Be they scarlet, crimson or ruby, red shoes are in order for the Ruby Slippers Soiree, a fundraiser hosted by the Mid-Cities Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae Thursday at Campania’s Restaurant in Southlake.

Open to the public, the event is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. All proceeds will benefit CASA of Tarrant County.

A shoe fashion show, with shoes provided by Stanley Eisenman and modeled by collegiate members of Kappa Alpha Theta, will highlight the inaugural event. The $25 ticket price includes a beverage and gourmet pizza.

Chairing the event is Lisa Cumbie. Tickets may be ordered online at www.speakupforachild.org or purchased at the door.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Tarrant County is an organization of volunteer advocates who stand up on behalf of abused and neglected children. The CASA concept was brought to Tarrant County in 1983 by the late Judge Scott Moore, then presiding judge of the 323rd Judicial District, along with community volunteers Rhoda Bernstein and Monna Loftis, and Wayne Hairgrove, director of child protective services.

A fundraising card will be breeding sales of 20 percent off all over town, beginning Oct. 29.

Nearly 150 area shops, restaurants, spas and salons are participating in SafeHaven’s 2010 HeartCard program. From Oct. 29 through Nov. 7,  select businesses will sell HeartCards for $55 and offer a 20 percent discount to HeartCard holders. Proceeds from the card sales will benefit SafeHaven of Tarrant County’s emergency shelters and counseling services for victims of domestic violence.

Cards also may be purchased at www.safehaventc.org, Whole Foods in Arlington and at Berry Good Buys, the TCU-area resale shop owned by SafeHaven. Cardholders can use the card repeatedly during the sale period, which falls during early holiday shopping time. Some of the area’s most unique stores participate in HeartCard every year, along with restaurants, spas, jewelers and a variety of other businesses.  

For further information, please contact Valerie Salter at 817-546-6040, ext. 246 or vsalter@safehaventc.org.

SafeHaven of Tarrant County, a nonprofit organization.  exists to end family violence through safety, support, prevention and social change. SafeHaven’s two emergency shelters, one in Arlington and one in Fort Worth, accommodate  174 women and children, making SHTC one of the largest shelters in Texas.

For more information on how you can help, visit our website at www.safehaventc.orgor call 817 535-6462. For immediate assistance regarding domestic violence, please contact the 24 hour toll free crisis hotline at 1-877-701- SAFE (7233).

Sheila Jane Reynolds

The 2010 Go Red for Women Luncheon returns to Tarrant County Feb. 16 at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel.

The event, planned for the middle of National Heart Month,  will be given the theme “Faces of Heart.” Female survivors of heart disease will share their stories with luncheon guests, and guests also will have the opportunity to bid on auction items.

Chairing the fundraiser will be Sheila Jane Reynolds, who lost her mother to heart disease, with Joyce Pate Capper serving as the Honorary Chairman. 

 ‘My mother really wanted to live a long and healthy life but didn’t have the chance,” Reynolds said. ”This is why I Go Red this February with the American Heart Association in Tarrant County. Together, we can all make a difference and save a life right here in our community.’

For more information on the 2010 Go Red for Women luncheon in Tarrant County, call 817-698-5411 or visit www.heart.org/tarrantcountygoredforwomen.

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Tarrant County College

I took advantage of last week’s open house at Tarrant County College’s fantastic new downtown Fort Worth campus (www.tccd.edu), and I’m glad. It’s an A+ addition as the fifth in TCC’s network of campuses.

The new Trinity River Campus, located at 300 Trinity Campus Circle, is light, bright and beautiful. What was once Radio Shack’s headquarters is now an urban oasis that surely will inspire lots of people to further their education. The decision to snap up Radio Shack’s digs was such a brilliant decision, I wish I could take credit for it.

The first official fall semester begins Aug. 24, and the campus looks ready for lots of learning by lots of people. Besides all of the students who will be able to access it via mass transportation, how convenient for downtown office workers to enroll in a class or two for fun or out of necessity. And don’t forget how many of those new urban dwellers might want to pick up an extra credit or two.

The location is outstanding, but the building itself is beautiful–Radio Shack’s loss is Tarrant County’s gain. Most classrooms have window views, and the library is filled with new books just waiting to have their spines cracked.

Ironically, one of the classroom views is of the jail. What a reminder that taxpayers’ dollars are so much better invested in education than punishment.