Folds of Honor North Texas Annual Gala Celebrated Supporters with an Evening of Patriotic Inspiration, Personal Testimonies and Stirring Presentations
Bringing in just over $3 Million to fund 600 scholarships
Dyan and Mike Colby, Honorary Chairs
(Featured photo: Photo 1: Honorary Chair Dyan Colby and her brother-in-law and Fort Worth Folds of Honor Board Chair, Mark Colby. Not shown; Mike Colby, Honorary Chair. Photo 2: Holly and Jim Trester, Announcement Party Hosts and former honorary chairs.)*
The 2024 Folds of Honor North Texas Annual Gala welcomed supporters as they filled the playing field of the AT&T Stadium. It was an evening of patriotic inspiration fueled by personal testimonies and stirring presentations. The gala brings together military and first responder families, veterans, scholarship recipients and members of the North Texas community in an event of celebration which includes dinner, a live auction, raffle, live entertainment and fellowship. This year, the gala brought in just over $3 million which will fund 600 scholarships in North Texas.
A wonderful tradition included a custom cowboy hat station in partnership with American Hat Company for donors who funded a full Folds of Honor Scholarship ($5,000). The scholarship donors had the choice of choosing a custom hat by American Hat Company or a pair of cowboy boots in partnership with Petite Paloma.
The money raised from the gala will be used to provide educational scholarships to our nation’s most deserving families, the ones that sacrifice to protect our freedoms.
Entering the playing field, guests walked through the Folds of Honor Memorial sponsored by Higginbotham, which was flanked with flags above and 13 footprints and plaques representing 13 service members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and their families are now benefitting from a scholarship through the Folds of Honor. The number 13 represents the 13 folds of the American flag presented to the family of a fallen service member.
VIPs were feted in an early reception in their honor at the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room where Mike Beltz, Dallas board chair, and his wife, Jane, along with Bailey and Matt Beltz, Allie and Nick Beltz, members of the board of directors from both Dallas and Fort Worth, and sponsors, underwriters and supporters as they browsed the expansive silent auction, bought tickets in support of the raffle and enjoyed cocktails.
Just before dinner, the crowd stood for the Presentation of Colors by the University of North Texas Color Guard and afterwards, Mary Claire sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. After which, Mike gave the invocation.
Katy Blakey, Master of Ceremonies, welcomed the crowd and recognized scholarship recipients as they stood, as well as veterans and those now serving in active duty as the crowd applauded in collective gratitude for their service. She also thanked sponsors, including Dyan and Mike Colby, honorary chairs; Lydia and Bill Addy on behalf of the Addy Foundation; the Stephenson Foundation; Amerisure and CRC Group; FM Marsh McLennan Agency and Travelers, as well as The Buster Family, Higginbotham and SRS/Raise the Roof Foundation/Salute.
A video showcasing scholarship recipients and their families’ struggles and successes stirred the crowd. Afterwards, Sarah Elliott, Senior Director of Impact, announced HEB has donated $100,000 to Folds of Honor in support of 20 scholarships in 2025. She thanked Meredith Connally and Mary Scott, both Regional Impact Officers; Mike Beltz as president of the Dallas board; Mark Colby, chairman of the Fort Worth board; Sarah Duncan, former Folds of Honor Senior Director of Impact and also the daughter of a fallen hero and a scholarship recipient; the boards for both Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as members of the Young Professionals board, for all of their hard work and volunteer hours spent in support of Folds of Honor.
Sarah presented a traditional World War II handmade bomber jacket to Mark Colby who was joined on stage by honorary chair Dyan Colby, expressing heartfelt thanks for their hard work and support of Folds of Honor and this very special event.
As dinner was served, a brief video revealed the inspiring story of the founder of Folds of Honor, Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional and F-16 fighter pilot in the Air Force Reserves, who has served three tours of duty in Iraq. As he was returning home from his second tour of duty on a domestic flight, he became painfully aware as the passengers deplaned of the reality families face when a loved one in uniform is fallen or disabled. The airline pilot announced they were carrying the remains of a fallen soldier, asking passengers to respectfully remain seated while the casket deboarded. He watched as the family of the deceased walked somberly alongside the flag-covered casket. Among them was the young son of the fallen Corporal. Seeing the other side of the war through the eyes of this fallen soldier’s child was life-altering. He decided he had to do something to pay tribute to American service members and their families.
He founded Folds of Honor in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) organization that provides educational scholarships to the families of military men and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States armed forces and since 2023, has expanded to incorporate America’s first responders, including police, fire-fighters, EMTs and paramedics. The motto says it best: Honor Their Sacrifice. Educate Their Legacy. Since that time Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 62,000 educational scholarships totaling roughly $290 million in financial assistance in all 50 states.
Taking the stage with buckets of paint and a huge blank canvas, world renowned speed painter Harvey Dunn of PaintJam began his electrifying performance in which masterpieces of art are spun together in minutes, live on stage. His artwork of an officer’s profile in salute was the first item in the live auction.
A spirited live auction followed which featured items including a Staccato Experience, ultimate vacations featuring exclusive perks in a luxury mountain home, a seaside escape, golfing at the Bear’s Club including lunch with golf legend, Jack Nicklaus, and a special-edition Springfield MIA rifle and armory experience.
Honorary speaker Elizabeth Brees took the stage and shared her story that began when she was only three years old and she lost her father, Navy LCDR Raymond O’Hare. In honor of her father’s sacrifice, Folds of Honor helped pay for Liz and her two siblings to attend college. In 2019 she graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University with a degree in biochemistry and biology. She provided the keynote speech to her graduate class after receiving a leadership award and went on to conduct clinical research in pediatric and fetal surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute. She is now a second-year medical student at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and is currently a Second Lieutenant in the Individual Ready Reserve and will serve as an active-duty Air Force physician upon completing her medical training. Her husband, Tyler, who also serves in the Air Force, joined her on stage as she expressed how grateful she is for the support of Folds of Honor and the blessings that have happened in their lives, much due to the involvement of Folds of Honor.
A call for donations in the Give from the Heart segment brought the total amount raised from the gala to $3,008,818 funding over 600 educational scholarships. Then the crowd danced the night away to the tunes of Emerald City, celebrating a truly fabulous gala.
The Host Committee was Cindy and Fred Balda, LeeAnn and Josh Campbell, Kristen and Nick Cassavechia, Krystle and Chad Craycraft, Kristin and James Hallam, Meredith and Daniel Rath, Sierra and John Rosener, Karen and Rich Schornack, Brittany and Aaron Sizemore, Sara and Connor Terry, Jessica Titko, Ashley and Lance Whitworth and Sara and Bill Woodall.
Donation dollars: 90 cents of every dollar donated goes directly back to programs. Folds of Honor has a four-star rating on Charity Navigator and a platinum level rating on Guidestar, the highest possible ratings for both organizations.
For more information visit the website at www.northtexas.foldsofhonor.org or contact Meredith Connally, Folds of Honor Regional Impact Officer at mconnally@foldsofhonor.org or Mary Scott, Folds of Honor Regional Impact Officer at mscott@foldsofhonor.org
*Photos by Chris Waits
** Photos by Rob Wythe/Wythe Portrait Studio
(Sharon Adams, Adams Communications Public Relations, is honored to represent Folds of Honor’s 2024 gala and post this Philanthropy Lifestyles Scene.)
