Clayton Dabney Foundation for Kids with Cancer

Annual Newsletter

December 2012

I Now Pronounce You Husband and… Wife? That’s right. In June 1995, during the fight of his life, 6-yearold Clayton Dabney got married—well, sort of. On a warm summer Sunday, as Clayton and his family returned from church, Clayton went to play with his good friend, Caroline Stec, just two doors down. When Caroline’s sisters saw Clayton, dashing in his Sunday best, they chided the “young couple” that they should get married someday. Well, that “someday” became “that” day! Everyone started making wedding plans, and before long there were a ceremony and reception, with family and neighbors attending. What a priceless memory for everyone involved. Mrs. Caroline Stec Dabney and her family moved away a few years after Clayton died. Just recently, Christina Dabney, Clayton’s younger sister, found

Caroline Stec is now

Caroline on Facebook and asked

a senior at Clemson,

her to recall her memories of

majoring in English

Clayton from 17 years ago.

and political science

“I was 3 years old when I first met Clayton Dabney. We knew each other in the best way as friends and neighbors, playing together

Caroline Stec (1995)

with no worries about what the future would hold. At such a young age, I didn’t fully understand Clayton’s illness, but I realize now that that’s OK, and it’s what made our friendship so special. He never let cancer take away from his delight for living, and the time Clayton and I spent together was always filled with joy and innocence. The wedding ceremony that we shared is a perfect snapshot of our friendship and of what a sweet boy Clayton was. I am grateful that I have these wonderful memories with such a special person, and I would like to thank him now for our time together. I’m so proud to have been Clayton’s bride and to have played a small role in his memory. Thank y’all so much for the opportunity to share a little bit of these sweet memories.”

and hoping to join the magazine industry when she graduates in May.

Caroline Stec (2012)

Chairman’s Message As my two-year term as chairman

And we will continue to need your

of the board of this great foundation

support to offer comfort to them in

comes to a close, I am reminded

their darkest hours.

simultaneously of all we can do and

During the last two years, CDF

accomplish at CDF with the support

reached a landmark when its Houston

of our loyal friends and donors—and

affiliate board was established. This

all we cannot do.

could never have been done without

Every year the number of cases

the

inspirational

leadership

and

referred to CDF increases, as more and more doctors and social

dedication of Mimi Marix, who not only recruited the initial

workers across the United States learn about the resources we

members but also worked tirelessly to organize this Houston

offer through our Medicine of the Heart program.  Just during my

board.  It has grown in size and stature in just two years, providing

tenure, case referrals increased from 254 in 2011 to approximately

CDF with critical recognition, identity and resources in Houston. 

280 in 2012, with more than 300 projected for 2013.  Similarly,

I am proud to have shared my tenure with this amazing woman,

our program budget is increasing by at least $20,000 annually

who has inspired all of us with her heart for CDF.

and is projected to be close to $500,000 in 2013.

For 2013-2014, Mimi and I pass along our responsibilities

These are the hard statistics about CDF’s work.  With your

to two very capable leaders who will most certainly take CDF

generous help over the last 17 years, we have been able to

to yet another level. Bob Carter, who has been a dedicated

raise funds to meet these growing demands and expand our

board member for many years, will take over as chairman of the

mission to help families in 87 cities across 36 states.  But the

board.  Renee Lange, who brings enthusiasm and creativity to

numbers here mean little to a family facing the tragic loss of a

our Houston affiliate board, will serve as its president. My best

child to cancer.  Sadly, nothing we can do at CDF changes the

wishes and congratulations to you both.

fact that families across America are devastated as childhood cancers continue to claim the lives of precious children.

And to all our CDF friends, thank you so much for understanding what we do and continuing to make our work possible. 

New CDF Leadership in 2013 Next year the leadership batons will

Renee Lange will be the new president

be passed in Dallas and in Houston as

of the Houston affiliate board in 2013.

