Dressed to impress

Dallas partygoers at stylish Mary Kay soiree think pink to support women

What: Mary Kay Suits for Shelters “Think Pink" Launch Party

Where: Tootsies

The 411: More than 150 partygoers packed Tootsies as Mary Kay, Inc. and The Mary Kay Foundation launched the 10th annual Suits for Shelters collection. Hosts Maleiah and Ryan Rogers welcomed guests to kick off a month-long collection of new and gently used women’s professional attire for local domestic violence shelters.

Upon arrival, attendees — many dressed in their finest Mary Kay signature pink — sipped cocktails and nibbled light bites while perusing Tootsies fashions. Models wearing the latest trends in assorted hues of pink posed on pedestals throughout the store.

Also on display were five of Mary Kay Ash’s most memorable formal gowns — adorned with sequins, glitter, and lace — that she had worn at the company's annual Seminar.

Guests could purchase "mystery boxes" featuring prizes of jewelry, gift cards to local hot spots, and fashion items; as well as raffle tickets for gift baskets. The grand prize was a $100 Tootsies gift card and a $5,000 contribution in the winner’s name to the domestic violence shelter of their choice. It was won by Kris Johnson, who chose The Family Place as the recipient of the donation.

WFAA-TV’s Cynthia Izaguirre emceed a short program that underscored the Mary Kay Foundation's continued commitment to end domestic violence. Ryan Rogers shared that the foundation donates more than 97 cents from every dollar it receives to programs focused on ending domestic violence and furthering research for cancers affecting women. Izaguirre reminded guests that donations of professional clothing to local domestic violence shelters gives people the ability to interview for a job and gain financial independence by looking and feeling confident.

At the end of the evening, happy guests went home with lots of Mary Kay products and swag.

Since 2009, the Suits for Shelters program has donated more than 20,000 professional items to local domestic violence shelters. The Mary Kay Foundation, created in 1996, has awarded nearly $44 million to shelters and programs addressing domestic violence prevention and more than $26 million to cancer researchers and related causes throughout the United States.

Who: Nancy Gopez, Lynn McBee, Chris Hernandez, Micah Hernandez, Veronica Laszlo, Albert Burkhalter, Melissa Lewis, Tyler Williams, Jessica Williams, Megan Steinbach, Sara Fredericks, Grace Flanders, Caroline Landree, Carrie Lang, Jenn Hill, Nerissa von Helpenstill, Kirsten Gappelberg, Paige Flink, Melissa Hensley, Julia Simon, and Jamie Schott.

Megan Steinbach, Sara Fredericks

Photo by Tamytha Cameron Smith

Megan Steinbach, Sara Fredericks

fundraisers

Hollywood angels

Farrah Fawcett's besties raise big bucks for cancer fight in Dallas

Photo courtesy of Farrah Fawcett Foundation

Libby Hunt, Alana Stewart, Linda Gray

Fifteen years after Farrah Fawcett's death, the Hollywood legend's foundation fights on to fund cancer research and care for patients nationwide. For the third year, they brought their efforts to Dallas, to the 2024 Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta.

Held on a picture-perfect night outdoors at The Rustic on October 24, the benefit brought together a few hundred Dallas patrons and TV stars, including some of Fawcett's best friends. Co-chairs Alana Stewart (Fawcett's BFF) and Linda Gray (of Dallas) held court over the event, with help from special guest George Hamilton and actor Lawrence Zarian. Libby and David Hunt were the Dallas-based event chairs.

Hollywood stars Morgan Fairchild and Sheree Wilson also walked the red carpet; unfortunately, Fawcett's fellow Charlie's AngelJaclyn Smith and their friend Donna Mills had to cancel their appearances, it was announced from stage, due to scheduling conflicts filming the new ABC series Doctor Odyssey.

Guests were welcomed with a mariachi band and photo opps with burros; DJ 13lackbeard kept the party upbeat. They filled up on a Tex-Mex "surf and turf" buffet, and signature margaritas and ranch waters flowed all night.

The Rustic, Farrah Fawcett Foundation 2024 Tex-Mex Fiesta The event took place outdoors at The Rustic.Photo courtesy of Farrah Fawcett Foundation

About the time servers passed out mini versions of The Rustic's famous peanut butter pie and banana pudding, tributes to Fawcett began, underscoring the event's purpose.

Fawcett passed away on June 25, 2009, of anal cancer; the one-time Hollywood "It Girl" was just 62.

"Farrah fought with great strength and compassion, and she said with great sincerity, 'It has humbled me by giving me a true understanding of what millions of others face each day in their own fight against cancer,'" Stewart told the audience. "We will be victorious in that fight and we will not give up until Farrah's dream is realized. How can we lose? We've got Texas on our side, and nothing is more powerful than a Texas heart."

In a heartfelt moment, Gray - known best as tough-as-nails Sue Ellen Ewing on Dallas - said that her son had recently died of cancer. "And it just shook me to my core," she said. "This disease has got to be stopped."

Dr. Lawrence Piro, Fawcett’s former oncologist and chief medical advisor for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, drove home the importance of the evening’s fundraising efforts. Fawcett's foundation is her greatest legacy, he and her friends agreed.

Dallas philanthropists Anne and Steve Stodghill were honored with the foundation's “Angel Award” for their work with cancer-related initiatives, including Cattle Baron's Ball (which Anne chaired in 2017).

A live auction raised hundreds of thousands of dollars with unique packages including:

Lunch and cocktails with George Hamilton the following day at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek and a $5,000 Neiman Marcus shopping spree (sold for $15,000)
A five-night getaway for six to St. Barth's (three sold for $15,000 each)
A seven-night excursion to Tuscany (three sold for $13,000) each
A one-of-a-kind work of Farrah Fawcett pop art (sold for $10,000)
A meet-and-greet with rocker Rod Stewart at his show in Las Vegas (sold for $12,500)
A trip to Los Angeles for a "Hollywood Experience" including lunch with Dame Joan Collins (sold for $10,000)

The Farrah Fawcett Foundation, George Hamilton George Hamilton gets the crowd bidding on the chance to have lunch with him the following day.Photo courtesy of The Farrah Fawcett Foundation

For music fans, the highlight of the night was a rousing set by country legend Wynonna Judd. Backed by her band (including her drummer-husband Cactus Moser), she got the crowd on their feet, dancing to hits like "I Saw the Light," "She Is His Only Need," and "No One Else on Earth."

At the end of the night, each guest took home a stylish burlap party bag, courtesy of sponsor Neiman Marcus, filled with red carpet-worthy luxury skincare products.

Final receipts are still being tallied, but all proceeds will go to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and the American Cancer Society’s Dallas Cattle Baron’s Ball to fund the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Hope Lodge.

$Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta 2024, \u200bLibby Hunt, Alana Stewart, Linda Gray$

Photo courtesy of Farrah Fawcett Foundation

Libby Hunt, Alana Stewart, Linda Gray

celebrities farrah fawcett tex-mex fiesta fundraisers cattle baron's ball jerry jones galas