Highland Park Independent School District (HPISD) is partnering with the North Texas Food Bank and the Park Cities Rotary Club to hold a turkey drive from 6-9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. Students and parents may bring frozen turkeys to any HPISD campus. The turkeys will be collected by the North Texas Food Bank, which will distribute them to families in need at Thanksgiving. The Highland Park High School Community Service Council will be selling “Scots 4 Turkeys” logo T-shirts in the cafeteria at the time of the drive. Students who buy a T-shirt will receive one service hour, and proceeds from the sale will benefit the North Texas Food Bank.
A $10 donation to the NTFB may also be made by texting FEED to 80888. The charge will be added to your mobile phone bill. For more information, contact Director of Communications Helen Williams at williah@hpisd.org or CSC Sponsor Dr. Scott McClanahan at mcclann@hpisd.org.
The Highland Park Young Men’s Service League (YMSL) supported the Heart House by hosting a Fall Carnival this past Saturday. The Carnival included a variety of games and crafts that local residents were able to enjoy. In addition to the Carnival, YMSL donated art supplies for the Heart House program. YMSL is a mother-son community service organization for mothers with sons in 9th - 12th grades. The group’s focus is on engaging young men in volunteer service and preparing them for a life long commitment to service and leadership in the community. Sherry Rooker, YMSL Ultimate Gift Chair said, “We felt that a Carnival would be a fun way for our boys to interact with the children in the Heart House programs and the Wildflower apartment community. Our boys were able to bring a tradition of a Carnival from their elementary school experience, to the children of the Wildflower Apartments." The Heart House offers a free afterschool program dedicated to providing a safe haven and academic support to low-income children.
Dallas Women’s Foundation presented Park Cities resident Joy S. Mankoff with the Power of The Purse Philanthropist Award during their luncheon last week at the Hilton Anatole. The Philanthropist Award is bestowed annually to a woman who has made a significant difference in women’s lives through charitable contributions, leadership and support of women’s issues. “Joy Mankoff is an extraordinary champion of women’s issues and an architect of the vision for women’s philanthropy and social change,” said Roslyn Dawson Thompson, president & CEO of Dallas Women’s Foundation. “We are honored to recognize Joy for changing women’s lives through her generosity and leadership here in our community and across the nation.”
Armstrong Elementary had a fun and successful fundraising auction last week at the newly reopened Dallas Country Club. The Grammy themed auction was sold out, and participants had fun bidding on their children’s class creations, gift baskets, as well as silent and live auction items. The Auction was co-chaired by Valerie Iste, Minna Taylor and Wanda Means, and the Live Auction Chair was Mario Santander. Armstrong President Amy Bales said, “This was a remarkable team of parents who worked so hard to not only host a fun event, but a very financially successful one for our school. We are so excited about how the whole evening turned out.” The proceeds from the Auction will help “Rock the Budget”, and pay for everything from classroom necessities to technology.