A big Dallas fundraiser has landed the greatest gymnast of all time. Another big Dallas fundraiser has landed the greatest gymnast of all time.
Whether you're a Gen X-er or millennial will determine which event has, in fact, landed the greatest gymnast of all time.
The 4word 2021 Virtual Gala will be "An Evening with Mary Lou Retton," presented on Saturday, February 27.
The Junior League of Dallas will welcome Simone Biles as the featured speaker for its 10th annual Milestones Luncheon, taking place virtually on Friday, March 26.
So whether you once donned Mary Lou's iconic American flag leotard to give a book report on her biography in 4th grade (hello, here, hand raised!) or you can't wait for Simone to perform more death-defying flips in a floor routine at the next Olympics (hand raised here, too!), you've got two win-win events. Both happen to be Olympic champions, iconic American athletes, Dancing with the Stars alumni, Wheaties Box alumni, and oh yes, Texans, too.
The 4word 2021 Virtual Gala champions the nonprofit’s 10 years of empowering and inspiring women in the workplace through personal connection and mentorship. It will feature a conversation with Retton, moderated by trailblazer Molly Fletcher.
For those who weren't born yet, Retton became one of America’s best-known Olympians by winning the All-Around Gold Medal in women’s gymnastics in 1984, the first American woman to ever do so. She won five medals total, the most won by any athlete at the 1984 Olympics.
Today, the Houston native works as a motivational speaker, gymnastics media expert and commentator, budding actress, author, and global “Fitness Ambassador,” promoting the benefits of proper nutrition and regular exercise.
The gala will be held virtually from 7-8 pm February 27; tickets start at $500 and can be purchased online at www.4wordwomen.org/gala.
The Milestones Luncheon is an annual fundraiser benefiting the Junior League of Dallas Community Service Fund. The 10th edition, held virtually on March 26, will feature a keynote address by Biles.
Regarded as a “champion of firsts,” JLD says, Biles is the first woman to win five World All-Around titles and three consecutively, the first gymnast to capture five gold medals at a single World Championship (2019) since 1958, the first American to medal in every event at Worlds and the first female to do so in 31 years (2018), the first female African-American All-Around World Champion, and the first American female gymnast chosen by Team USA to be the flag bearer for the Olympic closing ceremonies.
Off the mat, the Houston resident has advocated for children and young adults involved with the foster care system and adoption and is a role model to many by sharing her own experiences in foster care as a child.
Luncheon tickets are $200. For more information, visit www.jld.net/milestones-luncheon.
Simone Biles is the greatest.
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