Dear Friends,

Snow and ice as I write this letter and no school! A mixed blessing for fundraisers. A little unplanned time out of the office is always a nice surprise, but it means more to do before the end of year in fewer days. Our unpredictable weather in Dallas is not the best reason to live here. For me, one of the things I love best about this city is the people. Hopefully you were one of the 500 people who attended our NPD luncheon to hear the award recipients and their passionate stories. Or maybe you were in the audience for our Holiday Luncheon last week to hear the heartfelt presentation by Abby and Todd Williams. On both occasions, I saw the theme of our NPD luncheon, "change the world with a giving heart," in action in people's lives. The cumulative impact from these people in helping others is impossible to calculate. 

 
The same impact is also true for you, our AFP membership and leadership. What you do every day to make this city and our world a better place is remarkable. Every day lives are changed for the good because of your efforts. Now, with nearly 400 Greater Dallas Chapter AFP members, an increase of 100 this year with new and renewing members, achieving our AFP Now! financial goal, hosting the DFW conference in a new venue, the Irving Convention Center, plus hosting the first ever Dallas/Fort Worth joint chapter luncheon meeting in February were just a few of the highlights for 2013. It has taken teamwork to make these outstanding accomplishments a reality, and the successes of the past year could not have taken place without your dedication as well as your gifts of time, talent and treasure.

Last but not least, I am personally indebted to Madeleine Crouch and her team for the extraordinary administrative work they do in supporting us. Going above and beyond with a "servant" attitude, their efforts go without acknowledgement, but Madeleine's fingerprints are on everything, and Madeleine Crouch & Co., Inc. does a wonderful job of making our chapter look good.