Ruth Ann Daniels retires as chairman

Renee is a graduate of the Duchesne

of the foundation and Mimi Marix

Academy High School in Houston, the

steps down as president of the CDF

SMU Cox School of Business and the

Houston affiliate board. Bob Carter,

University of Houston Law School.

Dallas native and long-time friend of

Renee was an attorney with the firm of

the Dabney family, will assume his

Fulbright & Jaworski before retiring to

duties as CDF chairman in 2013. Bob is a graduate of Highland

start a family. She is a long-time supporter of CDF and has been

Park High School and the University of Texas at Austin. He is

a member of the Houston affiliate board since 2011, also serving

president of Dexter & Company, an insurance brokerage. He is a

as secretary. Renee is a board member of the Spring Branch

member of the Salesmanship Club and sits on the Highland Park

Education Foundation and the National Charity League. She is a

Town Council. Bob has been a CDF board member since 2004

native Texan and has been married to her husband, Mark, for 22

and was the golf tournament chair in 2006 and CDF treasurer in

years. They have four children.

2010. Bob is married to Jennifer, and they have three children and one grandson. 3 2

WELCOME, Bob and Renee! THANK YOU, Ruth Ann and Mimi!

2012 Crawfish Boil For the second consecutive year, Mike Burress and Steve Burke chose the Clayton Dabney Foundation as the beneficiary of their annual Spring Crawfish Boil. More than 400 people attended the day-long festivities, enjoying beautiful spring weather, great live music, plenty to drink, burgers and grilled chicken with all the fixins’, and some of the best darn Louisiana crawfish this side of New Orleans! While moms and dads kicked back and relaxed, the kids enjoyed basketball, bounce houses, face painting or a dip in the pool. Proceeds from this year’s event were $12,000!

Thanks, Big Easy!

Charity Golf Classic On a chilly morning in late October, a sold-out field descended on the Trophy Club in Roanoke for the Redi-Mix Charity Golf Classic benefiting the Clayton Dabney Foundation. This is the third consecutive year that Redi-Mix (a US Concrete subsidiary) has chosen to benefit CDF, and the tournament has gotten bigger and better each year under the direction of Redi-Mix Vice President of Development Buck Weatherby. “It is a great privilege for the Redi-Mix family and our large group of supporters to raise funding for Clayton Dabney to help them serve more needy families losing kids to cancer,” Mr. Weatherby stated at this year’s awards ceremony and banquet. Mr. Weatherby estimates that this year’s proceeds will top $60,000, bringing the total for the three years to more than $160,000!

Thank You, Redi-Mix and US Concrete!

The Halo Group Dallas: The Next Generation of CDF In late 2011 four friends—Michael Dabney, Katie Braden, Holt Martin and Jake Young— grown children of CDF board members and supporters, got together to pitch ideas on how they could start a next-generation movement for CDF, and, voila, The Halo Group was born. In 2012, the Halo Group held its first two fundraisers, a Pre-St. Patrick’s Day party at Stan’s Blue Note and a Halloween Funk O’Lantern costume party at the Granada Theatre. Both events were wildly successful, bringing awareness of CDF to more than 1,000 young professionals and raising more than $10,000 for CDF.

Bravo, Halo Group!

CDF Gift Boxes Donated by Houston Teen Jake Shaper, son of Houston affiliate board member Amy Shaper and her husband, Peter, celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in the spring of 2012. As part of his celebration, Jake chose, as a Bar Mitzvah service project, to fund and make, on his own, 20 CDF gift boxes for terminally ill children at Texas Children’s Hospital. CDF gift boxes contain memory-making items such as a disposable camera, a handprint kit, journals and picture frames, handheld games, and plush toys and books that help moms and dads explain death and dying to children and their siblings. These keepsakes will be cherished long after the child has passed.

Many Thanks, Jake!

