Giving Cancer the Boot
Texans don’t need an excuse for a chance to put on their best cowboy hats and pairs of boots and take a turn around the dance floor, but residents across Dallas and the Park Cities will have one for the 43rd annual Cattle Baron’s Ball at Gilley’s Dallas on Oct. 15.
As part of its mission to “give cancer the boot,” the annual fundraising event has raised more than $65 million for cancer research through the American Cancer Society since Patti Hunt and Jacque Wynne began the tradition in 1974.
For 2016 Cattle Baron’s Ball co-chairs Cara French and Andrea Weber, the event is a way to help makes strides in research of a disease that has touched loved ones.
“My mother has survived cancer twice (a 25-year survivor), and that really scared our family,” Weber said. “I want to eliminate that sickness and fear of cancer for others and my best effort is to help fundraise for a cure.”
Along with Weber, French, who lost her grandfather to lung cancer, hopes to raise more than $4 million from this year’s event. Last year Cattle Baron’s raised more than $4.2 million for cancer research.
Along with raising funds, the evening is known for providing A-list country artist entertainment for attendees, and this year doesn’t look to disappoint with not one, but two musical guests: Toby Keith and Dwight Yoakum.
Both chairs acknowledged the event’s fundraising efforts couldn’t be accomplished without the generosity of the community.
“Our community has invested in our mission to fight cancer and the Cattle Baron’s Ball is full of gratitude for the generosity of our donors and contributors for helping [this] be the largest single-night fundraiser for the American Cancer Society,” French said.
