|
D’Andra Simmons Lock and Jeremy Lock to
Chair
Mercury One’s M1Ball
Francie Moody-Dahlberg and Kevin Dahlberg are Honorary
Chairs
Announcements were made at the Kick-Off Party at Mercury
Studios Stage 19
Over 100
business and community leaders gathered at Glenn
Beck’s Mercury Studios to hear the announcements for
the M1Ball benefiting Mercury One, the nonprofit
organization founded by him and his wife, Tania.
Everyone
agreed it is a real treat to be invited to a private
party at such an exclusive location, inside the working
radio and TV studio at Stage 19, named after Orson
Welles’ Sound Stage at Universal.
Anticipation filled the room as guests entered the
biggest TV and movie studio between New York and
Hollywood in daily production where they were greeted
with the bigger-than-life sized robots from the 2013
live-production and movie Man In The Moon and
joined in the reception in the studios where films such
as RoboCop, JFK, Silkwood, Born on the 4th of
July and Problem Child were all filmed as
well as shows like Walker, Texas Ranger and Barney.
Setting
the scene on one side of the studio were ten-foot tall
photographs from a mission in Iraq last fall and on the
other side, a stage was set with pop culture icons and
pieces of historical, political and spiritual items
reflecting America and its history.
Mercury
One’s executive director Suzanne Bock Grishman welcomed
the crowd and gave some background about Mercury One, a 501(c)(3)
charity founded in 2011. The organization’s focus is in
three different areas: Humanitarian Aid, including
disaster relief, help for veterans, support in the fight
against human trafficking; Education Initiatives and The
Nazarene Fund, which are depicted in tall posters placed
around the studio.
She explained the
initiatives and programs the foundation supports,
including most recently sponsoring the Dallas Film
Society’s High School Roundtables in the 2017 and 2018
academic year, their High School Day and Stand to Honor
in Dallas honoring veterans. Mercury
One’s initiatives include providing programs to
individuals to advance the skills, knowledge and
attitudes necessary for communities to help themselves
as well as assisting our nation’s veterans, providing
aid to those in crisis, and rebuilding and restoring the
lives of Christians and other persecuted religious
minorities in the Middle East.
Glenn shared a story about one of the huge photographs
depicting a bombed-out church sanctuary in Batnaya,
which had become Isis headquarters and through help from
Mercury One’s The Nazarene Fund, citizens were given job
training, clothing and are helping rebuild their
church.
The big announcement of the evening brought a resounding
round of applause, this year’s M1Ball chairs, D’Andra
Simmons Lock and her husband, Jeremy Lock, who
had toured that site in Iraq last fall.
Taking the stage, D’Andra and Jeremy gave a heartfelt
and emotional retelling of their experiences in touring
Iraq and the impact that has had on their lives, which
was the strongest influence that has led them to the
commitment as ball chairs this year. Jeremy said that
not since his retirement from the Air Force in 2013 has
he felt the sense of purpose and camaraderie than with
this organization, which they have seen save lives, and
he and D’Andra are truly honored to be on board.
They also announced honorary chairs Francie
Moody-Dahlberg and her husband, Kevin Dahlbergand
in even more exciting news, Dee Simmons as
underwriting chair.
Suzanne reminded everyone to purchase their raffle
ticket to enter to win a Mercedes-Benz 2018 CLA250.
Tickets are $100 each and a limited number will be sold.
The winner will be drawn at the M1Ball. Winner does not
have to be present to win. She thanked raffle partner
Mercedes-Benz of Plano and leading sponsors D’Andra
Simmons Lock and Jeremy Lock, Bank of America and Merrill
Lynchfor their support and everyone there for taking
part in supporting Mercury One.
Slated for Saturday, November 17 at Mercury Studios
Stage 19, the M1Ball benefits Mercury One, a
humanitarian aid and education organization focused on
restoring the human spirit. It will feature a VIP
reception for underwriters at certain levels, cocktail
reception, a savory three-course seated dinner, live
and silent auctions of priceless experiences and
one-of-a-kind treats,
followed by entertainment everyone will enjoy.
Individual
Tickets are $350 and a Patron Ticket is $750. Host
Committee is $1,500 for two tickets. Sponsorship
opportunities are $5,000-$100,000. Find out more at mercuryone.org/m1ball or
contact Patrizia Pelfrey, ppelfrey@mercuryone.org or
call 972-499-4747.
North Texas and other beneficiaries of Mercury One
include: Mercury
One is a 501(c)(3) foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Mercury
One is a Humanitarian Aid and Education organization
focused on restoring the human spirit. Mercury One’s
initiatives include providing programs to individuals to
advance the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary
for communities to help themselves as well as assisting
our nation’s veterans, providing aid to those in crisis,
and rebuilding and restoring the lives of Christians and
other persecuted religious minorities in the Middle
East.
Mercury One’s The Nazarene Fund has directly assisted
over 45,000 Christian and other persecuted religious
minorities displaced by ISIS in the Middle East by
evacuating them to safe havens and providing for their
needs.
Initiatives include leading a funding effort to provide
immediate and long-term relief for 2017 Hurricane Harvey
victims working with six core disaster relief partners,
who in turn pledged 100% of granted funds directly aided
and assisted individuals in a number of ways including:
search and rescue, basic needs, humanitarian support,
food and long-term clean-up and recovery efforts. These
partners were CitiImpact, Gleaning for the World,
Operation BBQ Relief, Somebody Cares, Team Rubicon, and
The Provisions Project.
Additional initiatives include supporting O.U.R.
(Operation Underground Railroad) paving the way for
permanent eradication of child sex trafficking; Folds of
Honor/Stand To Honor in Dallas 2017; Dallas Film
Society’s High School Roundtable events and High School
Day 2016-2017; 22 Kill-veteran suicide prevention; Team
Rubicon-disaster recovery in Rowlett, Garland, Baton
Rouge, and Houston; S.E.E.D.-trauma support and
counseling in Iraq; F.A.R.M.-agricultural therapy for
veterans living with PTSD and depression; City of Glenn
Heights-disaster relief; Recovery Resource Council;
Irving Cares; La Buena Vida Youth Leadership Foundation;
Boot Campaign; Operation BBQ; Sons of the Flag; Minnie’s
Food Pantry; Soupmobile; Irving AMBUCS; Catholic
Charities; Chris Kyle Foundation; and Honor, Courage,
and Commitment.
Mercury One has expanded its partnership with veterans’
organizations to fund educational, psychological and
employment training as well as hosted celebrations to
honor them for their sacrifice and dedication. Mercury
One has provided its partners in Israel with first
responder rescue “ambucycles,” and increased its
collection of historical and religious artifacts.
In 2016 over $200,000 was donated to the Assist the
Officer Foundation benefiting the families of fallen
officers in Dallas following the fatal shooting July 7,
2016.
|