Nonprofit Matters: BeatLeukemia Ball

With the theme “All You Need is Love,” Fort Worth’s first BeatLeukemia Ball, featuring The Fab Four-The Ultimate Tribute to The Beatles!, is coming to town May 3 at the Fort Worth Omni Hotel. Capital Grille in downtown Fort Worth recently hosted the kick-off celebration for the event, where it was announced that Mayor Betsy Price and husband, Tom Price, will serve as the honorary chairmen and Dr. Paul and Lois Bowman will serve as event chairmen. The Fab Four tribute band has performed at the Dallas BeatLeukemia Ball for the last decade. Proceeds from the event benefit Leukemia Texas. “The funds raised from The BeatLeukemia Ball are vital in ensuring individuals in our own backyard receive necessary funds needed to support treatment,” said Mandy O’Neill, CEO for Leukemia Texas. “Leukemia Texas is unique in the fact that we are the only organization of its kind in Texas where 100 percent of our funds generated remain in Texas.” Tickets and sponsorships are available now. Underwriting begins at $3,000. Individual tickets are $300. To find out more or to register online, visit www.leukemiatexas.org or call Leukemia Texas at 214-265-7393.

CATTLE BARON HOLIDAY AT THISTLE HILL MANSION Visitors to the Thistle Hill mansion in Fort Worth will step back in time during the Cattle Baron Holiday, Dec. 12 and 19. Built in 1903-1904, Thistle Hill, with its eight fireplaces and dramatic double staircase, will be elaborately decorated for the holidays. Guided tours are $10 and will begin on the hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. At the end of each tour, visitors can pose for holiday photos against the Billiard Room’s enormous fireplace and Christmas tree. The tour will include “A Fashionable Past,” an exhibit of vintage fashion from the Thistle Hill collection, including several wedding dresses and formal gowns. The Food Park @ Thistle Hill will be open with a variety of foods, coffee and hot chocolate. Seating will be available around the grounds and in the Carriage House. Several local artisans will sell gift items in the Carriage House, in addition to merchandise from Historic Fort Worth Inc. Proceeds from the event benefit the programs of Historic Fort Worth, including Thistle Hill and the 1899 Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House. Thistle Hill is located at 1509 Pennsylvania Ave. Parking is free. For information, call 817-336-2344 or visit www.historicfortworth.org.

AN EVENING WITH THE RANGERS The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation will host An Evening with the Rangers on Dec. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Presented by Capital One Bank, the fundraiser will feature manager Ron Washington and pitcher Derek Holland. The event includes a multi-course holiday dinner and an opportunity to pose for photographs and receive an autographed baseball from Washington and Holland, as well as a Rangers Goody Bag. Tickets are $300 per couple and space is limited. Net proceeds will benefit the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation. Donations of new unwrapped toys for the Santa Cops holiday program are also welcome. For tickets and more information on An Evening with the Rangers, go to texasrangers.com/foundation or call 817-622-7883.

DANCE CHAMPS CROWNED AT MAYOR’S DINNER Eighteen celebrity couples showed off their terpsichorean talents at the 2013 Mayor’s International Dinner Nov. 21 benefiting Fort Worth Sister Cities International. This year’s Dancing with the Sister Cities Stars raised nearly $180,000 to support Sister Cities’ efforts to provide educational, cultural and economic opportunities for all Fort Worth residents. Dan and Sharon Millians were awarded the mirrored ball trophy as the 2013 Dance Champions; second place winners were Frank Shiels and Connie Blake; Gordon Rhodes and wife Julie Rhodes’ understudy, Abi Abel, were third. Rhodes and Abel won best costume, and Gustavo Pena and Anne Cox were awarded the Most Likely to Go to Broadway trophy. A performance by Andy Taft, Gary Cumbie, Michael Bennett, Owen Daniel, David Parker, Commissioner Roy Brooks and Alison Edwards had the audience on its feet singing along. Another crowd pleaser was the African Hip Hopsters, who danced to live African drum music performed by the Mondo Drummers and led by Eddie Dunlap. They included Councilwoman Kelly Allen Gray, Andrea Ballard, Dr. Jennifer G. Brooks, Kelly Campbell, Jason Lamers, Clint Riley, Renee Snoke, Robert Sturns and Alan Young with a surprise ending including Mayor Betsy Price. This year’s dancing couples included: Jim and Gloria Austin; Jerod Butler and Renee Glass; Bill and Julie Fairley; Tre Garrett and Renita Smith; Randle and Teresa Harwood; Courtland Kilpatrick and Morgan Albert; Brandon and Carley Moore; Frank and Martha Newman; Todd and Sandy Olsen; Joe Rians and Christen Glennon; Ramon Romero and Anette Soto; Dennis O’Neill and Stacy Robinson; Jeff and Shelly Whitfield; and Joshua Willis and Tracy Williams.

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