It's a Jungle Out There

Savvy Survivor star secures reality TV pals for new Dallas fundraiser

A Dallas reality TV star has enlisted her Survivor pals to help with a new fundraiser. Missy Payne, star of Survivor San Juan del Sur (season 29), will host the inaugural “It’s a Jungle Out There” on August 29 at Lofty Spaces, to benefit the nonprofit Cheer 4 Life.

For the $150 price of admission, attendees can rub elbows with the following former Survivor contestants:

Natalie Anderson (Survivor San Juan del Sur, season 29 winner)
Nadiya Anderson (Survivor San Juan del Sur, season 29)
Max Dawson (Survivor Worlds Apart, season 30)
Tyler Fredrickson (Survivor Worlds Apart, season 30)
Mike Holloway (Survivor Worlds Apart, season 30 winner)
April Lewis (Big Brother, season 6)
Julie McGee (Survivor San Juan del Sur, season 29)
Keith Nale (Survivor San Juan del Sur, season 29)
Shirin Oskool (Survivor Worlds Apart, season 30)
Kelly Reminton (Survivor Worlds Apart, season 30)
Carolyn “Mama C” Rivera (Survivor Worlds Apart, season 30)
Renae Virata (Ready For Love, season 7)

During the event, the above Survivor celebs compete in challenges similar to those seen on the show. Spectators can place bets or buy a chance to compete alongside them.

In addition to dinner and Survivor-like antics, guests can expect live entertainment from Baylor Wilson, a rising Nashville star (and Payne’s daughter and fellow Survivor season 29 contestant), as well as performances by teens from area performing arts high schools, competitive club cheerleading and dance programs, and acrobatic troupes. From that you may have gleaned that this is a family-friendly event, although attendees must be at least 14.

No fundraiser is complete without a live auction, and among the items up for grabs that evening are tickets to attend the season 31 live finale, where the Survivor winner will be named.

Because it’s August in Texas, and some of this takes place outdoors, attire is “jungle chic,” which does not mean leopard-print stilettos, ladies. Organizers recommend dressy shorts, fancy camo tops, and sandals or sneakers. “Anything that screams ‘jungle’ will help you to look the part,” reads a release.

Beneficiary Cheer 4 Your Life provides opportunities for youth to participate in a variety of athletic, performance and service-based programs by offering financial assistance to those in need. The nonprofit believes that being a part of programs of this nature are hugely rewarding and will empower, inspire and motivate youth by giving them a chance to defy their own limits.

Survivor alumnae Missy Payne (right) and her daughter, Baylor Wilson, will be at a new Dallas fundraiser on August 29 called "It's a Jungle Out There."

Baylor Wilson and Missy Payne from Survivor season 29

Courtesy photo

Survivor alumnae Missy Payne (right) and her daughter, Baylor Wilson, will be at a new Dallas fundraiser on August 29 called "It's a Jungle Out There."

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Gala preview

Dallas' most glam fall gala to honor Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron

Universal Pictures Presents "The Odyssey" Paris Premiere

Photo by Pierre Mouton/Getty Images for Universal Pictures

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Hollywood star Charlize Theron will be the guest of honor at one of Dallas' hottest-ticket galas of 2026: She will receive amfAR's Award of Inspiration at the organization's black-tie ball on October 24.

For a second year, the glamorous fall fundraiser will take place at the home of Kathleen and Scott Kirby, a release says. Taking over where Dallas' TWO x TWO gala left off when it ended in 2024, the amFAR gala has quickly become one of Dallas' marquee social events, drawing philanthropists, collectors, and high-profile guests in support of amfAR's mission to end HIV/AIDS.

Theron, who won an Oscar for Monster, is currently on a worldwide press tour ahead of her starring role in one of the summer's biggest movies, The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated adaptation of the Homer epic (opening July 17).

Beyond her film career, Theron serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), which supports organizations focused on youth health, HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and combating gender-based violence across Southern Africa.

"Charlize Theron’s longstanding support of amfAR and HIV/AIDS care and prevention through her own foundation make her an inspiration to us all," said amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford in a statement. "We are grateful to her for her tireless work and are thrilled to be able to recognize her at our event in Dallas this year."

According to amfAR, programs supported by CTAOP have reached more than 4.8 million young people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Theron and the foundation also launched the Together for Her campaign with CARE and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to address gender-based violence, and later partnered with the Ford Foundation to advocate for global vaccine equity.

Founded in 1985, amfAR has invested more than $950 million in research grants supporting HIV/AIDS and other diseases in which viruses and the immune system play a significant role. Over the past 26 years, supporters in North Texas have raised more than $66.5 million to advance amFAR's ongoing HIV research and global health initiatives, the organization says.

This year's gala will feature cocktails, a seated dinner, musical performances, and a live auction offering luxury goods, travel experiences, and contemporary art. Tickets and table sponsorships are now available, starting at $2,500.

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