We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day to hold our March Membership Meeting at the home of Earlene Garvey in Colleyville! The sun was bright, the temperature was comfortable and the food catered by Market Street was delicious, especially the lemon bars!!! Many thanks to Mary MacDowell and Jane Wood for coordinating the food and location and to Fonda Martin for the donation of the valet parking service and door prizes. Congratulations to the door prize winners, Lynda Railsback, Mia Poorman and Lee Koch.
SOS is going “green” this year for our March Membership Meeting invitations. You should have received an evite invitation in your email inbox. If you did not receive one, then it may have been blocked by your email settings:
Donations Currently Needed
Members of Mid-Cities SOS are known to be nothing short of AMAZING! The Club’s final project for 2011 was the annual holiday wish List, and this year we aimed very high indeed. Every year, we ask SafeHaven to compile a list of needed and wished-for items to bring a bit of comfort and joy to women who are residing at the shelter due to domestic violence. We’ve all heard many times how many of these women have entered the shelter in a time of crisis, without having had the time or opportunity to pack their belongings. SOS members have always been quick to step up and help take care of many of their needs, and this time was no exception.
Donations began arriving at our December luncheon meeting held at Bonnell’s. Donations kept arriving at our drop-off sites right up till Christmas. AND, our members – obviously very adept at scoping out the sales – kept the donation deliveries coming all the way into early January! Shelter staff was extremely gratified to receive all the wonderful gifts you have provided. We’re told that we certainly did bring smiles to the ladies. We were able to give the gift of comfort to so many residents of the shelters at a time when it was so very needed.
The goal was to provide 100 items of comfortable apparel, including the always-in-demand sleepwear. Members have been curious about the numbers, so please take delight in how well we did:
Sleepwear, including pj’s, robes . . . over 100 (!)
Socks, regular and comfy fuzzies . . . . . . 92
Comfortable pants/tops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Totes/carry-all’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Lingerie items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Plus, a number of gift cards and checks were received that are to be applied to urgent needs, as well as miscellaneous items suitable for shelter use or for residents about to move into their new transitional living quarters.
We cannot thank enough our members who let us use their business or front door as a drop-off site. These are: Linda Eilenfeldt of RE/MAX Masters in Southlake, Sally Bustamante of Bates Container in North Richland Hills, and Patti Campbell’s front door in Colleyville. They helped us to accommodate our members in location and timing and accept donations well beyond our December meeting date.
We also thank those of you who tapped your friends’ and co-workers’ shoulders to help shoot us way over our goal!
Our SOS members should be very proud of how you have touched the lives of those who need our assistance. Because of you, many women were given a little bit more comfort during their stay at the shelter. Applause and kudos to you all!
Anna Saunders, Urgent Needs Committee
Appreciation gifts of cutlery were presented to the generous Celebrity Chefs of 2012 by Fonda Martin, 2011 SOS President, and Deanna Stuart, 2012 SOS President. 
6th Annual Celebrity Chefs Benefit and Auction . . .
"Hands are for Healing"
Well done! Celebrity Chefs 2012 was the ultimate mix of business (raising funds) with pleasure (fine dining and wine). Our 6th Annual event had record attendance of 390 and raised more than $86,000 for the children of SafeHaven.
Our organization certainly does not “color between the lines”. The Committee really mixed things up with the addition of our inaugural Recipe Collection, Choice of Chefs Raffle and Champagne Diamond Drop. Not only did the spunky and brilliant committee members embrace the changes, we exceeded expectations.
"Hands are for Healing" was an extravaganza of fine food and wine. Thank you to MC Scott Murray and Auctioneer Dan Holmes for their dedication and exuberance. The Colleyville Lions Club again provided attendees with 5 Star Service. Bank of Texas continues to give our organization peace of mind with its presence at the event. Artist Richard Nunez “wowed” the guests by completing on-site a painting previously created by several children living at SafeHaven.
Co-Chairs Julie English and Martha Blue KEY INGREDIENTS TO THE SUCCESS
A GREAT deal of Gratitude goes to our Generous Chefs for donating their time and talents –
Chef Jaime Aguilar, Copeland’s of New Orleans at the Hilton
Chef Hans Bergmann, Cacharel Restaurant and Grand Ballroom
Chef Jon Bonnell, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine
Chef Otto Borsich, Central Market
Chef Susan Clark, Sweet Memories Cakes and Catering
Chef Ed Esquivel, Wildwood Grill
Chef Anthony Felli, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
Chef Craig Ford, Timarron Country Club
Chef Jason Harper, Trio Café
Chef Kyle Jones, Truluck’s Seafood, Steak and Crab House
Chef Brian Olenjack, OLENJACK’S Grille
Chef Donatella Trotti, Nonna Tata
Chef Chris Wilson, Market Street
Chef Mark Yamada, Trophy Club Country Club
Chef Charles Youts, The Classic Café at Roanoke
OUR VERY GENEROUS SPONSORS
Presenting Chef Sponsors:
Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square
Star-Telegram
Alliance Regional Newspapers
INDULGE Luxury Magazine
Executive Chef Sponsors:
Bates Container
American Airlines
Fonda Enterprises & Kai/Kershaw Knives
Master Chef Sponsors:
LaQUINTA Inns and Suites
LiLium
Bear Creek Spirits & Wine
Richard’s Custom Jewelers
Roxann Taylor & Associates, Realtors
AND Last but not least – The Spunky and Brilliant Committee:
Martha Blue, Co-Chair
Sally Bustamante
Patti Campbell
Julie English, Co-Chair
Carolyn Fobes
Kirsty Gelberd
Jennifer Goldberg
Joyce Hail
Tara Hutchins-Welsh
Renny Hostetler
Janice Kane
Kathy Lincoln
Fonda Martin, 2011 SOS President
Mia Poorman
Martha Ragsdale
Lynda Sanders
Janet Smith
Deanna Stuart, 2012 SOS President
Sally Wobbeking
Jane Wood
December 2nd Meeting Highlights
2012 Mid-Cities SOS Officers, L to R: 
In appreciation for serving two years as president,
A glorious “O Holy Night” was performed by
