Claire Emanuelson in a look from Neiman Marcus and Eiseman Jewels, all at NorthPark Center.
This article is promoted/partner content and not produced by the editorial staff.
They are entrepreneurs and art patrons, executives and serious philanthropists. And they all effect change in Dallas in a personal way. PaperCity is zooming in on NorthPark Center’s 2018 Luxury Ambassadors as they embark on a year of supporting charities close to their hearts. This is the fourth article in the series. To read the rest of the series, click here.
Claire Emanuelson
Chairman, The Crystal Charity Ball 2018
Cause: The Crystal Charity Ball
The Crystal Charity Ball memories. I have many fantastic memories of the last 10 years at Crystal Charity, but the one that will remain with for me forever was my first tour of the selected beneficiaries in 2007. The intensity of seeing each of the agencies’ work first hand; the greetings from the staff and from the children being served; and the heartfelt gratitude expressed by all in recognition of our work was overwhelming. It was the first time I fully appreciated the magnitude of the impact Crystal Charity has on the lives of children in our community.
On recently being mother of the groom. My best mother-of-the-groom moment was watching the most beautiful and brilliant woman in the world say “I do” to my son! I finally got my girl — and we adore her and her family. We are so blessed.
Southern charm, defined. True Southern charm has a bit of mystery to it. Southern women are strong, but in a subtle way. They are resilient, kind, and gracious. The best Southern belles can deliver their charm in such a way that the recipient has no idea that they have been “charmed.”
Sage advice. My dad, Richard Stephens, always said, “You will learn more from your failures than you will from your successes.”
Hosting 101. It is all about the people. Invite the right mix, and any party will be successful. Rely on the experts for event planning, design, and menu — and don’t forget to have fun. No matter what the event, guests want to be relaxed and in an environment where they don’t have to work hard to enjoy themselves — so have all the details covered in advance.
The importance of giving back. Even before I started kindergarten, my parents encouraged my sisters and I to contribute to the offering basket at church on Sundays. I had a nickel-a-week allowance at that time, but it was given to me in pennies, so I always had change for the service. Even though I didn’t quite understand it, it made me feel good. The feeling of being able to help someone else, even in the smallest way, is one of the great joys of life.
More about this series: Dallas is a city famed for giving back. Each year, NorthPark Center recognizes our city’s most influential philanthropists who are making differences in our community to garner further exposure for their favorite charities.
NorthPark Center Luxury Ambassadors are hand-selected for their contributions and efforts in the areas of visual and performing arts, children’s causes, and research in health and sciences. Each year-long ambassadorship offers the opportunity to partner with NorthPark Center for various initiatives and events benefiting their favorite North Texas non-profit institutions.
The program was formed in 2016 as an extension of the shopping center’s “Fifty Years of Giving” anniversary celebration in 2015.
Part of the Special Series:
