What: 2024 St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon & Fashion Show

Where: The Meyerson Symphony Center

The 411: Not a bad 40th anniversary gift. More than 600 attendees of the beloved St. Valentine's Day Luncheon helped to raise over $750,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Co-chaired by Brooke Shelby and Samantha Wortley, the theme for the milestone event was "Love Rises."

Donning Valentine's-appropriate pink, reds, and purples, guests started the soiree (which took place a few days before Vday, on February 8) with a champagne reception and silent auction filled with jewelry, trips, experiences, and more.

Then they proceeded into the Margaret McDermott Performance Hall for this year’s program, emceed by FOX4 evening anchor Clarice Tinsley. She shared that in the luncheon’s 40 years, $15 million had been raised from the event alone, with countless lives having been saved as a result of studies funded that provided breakthrough treatments for many different blood cancers.

Photo by Tamytha Cameron

St. Valentine's Day Luncheon honorary chairs Debbie Hayhurst, Sharon McCullough and Libby Hunt

Awards were given, and a fashion show of spring looks from Highland Park Village retailers, produced by Jan Strimple, took over the stage.

The 2024 award recipients were:

• The ICON Award: St. Valentine's Day Luncheon co-founders Rusty Duvall and Janet Evans.
• The Memorial Hero Award: Given in honor of Ryan Anthony, the principal trumpet for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra who passed away from multiple myeloma in 2020. Accepted by Anthony’s wife and director of his foundation, Niki, and daughter Jackson.
• The Lynda Adleta Heart of Gold Award: Philanthropist Moll Anderson, recognizing her support of LLS.
• The Spirit of Tom Landry Award: Campbell Fearing, 24, son of Dallas chef Dean Fearing, who was diagnosed in November of 2022 with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.

Upon receiving his award, Campbell Fearing shared a poignant poem, that he wrote during his hospital stay while receiving treatment, titled “The Get Well Soon Balloon.” He was then joined by his father, Dean Fearing, who kicked off a "Fund the Fight" live-give initiative by offering an exclusive chef’s tasting dinner at Fearing’s Restaurant, which was won by a generous bidder for $40,000.

After the fashion show, patrons dined on a delectable lunch of herb grilled chicken salad with alternating desserts of a strawberry shortcake and a strawberry Linzer cookie in the foyer.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is a worldwide leader in the fight against cancer, working to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Who: Honorary chairs Debbie Hayhurst, Libby Hunt and Sharon McCullough, LLS Red River Region executive director Leah Swanson, actress, author and philanthropist Alana Stewart, advisory chairs Maggie Kipp and Nancy Gopez, Rusty Duvall, Janet Evans, Kristin Hallam, Nancy Rogers, Peggy Sewell, Lynae Fearing and Doug Cochran, Wanda and Dean Fearing, Elisa Summers, Heather Washburne, Marjon Henderson, Louise Griffeth, Moll and Charlie Anderson, Prissy Gravely, Kristen Sanger, Heather Randall, Yvette Ostolaza, Andrea Cheek, Melissa Sherrill Martin, Becky Frey, Venise Stuart, Jill Goldberg, Lauren Laughry, Kate Boatright, Victoria Snee, Cordelia Boone, Jennifer Morris, Josie Sewell, Natalie Lesikar, Dawn Mellon, Katy Bock, Muffin Lemak, Susan Palma, Angie Kadesky, Tanya Foster, Lora Farris, Beth Thoele, Elizabeth Gambrell, and many more.