As a singer living in Austin Cory Morrow agreed to travel to North Texas to perform for Dallas CASA’s Champion of Children on Thursday, October 27, he had two goals. In addition to entertaining the crowd at The Rustic, the father of four sons and one daughter was acutely aware of the need for Dallas CASA’s mission of “getting kids out of bad situations.” . Here is a report from the field:
Dallas CASA’s Champion of Children returns to The Rustic this year with an outdoor concert by Cory Morrow, an Austin-based singer-songwriter with a heart for children.
Friends in Austin introduced Morrow to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and the dispatcher called him, so when Dallas CASA came, he said yes.
“My heart is ready to get kids out of bad situations,” he said.
A board member of an Austin charity that aims to introduce children to nature, Morrow shared with the audience that she has five children at home, a son and a daughter. four girls, ages 5 to 11, who received a solid “hoop” for presenting sponsors, CEO of Dallas CASA and CEO of the Dallas Mavs Cynt Marshall. Morrow also shared that he thought long and hard before agreeing to a relationship that would take him away from his wife and five children, but he had to say “yes” to the diversity of the Dallas Volunteers. CASA.
“We want kids to know they’re taken care of, and that’s the case tonight,” Marshall told the crowd before making a plea for “money for the bees.”
To Dallas CASA CEO Kathleen LaValle, a real message for the children cared for by the agency in the evening as the Champion of Children. “We want to make it possible for every child to fulfill their full potential and dream those big dreams.”
LaValle also called Marshall, who just published his first book, “You Choose: Thriving in the Unexpected.” Signed copies of the book were available at the event, with proceeds going to Dallas CASA. LaValle said he read it over the weekend and found it “more inspiring and truer than any memoir he’s read” and also “absolutely Cynt.”
After dinner, Morrow kept the crowd including Gina and Randall Porter along with T. Mason Porter, Sherry Thurman, Gayle Sands, Lauren Sands and Nikki Nolan rocking with original songs as well as covers, some singing and call and response, which won Jackson. Walker LLP and Retta Millerthe table is shaking. Guests came dressed for the weather and the fun, with boots, cowboy hats and jeans the look of the night.
The Judge was a special friend of Dallas CASA in attendance Clay Jenkins (with his daughter, Madeleine), Judge Scott Beauchamp and former president of the Dallas County Office of Child Welfare Marcellene Maloufwith past, present and future presidents of the Children’s Council Beth Cholerton, Hana May, Gina Porter SY Nicki Stafford.
This includes Dallas CASA board members Corey Anthony, Margaret Cervin, Janice Davis, David Krahe, Dave Kroencke, Laura Losinger, Greg May, Woody McMinn, Chance Monroe, Paige Richey, Nicki Stafford SY Linda Swartzwith members of the advisory board Bill Smith.
Guests enjoyed poached eggs, cactus fries and meatloaf before a dinner full of center-cut ribeye, drunken chicken, wood-grilled broccolini, jalapeno spoon bread and more. Guests ended the night roasting marshmallows for S’mores and maybe even reminiscing about their childhood.
* Photo credit: Ray Carlin ** Photo credit: Rosanne Lewis
