Out & About: The Senior Source Spirit of Generations Luncheon
The Senior Source held its 29th-annual Spirit of Generations Luncheon March 9 at the Hilton Anatole.
More than 650 guests gathered for the nonprofit’s largest event of the year and to support the award recipients, former Mayor Michael S. Rawlings and Micki Rawlings.
This year’s luncheon exceeded the agency’s goal of $1 million raised to help support the financial and emotional well-being of more than 20,000 Dallas-area seniors. Funds raised at the event are critical to The Senior source’s operation of programs and services to older adults and their family caregivers annually through community engagement, support, independence, advocacy, financial security, and protection.
The Rawlings couple were the recipients of the Spirit of Generations Award. Micki accepted the award from The Senior Source president and CEO Stacey Malcolmson and shared emotional stories about her struggles of caregiving for her parents on their end-of-life journey while fulfilling her duties as First Lady of Dallas. Mike spoke about the selflessness of his wife’s caregiving and his wish to support the organization to support “the seniors who don’t have a Micki to take them in.”
“The Rawlings perfectly personify the Dallas spirit of hard work, community service, faith, and family that make our city so great and tie all the generations together,” luncheon chair Christie Carter said.
The luncheon also presented the Molly H. Bogen Service Award to Sydney Portilla-Diggs of local nonprofit Any Step Community Services. Under her leadership, the agency has donated a total of 38,000 pounds of food and nearly 16,000 hygiene items to 5,400 low-income households. Sydney has also inspired teens and young adults through youth service classes and programs.
The Molly H. Bogen Service Award is named after the former president and CEO of The Senior Source and honors a community leader who is making contributions to ensuring older adults in greater Dallas have the tools and resources to thrive.
