“Visions of Vegas – Playing for Others,”  the third annual Southlake Newcomers Club casino fundraiser, is set for 6 p.m. March 6 at the Southlake Hilton. 

The event will be filled with casino gaming, auctions and live entertainment, with proceeds going to the club’s charitable causes. Tickets in advance are priced at $50 per person and $95 per couple. At the door, individual tickets will be priced at $60. Information is available at 817-233-3371 or at www.southlakenewcomers.com.

 The Southlake Newcomers Club,  a 501(c)3 charitable organization, has donated more than $70,000 the past two years to local charities and scholarships for high school seniors.  The organization, open to residents of Southlake and neighboring communities, is a social and civic club providing opportunities for friendship, community service and becoming acquainted the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Roger Staubach, left, and Troy Aikman, right, escort a young patient down the runway at the 2009 event. The two former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks will huddle up again for the 2010 fundraiser.

The 22nd Annual Beyond the Rainbow Luncheon and Fashion Show, with honorary co-chairs Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, will be held April 23 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.

The fundraiser benefiting Children’s Cancer Fund will feature a fashion show, produced by Rhonda Sargent Chambers/RSC Show Productions. Fashion presenter will be Dillard’s, and children undergoing treatment for cancer at Children’s Medical Center will be escorted down the runway by corporate sponsors and celebrity guests including Staubach and Aikman.

The event also will include both live and silent auctions.  Celebrity escorts for the children will include Dallas Cowboys football players, radio personality Kellie Rasberry, dinosaur ”Barney” and  others. Proceeds from the luncheon will go to Children’s Cancer Fund to help advance research and treatment programs in pediatric oncology at Children’s Medical Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center.  

With the theme “Bright Stars, Bright Hope,” the fundraiser will begin with a 10:30 a.m. champagne reception. Event co-chairs Marisa Huckin and Adelina Kainer have arranged for Clarice Tinsley and Steve Eagar of FOX 4 News to serve as emcees. 

Tickets are $150 each or $1,250 per table of ten. To purchase tickets, contact Camille Mauritzen at Children’s Cancer Fund at 972-664-1450 or visit the Web site at www.childrenscancerfund.net.

Kathy Whitworth. Photo by Mike Lewis.

The late Byron Nelson, long the official cheerleader for Metroport Meals on Wheels’ Golf Tournament, could never be replaced.

The beloved icon served for years and years as honorary chairman of the annual golf tournament for the organization (www.metroportmow.org), helping make it the big success that it is. A picture with him was a big draw, making the fundraiser an annual sell-out. When he died in 2006, it was a huge loss in many ways, including to Metroport Meals on Wheels’ annual event.

Well, now another big name golfer is teeing off as honorary chair. Kathy Whitworth, named LPGA Player of the Year seven times and Associated Press Athlete of the Year twice, took the honors this year for Metroport Meals on Wheels. She was among those at the Sunday night dinner preceding the golf tournament, and then she was spotlighted at the tournament the next day.

The Tee-off Dinner, chaired by Sandy King, was a great way to kick off the fundraiser, in part because Rick Stacy was pretty darn funny as the auctioneer.

Some things don’t change, and evidently there are lots of kids who still want to grow up to be a firefighter or a police officer. A day spent eating at the station, riding in a fire truck or visiting the jail–buyer’s choice–was a hot auction item at the fundraising dinner. The Southlake Department of Safety and Chief Robert Finn donated the special outing for a child, and eventually the chief made it an offer for two. Ring the bell on that firetruck–he agreed to donate two special days, and two were sold at $5,000 a piece.  

And did you hear about the dog who got to stay for dinner? Nitro, a 12-week-old llewellin setter, was the honored guest at pre-tournament dinner. This one was not the usual puppy you see being cradled in someone’s arms before the live auction; Nitro was on a leash and wagging his tail to be taken home.

Dinner was a Southwestern salad, margarita chicken and key lime pie, which went over well with the crowd. Singer Cody Jinks’ concert followed dinner but with tee times early the next day, not too many stayed to boot scoot.

Still golf tournament chairwoman Debbie Vinson wasn’t worried. She knew the auction had made enough money that she could go home happy whether boots scooted or not.