A decade of success for the signature Go Red for Women Luncheon, hosted by Tarrant County's American Heart Association, will be celebrated at the Fort Worth Convention Center ballroom March 1.
A coup for luncheon organizers, led by chairwoman Kathleen Searle, was securing a fantastic A-list keynote speaker. Emmy-award-winning TV personality Star Jones, a former New York City prosecutor and author of two bestselling nonfiction books, will share her story about recovering from open heart surgery in 2010.The event focuses on preventing heart disease and stroke through healthy lifestyles and on the need to support awareness, education and research of heart health in women. According to a press release from AHA, "Heart disease is still women's No. 1 killer -- it affects more women than men and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined."Before the heart-healthy lunch is served, guests can mingle at a mimosa reception and browse the silent auction or find the perfect shade of red at one of the Estee Lauder lipstick touch-up stations.One lucky guest will be flying high as the winner of the signature prize drawing for the Bell Helicopter Ultimate Flight Experience for four people that includes a flight over Fort Worth in a Bell 429 along with a tour of Bell's Training Academy and a thrilling hour of instruction in the Flight Simulator.Free your schedule so you can attend the two breakout sessions, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Dr. Neeraj Badhey will present "Women and Heart Disease: Perceptions vs. Reality." And Chef Tiffany from the Texas Beef Council will entertain with a cooking demo at the "Infusing Passion With Food" session.And get in tune with your body by experiencing the health screening portion of the event, including checks for blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and BMI.Tickets are $100 each and are available by calling 817-698-5400 or visiting www.heart.org/tarrantcountygoredluncheon.Panther City Civitan ClubCivitan, a service club for men and women, is organizing in Fort Worth and recruiting new members.According to the website (www.civitan.com), Civitan International is an organization of volunteer service clubs around the world, dedicated to helping people in their communities.Local resident Frank Kelley, a Certified Club Builder, writes: "I am looking for residents who live in and around Fort Worth who are community-minded to come out to be a part of a new group." Meetings will be on various days and times to meet the wishes of the members of the group.Contact Kelley at 682-841-7157 or email him at awacs85@gmail.com.Dream MakersWouldn't the ultimate feel-good experience be making someone's dream come true? Especially if the dream involved entering the nursing profession with a career dedicated to serving patients who are ill and to making a positive difference in the healthcare field.It's easy -- just buy a ticket or a table for the Dream Makers Scholarship Luncheon. The event is hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing. Or better yet, just go ahead and sponsor a scholarship.At the luncheon, each table will have a student who has received a scholarship so guests can have the opportunity to meet them, learn how their studies are going and hear about their plans after graduation.UTA College of Nursing Dean Elizabeth Poster said, "The Dream Makers Scholarship Luncheon provides an opportunity for us to acknowledge the individuals, corporations and organizations that support scholarships for our nursing students. It is unique in that it provides face-to-face time for donors to get to know their student recipients and learn about how their scholarships were important in their education and lives."The excellent team of volunteers working to plan the event include Tim Armes, Donna Bertram, Doreen Bruner, Gary Hardee, Dr. Roger Moore, Penny Rowell, Mary Ann Van Siclen and Carol Zimmer.Programming for the event features student and alumni speakers. Mercy Mumba, a Ph.D. candidate who earned her bachelor's degree in nursing in 2010, will share the podium with alumna Janelle Shepard, (RN-BC BSN). Shepard is director of Medical Management at Texas Health Fort Worth Hospital and a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.The luncheon is set for 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, March 4, on campus in the Bluebonnet Ballroom in the E. H. Hereford University Center. Individual tickets are $75, and reservations are due by Feb. 20. Any company or individual wanting to sponsor should act quickly so that scholarships can be awarded before the luncheon.Contact Sandra Golightly at 817-272-9082 or email sgolightly@uta.edu to make reservations. Learn more at www.uta.edu/nursing.Business Building at HEB Chamber EXPOTo learn about the latest offerings in your community from local businesses, shops and restaurants, head to the EXPO that the HEB Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Foundation are hosting at the Hurst Conference Center, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 22.Hundreds of guests will stroll throughout the beautiful facility to see exhibits set up by more than 90 local companies. Chairing the event is Kimberly Ball, from local business solutions provider DOCUmation. Her committee has worked hard to line up vendors and items for a silent auction and prizes for drawings throughout the day.A Lil Taste of New Orleans, Jersey Mike's Subs, Texas Roadhouse, Miguelito's Mexican Restaurant, Fuzzy's Taco Shop and Miz G's House of Pies are among the restaurants providing food tastings.Hospitals, doctors, dentists, orthodontists, chiropractors, vision specialists, Carter Blood Center and other healthcare companies will also be on hand to talk about their services and special offerings.Banks, hotels, credit unions, utility providers, printers, staffing companies, retirement centers, car dealers and a slew of other exhibitors will have friendly people waiting to visit with you about their products and services. And to get the lowdown on what's happening in your city, visit with the representatives from the cities of Hurst, Euless and Bedford.Getting my attention on the list of booths was Costco, North East Mall, the YMCA and the Cosmic Counselor.Former chamber board chairmen and active member Bill Lynch of Minuteman Press summed up the event's appeal: "Before anyone buys from you, they have to get to know you, to come to like you and ultimately trust you. The EXPO is a perfect tool for moving this critical selling process along. We [Minuteman Press] never miss it."Admission is $10 per person ($5 with a Star-Telegram Press Pass). Get tickets online at www.heb.org or call chamber President Mary Frazior at 817-283-1521.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
