Rebecca Gregory and Nancy Monning
As the sun was slowly switching place with a perfect full moon on Thursday, September 7, the North Texas Food Bank’s Harvest underwriters were gathering at Mud Hen to celebrate the upcoming Friday, September 15 fundraiser. Across town in Highland Park Village’s Mockingbird Room, there were more happy faces. The occasion was the check distribution of 2017 La Fiesta Des Las Seis Banderas checks. Needless to say, when it comes to doling out the dough, the crowd is polished shoulder to shoulder.
Euan Blackman and Anne Besser
The biggest smiles were on the faces of La Fiesta Co-Chairs Rebecca Gregory and Nancy Monning along with Gala Co-Chairs Anne Besser and Michelle Johnson and Las Fiesta Board President Mary Hubbard. There was good reason. The take for the Saturday, June 10 black-tie fundraiser was $462,750. Just who says fundraising dries up in the summer?
On hand to accept checks and provide big old smiles were HPISD Superintendent Tom Trigg and wife Julie Trigg, The Family Place’s Paige Flink and Habitat for Humanity’s Euan Blackman.
Mary Hubbard, Michelle Johnson, Amy Hughes and Paige Flink
Tom Trigg, Kelly Walker and Jim Hitzelberger
The check presentation included:
- Dallas Heritage Village — $5,000
- Moody Family YMCA — $3,500
- CARE (Chemical Awareness Resources and Education) — $12,640
- Connecting Point of Park Cities — $19,500
- The Elisa Project — $18,500
- The Family Place — $10,000
- Friends of the University Park Public Library — $30,500
- HP Arts — $60,000
- HPHS Community Service Council — $8,000
- HPHS Habitat for Humanity Campus Center — $10,000
- HPHS Science Festival — $1,600
- HPHS Counseling Department and Student Council — $3,000
- Highland Park Literary Festival — $26,000
- HPHS Student Emergency Fund — $4,000
- Highland Park Education Foundation — $250,510
More good news included the fact that Anne will cho-chair 2018 La Fiesta with her buddy Elizabeth Gambrell for the fundraiser that return to the Hilton Anatole for a summer sojourn.