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“Let the Good Times Roll” And roll they did! This year’s Kissed by an Angel party took a stroll through the streets of the French Quarter and brought the best of the Big Easy back to Tami and Patrick Mulligan’s gorgeous Highland Park home. The vision of this year’s party came from the dynamic duo of transplanted Louisiana natives Michelle Johnson and Karen Clarke, who served as this year’s co-chairs. Michelle, Karen and hostess Tami Mulligan worked tirelessly to make this year one of the best ever! As guests strolled up the driveway, they were greeted by a jazz trio and were served wine and Creole martinis by husbands masquerading as bartenders, always a hit at this annual event. Inside, guests dined on spicy Cajun Shrimp, Boudin Balls, Catfish Sliders, Crawfish Etouffée, and Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya catered by DC’s Fine Catering. Outside, the party was rocking with the Ray Johnston Band while guests shopped for specialty products from Niven Morgan, fine gifts from Blue Print, personal stationery by Daley Harris and beautiful artwork by Shelby Flaten. Guests were also treated to made-to-order Bananas Foster poolside by the masterful hands of DC himself. Proceeds from underwriting, ticket sales, designer eel-skin and lizard cuffs by Leighelena, a raffle for a Prada bag donated by Neiman Marcus Downtown and the Angel Room were more than $80,000. Co-chairs Michelle and Karen would like to thank the Mulligans for sharing their lovely home and all the many underwriters, sponsors, committee members, volunteers and loyal attendees (far too many to list here) who made this year so special and such a success.

Thank You, Dallas!

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“Soirée Angelique” Many said the bar was just too high to top previous Kissed by an Angel parties, but just try saying that to Houston Chair Michele Clements, Cochair Marlo Bruce, Auction Chair Lori Shellist and grand dame hostess Hilda Curran! These “quatre dyanamiques” said, “Bring It On,” and Soirée Angelique was born! The evening began with a brief but refreshing spring shower that provided that extra little sparkle to Hilda and Greg Currans’ magnificent gardens in historic River Oaks. All the Houston glitterati and their besties were there and dressed to the nines. Guests were greeted by the host couple as they entered the party and were given full access to the Curran home and gardens. Lavish foods were provided by A Fare Extraordinaire, Jonathan Andrew Sage artfully blended his stunning floral displays with Hilda’s exquisite décor, and David Caceres provided a blue-like jazz vibe for all to sway to as they sipped, noshed and mingled throughout the Curran compound. Auction chair Lori Shellist had all eyes on the Silent Auction until the bitter end with offerings from Saks Fifth Avenue, Baccarat, Neiman Marcus and Brasserie 19, and master artwork renditions such as works by Renoir, Picasso and Cezanne by patient-artists from Texas Children’s Hospital. Proceeds from underwriting, ticket sales, Cuffs for Care by Kathryn Riechert, and the most successful silent auction ever, raised more than $160,000 for CDF! Michele, Marlo and Lori wish to thank the Currans for their gracious hospitality and the many, many underwriters, sponsors, committee members, volunteers and lo

Thanks, Houston!

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It’s official. The temperature in June for the annual Kids’ Golf Classic & Splash Bash was “hot.” As the army of young golfers arrived in the late morning at the Las Colinas Country Club for the fifth annual tournament, temperatures were well above 90 degrees again this year. But that didn’t stop all 140 golfers and more than 125 adult volunteers from having another amazing golf tournament and much-needed Splash Bash. Cochairs Kate Dabney (Clayton’s younger sister) of Highland Park and Sydney Helbing (daughter of former CDF Chairman Anne Helbing) of Preston Hollow served as this year’s cochairs, making it a very special year. TRAXXAS radio-controlled cars once again stepped up as our title sponsor and brought its full selection of high-powered radio cars for kids to test-drive. Other major sponsors included the Truman & Anita Arnold Foundation, Regency Centers, Bank of Texas, Benchmark Title, CHUBB Insurance, Bankston, AmWins Mortgage and TXU. Before the shotgun start, everyone enjoyed lunch from Dickey’s Barbeque, and then out to the course they went for a romping nine-hole competition. The day concluded with a wild Splash Bash afternoon at the Las Colinas pool, with lots of food and great music by Bill Cody and his Party-Time Machine. Awards were presented to the top teams and also to our top fundraisers. The top family fundraiser for the second consecutive year was the Pogue family! Top honors for an individual was our very own Kate Dabney! Proceeds from this year reached $80,000. Thanks to all who participated, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year, June 3, 2013!

