, such as through greeters in the food line or with volunteers running the food carts and assisting neighbors in Joseph’s Coat.

“We are all working together to get to know our neighbors, find out their needs, and direct them to all of the ways we can help them,” continued Smith. “And with The Academy that relationship grows even deeper as they come to classes regularly and have that one-one-one time with the staff and volunteers.”

“One memory that has stayed with me from the beginning is from my early years volunteering at Seven Loaves and meeting with neighbors to gather their information,” said Smith. “A well-spoken, well-dressed young woman came in for food assistance. I asked for her ID, made a copy, and returned it to her. Suddenly, she couldn’t find it. I retraced my steps but didn’t find it either. When I returned, she had found it and mentioned that moments like these are common for her as she continues her journey of recovery from substance use. That moment reminded me that every neighbor has a story—one that brings depth and humanity to their visit to The Storehouse. Nobody wants to have to come get clothing or food, but when it happens, I’m grateful this community is here to offer care and dignity.”

Smith expressed many things she enjoys about volunteering at The Storehouse. She has made wonderful friends who enjoy doing things together socially outside of volunteering together.

“When you work with others who also believe in what you are doing, you build a great relationship and want to spend more time together,” added Smith. “I have made some very close friends. We share text strands, and we pray for one another in times of need. This is an added bonus of doing something we love together.”

“Volunteering has also made me much more aware of what others are experiencing in our community,” continued Smith. “It’s easy for us to think that people in a food line aren’t working or don’t want to be contributing members of society. Because of my work completing data entry for The Storehouse, I happen to know that most neighbors in The Academy program are college educated and above. When we first meet our neighbors, we do not know all they have accomplished or what led them to that food line. This has been a true lightbulb moment for me.”

Joan Smith is no stranger to volunteering in her community. She has been a loyal volunteer with the Women’s Auxiliary of Children’s Medical Center Plano for more than a decade. She served as its president during the pandemic, and this past year she led a five-year strategic plan detailing how the auxiliary can best support the new tower in Plano, which tripled the size of the hospital. Since 2011 she has volunteered for the Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, which provides Plano ISD graduates who have overcome adversity with scholarships for higher education. She enjoys mentoring students in this program and is currently mentoring the daughter of one of The Storehouse’s neighbors, who is in her sophomore year and studying to become a nurse. Smith is the one who connected this family with this foundation.

Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Joan and her husband Berk, live in The Colony. The couple first met as science partners in eighth grade but did not date until their sophomore year of high school. After attending separate colleges, the couple married, moved to California, and then relocated to Plano, where they resided for 30 years and raised their family. Their daughter, Kayla, who lives in Frisco, and son, Nick, who lives in Richardson, are both married and are expecting babies a couple of weeks apart. Kayla already has a son.

“The Volunteer of the Year is our highest honor, awarded to one individual whose dedication, consistency, and impact exemplify the spirit of service in our community,” said Candace Winslow, CEO, The Storehouse Community Center. “Joan Smith has been a beloved volunteer across multiple areas of our mission at The Storehouse for many years and is so deserving of this honor. We cannot begin to thank her enough for her extraordinary service and dedication, helping so many of our neighbors on their pathways to self-sufficiency.”

To volunteer at The Storehouse, visit www.thestorehousecc.org/volunteer-sign-up. 

# # #

The Storehouse Community Center (formerly The Storehouse of Collin County) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the community through food, clothing, resources, education, and employment support. By creating strong partnerships and offering transformational programs, TSCC works to address the root causes of food insecurity and empower neighbors to achieve self-sufficiency. During its previous fiscal year, The Storehouse served 182,024 unduplicated neighbors with the support of more than 2,000 volunteers. Visit www.thestorehousecc.org. The Storehouse EIN: 27-1883333

DALLAS - Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service opened to students May 1 this year. Here is Texas A&M University College of Dentistry’s information and advice to predental students hoping to enter the Class of 2030.

“Get a good science foundation,” said Dr. Alicia Spence, the dental college’s director of recruitment and admissions. “That first year of dental school is tough.” 

She recommended 30-40 hours of science before entering dental school.

