Charity Profile

Carry The Load honors those who serve our country and community

When Ret. Capt. Sam Brown was struck by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2008, he was burned over 30 percent of his body, mostly his hands and face. Thanks to the help of groups like the nonprofit Sons of the Flag, Brown finds support from those who have suffered similar injuries and hope that its commitment to research will improve the fate of others with burns.

Dallas-based Carry The Load — whose co-founders, Clint Bruce and Stephen Holley, recently received the Good Works Under 40 Award — funds programs like Sons of the Flag, Snowball Express, Tip of the Spear and others. This year, the second annual Carry The Load march took place at Reverchon Park over Memorial Day weekend and included more than 7,000 walkers.

Many carried a brick or stone for every comrade lost, marching 20 hours and 13 minutes to honor the sacrifices of the fallen. Similar marches were carried out across the country, including a national relay covering 2,000 miles to raise awareness and funds for fallen heroes and their families.

In just two years, the nonprofit has raised more than $2 million to support active duty military, rescue, fire and law enforcement. Vote now for Carry The Load — or any of the other worthy nonprofits — in the CultureMap Charity Challenge.

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At the Memorial Day march at Reverchon Park, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty installed more than 6,000 flags in memory of military and service people killed or injured.

Carry The Load raises money for groups that aid veterans, active duty military personnel, first responders and the families of all those groups.

Photo courtesy of Carry the Load

Carry The Load raises money for groups that aid veterans, active duty military personnel, first responders and the families of all those groups.

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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