Lifestyles
Thousands of toys donated at the 31st Anniversary Dallas Margarita Ball
By media release
Nov 30, 2007

DALLAS, TEXAS -- On Saturday November 10, 2007, the 31st anniversary of the Dallas Margarita Charity Ball sponsored by the Dallas Margarita Society  (DMS) d.b.a. Dallas Children's Charities hit downtown Dallas. The charity ball, the largest annual invitation only gala in the United States and perhaps the world, was held at the Adam's Mark Hotel. 

More than 9,200 guests donated a toy or gift certificate worth at least $25. Mounds of stuffed animals, bicycles, computer toys, sporting goods, Barbie dolls and the like piled the entrance into the Ball. In addition to the toys and gift certificates valued at over $192,000, more than $186,800 was raised from the silent auction, live art auction and casino. The 2007 Dallas Margarita Ball also raised more than $182,000 from 83 Sponsors and Donors. 

Pop artist, Michael Goddard painted an original piece live on stage. The piece was auctioned off later in the evening and raising $11,500 for DMS. Signed and numbered prints of his 2006 DMS-commissioned "Party with a Purpose" were sold and are still available online at www.dallasmargaritasociety.org. 

The economic impact of the Margarita Ball is well in the hundreds of thousands of dollars: 

·    More than 1,200 hotel rooms were booked due to the Margarita Ball.

·     More than 9,200 guests from across the region came into Dallas and spent their dollars. 

·     More than 300 volunteers helped make the 31st  Anniversary Ball the party of the year.  

·     The thousands of toys that were donated during the Margarita Ball will be used to delight thousands of underprivileged children in Dallas/Fort Worth during the holiday season. The toys are distributed primarily through Love For Kids, Inc. (LFK), a non-profit organization that directly supports underprivileged children in DFW. Love for Kids, Inc. will distribute the toys on Saturday, December 8, 2007 at the Annual Love for Kids Christmas Party at the Circle R Ranch in Flower Mound. Approximately 3,500 children are brought to the party in buses and vans and the toys are loaded into their vehicles while the kids enjoy the games, food, and prizes. At 1 PM that afternoon, a "stampede" of kids race back to the buses to get their toys. The look of anticipation on their faces reveals the fun and spirit of the Holiday Season in a way that is truly heart-warming.  The remaining toys are given to local hospitals and other charitable organizations that then distribute them to thousands of children that couldn't make it to the party.  In addition to providing the toys for these underprivileged youth, DMS also financially underwrites the LFK Christmas Party.

2007 Sponsor List

Diamond -- $25,000 and Up: Sauza Tequila and Oh My Godard Gallery. Ruby -- $10,000 to $24,999: Cruzan Rum, Winstar Casinos, Andrews Distributing Company, T Bar Resources and Adam’s Mark Hotel. Emerald -- $5,000 to $9,999: John and Jill Cummings, Kwik Industries, Inc. and Lute Riley Honda. Sapphire -- $2,500 to $4,999: Barbie Horner, Marc “Gucci” Moreno, Atmos Energy, Love For Kids, Inc. and John Brandon. Platinum -- $1,000 to $2,499: Ali Terry, Debbie Dix/National Physicians Services, Beacon Financial Group, Fish On Fire and CCH Equipment, Juan Fitz, MD, FACEP, Joseph Froelich, Garrett Construction, Jay and Michelle Young, Carla Martin-Hastings, MDT Consulting, Inc., Kent Montee and Michael Murray, Richard Nelson, Thomas Rogers, Scott and Erin Pobanz, Freeman Decorating, Anonymous I, Anonymous II, Lance Thomas – Bank Of America, Masters & Associates, Daniel Steel Industries, Inc., Randal Tomplait – Tribal Solutions, Inc., Perla Fainstein, Luna’s Tortillas, Inc., Todd Prince, Steve Crane & Friends. Gold  -- $500 to $999: Mara Powers, Thomas Gray, Geneva Anderson, Dallas Singles On The GO!, Carlson Wagonlit Travel – McKinney, Clampitt Paper, Tami Denton, Jeff Garrison, Troy and Debra Gray – T. Gray Electric, Mitchell Hess, Identec Solutions, Inc., Barbara Perez – Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc., Chris Lanier, James Martin, The Men’s Wearhouse, Nicolas Ostrowski, Douglas Parker, Terri Ponder, Mary Melissa Pratt, Paul Puryear, Derek Abel – Renewal Trucking, Robert Wiggins, David Maddox, Steve and Cheryl Samberg, Cathy King, Frank Clemens, Wayne Hutchinson – Lighting Guy Enterprizes, Wanda Igiozee, Toni Tower, Microtex Electronics, Inc., Pizza Hut, epiphany, Nicholas Hajdusiewicz, Hon. Carlos R. Cortez, Ivey Goris, Brad & Cheryl Stutzman, Mike Cress, Kimberly Martin and DP Consulting, Inc. Additional Donors include: Michael McCabe – Anderson-Drake, Alfred C.Teran – King Royalty Corp., Jeremy Pledger – Anderson-Drake  and Harold Leidner – Harold Leidner Co. 

For more information on the Dallas Margarita Society log onto www.dallasmargaritasociety.org. For press opportunities contact Jo Trizila, 214-232-0078 or jotrizila@aol.com.

The Dallas Margarita Society, Inc., (d.b.a. Dallas Children's Charities) was formed in 1977 when a small group of business acquaintances decided to host a holiday party for associates and friends, and asked their guests to bring Christmas gifts for less fortunate children. The Society is a non-profit charitable organization whose goals are twofold. The first is to provide disadvantaged Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex children with gifts at Christmas time and the second is to help those community organizations that work directly with underprivileged children throughout the year. Their Charity Ball has grown over the years and is now believed to be the largest annual invitation only charity black tie gala in the world, with over 10,000 guests, providing gifts for more than 6,800 disadvantaged children each year. 

The Dallas Margarita Society achieves its goals by hosting fundraising happy hours throughout the year, an annual golf tournament in early summer and the Charity Ball early in the holiday season. At the Ball, guests are encouraged to bring toys or sponsor gifts with cash. Additionally, sponsors are solicited and through their generosity the Society provides operating support and scholarships to numerous community organizations. In 2005, The Dallas Margarita Society/Dallas Children's Charities collected over $405,000 in toys and cash in conjunction with over $175,000 in corporate and individual sponsorship donations. All fund-raising activities and events are donated to local DFW children's charities.  

Over the past 30 years, the community impact generated by the activities and fund raising events of the DMS/DCC continues to prove every year that harnessing the charitable spirit of a few friends can be directed to reach out and truly "lift up" thousands of kids in need.