Texas A&M’s enrollment is capped at 106 dental students for each entering class. With 10 dental specialties offered and serving as the largest oral health provider in North Texas, the dental college’s four-year program for dentists is competitive; a 3.6 grade-point average overall is typical, and volunteer hours, leadership activities and shadowing and internships are considered.

The dental college is on Gaston Avenue in Dallas. It opened 120 years ago.

The UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso School of Dentistry Woody L. Hunt School of Dentistry, the three other state-supported dental schools, have similar caps. Applicants can apply for any or all Texas dental schools in one application.

The application fee is $230, and it is the same whether a student applies for one or four schools. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1.

Texas A&M also requires a secondary application available for electronic submission on the Texas A&M Health Science Center Application. After the TMDSAS application is received, each applicant will receive an emailed invitation to complete the secondary application.

“Students should apply as early as possible,” Spence said.

Ninety percent of the students accepted must come from Texas, Spence said. There are several ways to qualify as a Texas resident, and TMDSAS has detailed information on its website. Texas A&M also reserves a few spots each year for Arkansas and New Mexico residents because those states don’t have state-supported dental schools; private dental schools open soon in both states.

Spence said she’s recruiting from all the major Texas universities this year. She also plans to recruit at Texas Tech University for the first time, schools in the Rio Grande Valley and smaller colleges and universities.

Spence met with more than 500 local students last month during a busy recruitment push that included college visits and in-person and one-hour video conferences with small groups. Current students participated in the meetings at local universities and the dental college.

“I think predental students like to hear from our students,” she said. “Sometimes they’re more willing to ask them questions than to me, and that’s fine. If they feel more comfortable asking a peer, I think that’s helpful.” 

More information about Texas A&M’s dental college admissions process is available here.

Celebrate by supporting Preservation Park Cities with Shopping, Participate in the Historic Home Tour, Visiting Iconic Historic Plaques, Read About the Top 100 Homes of the Park Cities and More!

May is National Preservation Month!  Celebrate by supporting Preservation Park Cities (PPC) and learn more about these dynamic neighborhoods, Highland Park and University Park, that make up this unique community.
        

Here are some ways to join in the celebration:

May 1: Shopping at Veronica Beard in Highland Park Village:  The celebrations kicked off with Shopping, Sips and Support Preservation Park Cities! Veronica Beard in Highland Park Village hosted a fabulous evening with a give-back on purchases to help celebrate our mission of preserving local history and architecture. 15% of purchases are donated back to PPC.

        
May 9: Historic Home Tour:  Be sure to kick off Mother’s Day with the Historic Home Tour on Friday, May 9^th from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm. Presented by Benchmark Bank and Trust, this annual Historic Home Tour offers an exquisite look into some of the most beautiful residential architecture, interior design and landscapes in the Park Cities.
        
Happening in person, these homes showcase different architectural styles with rich history and wonderful examples of how architecturally significant homes can be renovated to fit the needs of today. 2025 Home Tour co-chairs are Cory Bowen and Krista Porteous. Preservation Park Cities 2024-2025 president is Alisa Sell. 
        
The homes on tour are 4036 McFarlin Boulevard. Sponsored by Bean Co. Homes.

4301 Windsor Parkway. Sponsored by Meredith Ferrell Group.

4302 Overhill Drive. Sponsored by Evan Beale MD.       

Tickets are sold online only. No tickets sold at the door. $35.00 per person in advance and $45 day-of tour, if there are any left. Limited number available online only: https://preservationparkcities.org/hometour 

        
For more information contact hometour@preservationparkcities.org

        
Proceeds from the Historic Home Tour benefit Preservation Park Cities whose mission is to preserve and promote the history, architecture, aesthetics and cultural traditions of the Park Cities.
        
We invite you to join us to celebrate these homes and homeowners in the name of historic preservation as we 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.

