Bigger in Texas: UNICEF’s Dallas Gala Broke a Fundraising Record

While Los Angeles was abuzz with Tom Ford and New York was up to its Fashion Week antics, down in Dallas, a group gathered to fundraise for UNICEF, the United Nations agency providing humanitarian aid to children around the world.

Hosted at the Ritz-Carlton, the night honored UNICEF Germany ambassador Dirk Nowitzki and his wife, Jessica, both longtime UNICEF USA supporters. “It’s been a wonderful journey, learning more about what UNICEF does,” said Dirk to the crowd seated in the ballroom. “As we heard earlier, it is in nearly 200 countries doing amazing work.”

Guests including Moll Anderson and Jan Miller Rich (cochairs of the night), honorary chair Nancy C. Rogers, Sterling and Stacie McDavid, Mona Patel, and Sabrina Harrison helped make up the 430-person gala dinner. On the agenda was a performance by six-member country-pop band King Calaway and a live auction. Many a paddle was in the air, because by the close of the event, more than $1.5 million was raised—breaking the fundraiser’s all-time record.