More than 500 Dallas philanthropists and their supporters came together for the 29th annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency themed "Imagine, Dream, Grow." The Dallas contingent was just a small group of the more than 28,000 people who celebrate this occasion every year at events across the country.
VIP Dallas guests — including Diana Marquis, April Box Chamberlain, Margot and Ross Perot, Nancy Ann Hunt, Ray Hunt, and Lucy and Steve Wrubel — were there to honor six recipients in a variety of categories. Each had a significant impact on the Dallas philanthropic world:
- Katherine Perot Reeves, Outstanding Philanthropist nominated by North Texas Food Bank
- Chris Kleinert, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser nominated by Methodist Health System Foundation
- Milton Key, Outstanding Fundraising Executive nominated by John Roppolo
- Children's Cancer Fund, Outstanding Foundation nominated by Children’s Medical Center Foundation
- Blue Cross Blue and Shield of Texas, Outstanding Corporation nominated by Caring for Children Foundation of Texas
But the highlight of the afternoon came when Charlsie Doan received the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award for her work with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Doan, a 13-year-old Hockaday student, was born with symbrachydactyly, a congenital hand disorder, so she is missing her right hand.
In addition to raising more than $150,000 for patient care at the hospital, she was also instrumental in getting a $500,000 donation from Crystal Charity Ball when she spoke to the committee while playing her violin, demonstrating how a custom prosthetic device allowed her to pursue her musical ambitions.
“This day serves as wonderful reminder that everyone can be a philanthropist — young to old, individuals to organizations — and that our contributions are wonderfully unique, but all extraordinary,” said National Philanthropy Day chair Christina Moore-Salinas.
The greater Dallas chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, one of the first to begin celebrating National Philanthropy Day in 1981, gather each year to recognize the great contributions of philanthropy used to enrich our world.
Ashley Harris, Nancy Ann Hunt