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Never satisfied, the CDF golf tournament committee, led by Tournament Chair Carter Daniels, decided to move the tournament again this year after a very successful location change in 2011. “The Golf Club of Dallas was an exceptional venue, and the staff gave it 110 percent, but in the end we felt that the new Honors Golf Club was better suited for the Dabney,” explained Mr. Daniels. And when it was all said and done and the last few golfers were left on the beautiful patio setting overlooking the Honors lakeside course, these words described it accurately: “Best ever!” The former Columbian Country Club, founded in 1881 as the downtown Dallas Phoenix Social “Town” Club, has now been transformed into a premier golf-only private club. Dallas Cowboy Tony Romo, President George W. Bush and countless amateur and professional players can be seen playing here on a regular basis. This year’s fall classic, another sold-out gem, featured a who’s who of Dallas’s business elite in the fields of real estate, banking, finance, law, and oil and gas. Regency Centers was back as our title sponsor, and the field was treated like golf royalty throughout the day. Highlights included The Dabney signature favor bag for all players, the Regency Centers Hospitality Tent featuring Kuby’s famous jalapeño-cheese sausage and frosty margaritas, Long Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin competitions, and the infamous Great Ball Drop. The tournament concluded with a lavish awards buffet with open bar on the Honors’ beautiful terrace overlooking the lake and golf course. Proceeds from this year’s tournament reached $195,000, with a tournament record Ball Drop of nearly $40,000! Tournament Chair Carter Daniels would like to thank Regency Centers, the sponsors, committee members, volunteers and the staff at the Honors Golf Club for helping this to be one of the best, if not the best-ever, CDF golf tournaments. We hope to see everyone back at the Honors next year! FORE!

BaD Radio of SportsRadio 1310 Visits with CDF’s Major Sponsors To celebrate and thank our major sponsors and golf tournament VIPs, CDF was thrilled to have Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell as special guest speakers at the annual Major Sponsor Appreciation Dinner. Guests arrived at the Park Place Bentley Dallas showroom and marveled at the automotive excellence, sipped top-shelf cocktails and supped on DC’s finest culinary selections. Tournament Chair Carter Daniels was our interview host, as Bob and Dan provided their unique view of the world of college and professional sports.

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NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Dallas, TX Permit No. 1177

Clayton Dabney Foundation for Kids with Cancer 6500 Greenville Ave. Suite 342 Dallas, TX 75206 Phone: 214-361-2600 Fax: 214-217-5199 Email: [email protected] www.claytondabney.org

The Clayton Dabney Foundation for Kids with Cancer provides needy families, with children in the last stages of terminal cancer, assistance in creating “Everlasting Memories.” The assistance is arranged through the parents and is anonymous to the child.

This past year the Clayton Dabney Foundation served our 2,000th family losing a precious child to cancer. This was a sobering milestone in our 17-year history but also a true testament to the critical need of the work of this foundation. One of those families was that of 4-year-old Alivia. Alivia’s parents were struggling with the demands of their daughter’s illness and the burdens of many additional bills. Lost in all of this stress and sadness was the simple wish of a little girl to take part in a normal child-honored activity. Alivia wished for a swing set, but her parents could not afford one. Along with much- needed financial assistance, CDF purchased a swing set and had it installed within days. Her mother reported that when Alivia sat on the teeter-totter, she smiled for the first time in many months. This is the essence of what CDF does—relieving burdens and helping families capture everlasting memories.