Iconic Historical Plaques:

         Preservation Park Cities is placing large permanent plaques celebrating the history and significance of certain locations in several different areas around the Park Cities.  As of today, five of the plaques are placed. The remaining three plaques (Snider Plaza, SMU and HPHS) will be placed later this year. 
         The plaques are located at:

• City Hall – 3800 University Blvd.
• Churches at Pardoe Park – 3821 University Blvd.
• Volk Estates at Byrd Park – 6700 Turtle Creek Blvd.
• Caruth Park – 7801 Hillcrest Avenue
• Moody Family YMCA -6000 Preston Road
• Snider Plaza – to be installed in Fall 2025 – 6601 Snider Plaza
• SMU Dallas Hall – to be installed later 2025 - 3225 University Blvd
• Highland Park High School –to be installed later 2025 - 4220 Emerson Avenue

        
There is a ninth plaque located at Centennial Park (formerly Goar Park) at Vassar and Turtle Creek Blvd. (3806 University Boulevard) which was presented to the City of University Park by Preservation Park Cities as part of the City of University Park’s 100^th Anniversary Centennial Celebrations Closing Ceremony in December 2024.

 Celebrate Homes of the Park Cities 100 Years Old!

 As everyone drives around the Park Cities, they will soon notice commemorative signs placed in the yards of some homes that are 100 years old or more. This effort headed by Joan Clark and Kathy Myers, Preservation Park Cities board members, is all about recognizing historic homes listed in PPC’s The Houses of the Park Cities: An Architectural Guide to the Historic Houses of Highland Park and University Park Texas by R. Lawrence “Larry” Good.
        
About the book: The quality of the residential architecture from the first three-fourths of the twentieth century that is found in the Park Cities has few peers across the entire United States.
        
The period of Highland Park’s development, as well as the early years of University Park, coincided with the peak of the Garden Suburb movement in the US. Contemporary planned communities such as Beverly Hills, River Oaks (Houston), Lake Forest (Chicago), Roland Park (Baltimore) and Shaker Heights (Cleveland) boast many examples of fine residential architecture, but none surpassing, on the whole, that of the Park Cities.
        
And the work of the Park Cities’ leading architects, (Hal Thomson, Anton Korn, Fooshee & Cheek, and Charles Dilbeck) might be considered equal to that of the most revered country house architects practicing nationally at that time (Harrie T. Lindeberg, Bertram Goodhue, Charles Platt and Carrere & Hastings).
        
Following an introductory essay, the Guide divides the Park Cities into four geographic areas which serve as chapters of the book. There are three chapters covering the Town of Highland Park, while the City of University Park has a chapter to itself.
        
Each of these sections has a brief history of the physical planning and development of the Town and the City, followed by coverage of a similar number of houses, (170 in all), which are located on maps to facilitate easy touring. There are color photographs and a capsule description of each of the featured properties.  The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com and at Interabang Books in Dallas.

Oral Histories and Videos:
        
Visit the website at www.preservationparkcities.org to discover even more about what the Park Cities is all about.
        
Here are two highlights:
        
University Park Centennial: This video series celebrates the 100th anniversary of University Park, a city known for its exceptional services, strong sense of community, and beautiful surroundings. Featuring Roy Coffee, former UP Mayor, Liz Farley, UP Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem, and Muriel McCarthy, on UP Historic Home Architects.
        

Oral Histories of the Park Cities:

        
This video project interviews long-standing and influential members of the community highlighting how the history, architecture, people have shaped this unique place we call home.

Overview:

•  The purpose of the annual Historic Home Tour is to showcase architecturally and historically significant homes of the Park Cities and illustrate how these homes have been restored or remodeled to serve the lifestyle needs of families today.

•  The Historic Home Tour, Distinguished Speaker Luncheon and the Park Cities Car Show are the organization’s only fundraisers each year. The proceeds are allocated to help further our mission to celebrate and promote the preservation of Park Cities architecture, history, aesthetics, and cultural traditions.

•  The organization landmarks architecturally and historically significant homes in the Park Cities, some of which are on the Historic Home Tour.

•  Members of the organization enjoy historic and preservation oriented educational programs.

Preservation Park Cities Mission:
PPC mission is to preserve and promote the history, architecture, aesthetics, and cultural traditions of the Park Cities. Proceeds of the Distinguished Speaker Luncheon, Historic Home Tour and the Classic and Antique Car Show will be used to preserve and maintain the Park Cities House at Dallas Heritage Village, support the new PPC archives at the University Park Library, fund landmarking initiatives, award scholarships to Highland Park High School graduating seniors planning to study architecture or history and fund the Distinguished Chair for History at Highland Park High School. Membership in PPC is open to the community. For more information visit www.preservationparkcities.org