After nearly three decades of honoring extraordinary leaders and uplifting survivors, The Family Place brought the curtain down on the Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon October 10 at The Fairmont Dallas.
This year’s theme, “Voices of Hope,” echoed through every moment of the event, from emotional tributes to trailblazers past and present to laughter and inspiration from keynote speaker Christie Brinkley, who proved that resilience and charm never go out of style.
Co-chaired by Kristen Cobb, Katie Samler, and Ellis Thomas, with honorary chairs Katy and Kyle Miller, the luncheon drew a crowd of longtime supporters, community leaders, and former honorees, including Elaine Agather, Charlotte Jones Anderson, and Opal Lee, among others. Together, the chairs reflected on the nearly 30-year legacy of an event that has raised millions to support The Family Place’s critical programs, which range from a 24-hour hotline and onsite kennel for pets to three emergency shelters, including one of the country’s only shelters for men and their children.
Attendees were greeted with specialty mocktails called the “Uptown Girl,” a pale pink flute of sparkling water, elderflower, white cranberry, and raspberry syrup, which they could sip while leaving messages of hope in a special phone booth bedecked in purple and pink florals.
They could also purchase raffle tickets for a chance at winning one of three packages:
Uptown Girl: $500 Frenchie gift card, a signed copy of Brinkley’s recently published memoir, a piece of Julianna LeBlanc jewelry, and an Abbott Aesthetics gift cardPartners Card: 2 Partners Cards, $1,000 Starpower gift card, $1,000 St. Bernard gift card, and $500 Stanley Korshak gift cardMavs: 4 tickets to a Mavs home game.
Inside the ballroom and after a welcome by The Family Place CEO Tiffany Tate, the crowd tucked into a meal consisting of a crisp fall salad topped with grilled chicken, roasted kabocha squash, and cranberries, and alternating desserts of flourless chocolate cake and vanilla bean cheesecake. Then activist, author, and domestic violence survivor Dr. Sabrina Greenlee took the stage for the Mission Moment, recounting the violent attack that left her blind and inspiring the crowd with her tale of survival and empowerment.
Effie Dennison, Tiffany Tate.Photo by Tamytha Cameron
Since its inception in 1996, the Texas Trailblazer Awards Luncheon has honored more than 40 remarkable leaders whose compassion and vision have helped transform the future for families impacted by domestic violence. That day, the final Texas Trailblazer Award was presented to Effie Dennison, known for her leadership in community philanthropy and advocacy for women, while Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, accepted the second-ever Paige Flink Award for her decades of dedication to empowering survivors and leading with compassion.
Heads then turned as a tall, blonde, beautiful woman began weaving her way through the tables toward the stage. The 71-year-old Brinkley waved excitedly to the crowd, wearing a dress from her own fashion line, TWRHLL (soon to be renamed Tower Hill) and proudly sporting a giant silver belt buckle — her trophy for winning a cutting horse championship in Fort Worth back in 1991.
In a moderated fireside chat with retired WFAA news anchor and 2013 Texas Trailblazer Award recipient Gloria Campos, the supermodel and entrepreneur shared stories from her remarkable life and career, from being discovered in 1974 while living in Paris to her Broadway debut in the musical Chicago at age 57 following a difficult divorce. “I pulled on some fishnet stockings and showed him!” she laughed, adding that the experience helped her reclaim her confidence.
Christie Brinkley, Gloria Campos.Photo by Tamytha Cameron
A survivor of domestic violence herself, Brinkley focused not on the pain but on the power of optimism. When Campos asked her favorite song, Brinkley quipped, “I love all the ones written about me! But probably ‘Uptown Girl,'” noting that she is still good friends with ex-husband Billy Joel.
At these sorts of luncheons, guests typically begin trickling out early to beat the valet line but the majority of the room remained spellbound by Brinkley, who also did a VIP meet-and-greet following the program.
Proceeds from the final luncheon will directly support The Family Place’s comprehensive services, including safe housing, counseling, legal support, skills training, and violence prevention education — all provided free of charge in English and in Spanish. The nonprofit’s popular Partners Card fundraiser, where a $100 card provides 10-20% off at more than 750 DFW restaurants and retailers, is happening October 24-November 2.