The Salvation Army’s 2015 Annual Doing The Most Good Luncheon
Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actor, Jon Voight, was the guest speaker at The Salvation Army’s 2015 Annual Doing the Most Good Luncheon at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in the Chantilly Ballroom. Lynn McBee was the luncheon chair, and Debbie Oates and Bob Best were the underwriting co-chairs.
(Featured image: Pam Busbee, Christie Carter, Gary Cogill, Debbie Oates, Marcia Shannon.)
Voight shared his thoughts on various topics in an interview-style Q&A hosted by Gary Cogill, who was with WFAA-TV in Dallas for 24 years as movie critic, arts reporter, and co-host of “Good Morning Texas.”
Oates says, “Of all The Salvation Army fundraisers, this local luncheon is the #1 Salvation Army fund-raising event in the world, raising much-needed funds to serve the least of these in our community.”
The Doing the Most Good luncheon is a fundraiser to support The Salvation Army’s programs and services in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Ellis Counties. These programs address human needs for five key groups: (1) homeless men, women and children; (2) families in crisis; (3) those recovering from addictions; (4) senior citizens; and (5) children and youth.
“ Jon Voight’s movies tell so much about the human condition,” said event chair Lynn McBee. “He’s certainly not shy about speaking his mind and giving his opinions about life, politics and family dynamics.”
A gifted New York actor with theatrical training, Voight became an overnight sensation when he played a Texan in Midnight Cowboy in 1969. That role led to starring in many movies for the next several decades. In 1979, he won an Academy Award for the Vietnam War movie, Coming Home. Some of his other roles included Mission: Impossible, The Rainmaker, Pearl Harbor, Deliverance, Varsity Blues, Zoolander and Ali. He has also teamed with his daughter, Angelina Jolie, in Tomb Raider.
Past luncheon speakers have included Former First Lady Barbara Bush, Amy Grant, J.C. Watts, Blake Mycoskie, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Karen Hughes, Tony Evans, Edsel Ford, Chuck Norris, and Scott O’Grady.
Thanks to the generosity of the North Texas community, last year The Salvation Army provided assistance to approximately 100,000 individuals and returned 86 cents of every dollar donated to services to our community.
“Because of the tremendous generosity of those who support this luncheon, The Salvation Army is able to provide more than 70 programs and services locally that care for the poor, feed the hungry, house the homeless, rehabilitate the broken, and care for those who may be invisible in our community,” said Major Jonathan Rich, The Salvation Army’s DFW Metroplex Commander.
Rich and his wife, Barbara, who is the Associate DFW Metroplex Commander, took their posts in June. The Richs both had parents who were Salvation Army officers. They consider this work their calling.
Last year, The Salvation Army provided the following to those in need:
- 174,936 days caring for people in substance abuse rehab
- 168,984 nights of shelter for homeless
- 6,080 homeless people sheltered
- $558,741 of financial assistance distributed
- 39,688 grocery orders filled
- 3,032 Thanksgiving/Christmas meals served
- 16,958 Families assisted at Christmas
- 54,140 Individuals assisted at Christmas
- 262,579 Christmas gifts distributed
- 45,831 Nursing home room visits to senior citizens
ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY:
The Salvation Army is a worldwide Christian organization that in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex provides more than 70 different programs and services to help make life better for individuals and families. Services include: substance abuse treatment, homeless shelters, life-skills classes, nonperishable food, Christmas gifts for children, domestic violence programs, emergency financial assistance, after-school programs, summer day camps, computer training, senior citizens services, and low-cost youth sports leagues.
The Salvation Army’s religious and social service activities serve millions of men, women and children in more than 100 nations around the world. Volunteers, contributors, and other supporters make the services possible in local communities across the country. For more information, go to salvationarmydfw.org.
(Press release courtesy The Salvation Army.)
