The Dallas Historical Society honored the receipts of the 2015 Awards for Excellence (AFE) in Community Service on November 19 at the Fairmont Hotel.
The Awards for Excellence in Community Service are presented on behalf of the Dallas Historical Society to the designated recipients who are deserving of recognition for their generosity of spirit, civic leadership and ability to encourage community-wide participation in a particular phase of the growth of the city.
Stewart Thomas served as the master of ceremonies. Barbara Lord Watkins, a former DHS trustee, gave the invocation. Event Chair Kit Sawers thanked the sponsors and said, “I would also like to recognize our Honorary Chairs for this luncheon, both of whom are former AFE recipients: Liza and Will Lee.”
DHS Board of Trustee Co-chair Lynn McBee said, “We want to thank those who worked hard including Kit Sawers, Shannon Callewart, Louise Caldwell, Pat Mattingly and Caro Stalcup for all the dedication in making this event a perennial success.” She added, “The Dallas Historical Society holds nearly three million Texas artifacts, making our collection among the largest and best in Texas. At the Hall of State at Fair Park, be sure to see some of the collection including Tim Brown’s Heisman trophy.”
Here are the honorees and quotes from their speeches:
Arts Leadership – Giselle “Gigi” Antoni
“It is really deeply humbling to receive this award, but I’m just a public face of an army whose helping the young people imagine, create and shape the future.”
Business – Richard Eiseman, Jr.
“Philanthropy and business go hand in hand. Investing in Dallas has a great impact.”
Creative Arts – Bill Booziotis
“Since we don’t have mountains or the ocean, art is the substitute.”
Education – Margaret “Marnie” Wildenthal
“If you can spare an hour a week, volunteer with DISD, and you can help one student succeed.”
Health Sciences/Medicine – Robert W. Haley, M.D.
“Ross Perot and The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutcheson provided political support and funding to apply cutting edge science and genomics to Gulf War Syndrome.”
Humanities – The Reverend Dr. Ronald E. Jones
“From my mom, ‘Work hard. Work smart.’ Also, look at life as service. The greatest honor is to be counted worthy in service.”
Humanities/History – Cynthia Salzman Mondell and Allen Mondell
“When we moved from Vermont to Texas in October, there was no fall foliage and no mountains, but a welcoming and supportive community.”
Philanthropy – Gerald Ford
“I’ve focused my giving in two areas: 1. Institutions impactful to me. 2. Organizations and individuals in need. The real unintended benefit is that I have the pleasure of giving, so for all of you, think charitably.”
Sports Leadership – Tim Brown – NEW award this year
“I’ve had many firsts in the NFL including the first to receive this award, and I’ll live up to it.”
Volunteer Community Leadership – Vikki J. Martin and the Ferguson Road Initiative
“An African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Jubilee History Makers – Matrice Ellis-Kirk and Ron Kirk
“We are not to pursue riches but service.”
DHS Board of Trustee Co-chair Allan McBee concluded the luncheon with the A.C. Green Memorial Toast.
About the Dallas Historical Society:
Established in 1922, the Dallas Historical Society is the preeminent organization of its kind in Dallas, collecting, preserving, and exhibiting the unique heritage of Dallas and Texas to educate and inspire future generations. The stories of Dallas are shared each day through the three million items that comprise its archives and artifact collections. Housed at the Hall of State in Fair Park since 1938, the Society presents these collections through education programs, exhibitions, tours, access to research materials and workshops. Each year, the Dallas Historical Society is visited by more than 160,000 people and serves more than 20,000 students through guided tours and educational programming at the Hall of State, as well as outreach programs at school locations. The Dallas Historical Society is also sponsored in part by the City of Dallas and the Office of Cultural Affairs. More information can be found at http://www.dallashistory.org