The community is invited to join the McKinney Ladies Association (MLA) in a special effort to support families experiencing the loss of a child during the holiday season. 

Members of the public are asked to join the women’s service group in donating wedding dresses or gifts of financial support to benefit NICU Helping Hands’ Angel Gowns program. 

NICU Helping Hands repurposes wedding dresses to provide families experiencing the loss of a newborn with beautiful apparel for babies. Helping Hands now also needs monetary donations to help them ship the gowns to deserving families. WFAA Channel 8 featured this group in a newscast last spring and again recently in November. 

“We are all aware of families who have experienced such a heartbreaking loss, and when we heard of this wonderful organization that helps families pay special tribute and say goodbye to their angels in such a beautiful way, we knew that MLA had to help,” says MLA President Cynthia Nelson. “MLA will collect wedding gowns starting now and throughout the entire month of December. 

“If you cannot make it to our December meeting, please bring your donation to Travel Leaders, located at 2960 Eldorado Parkway, Suite 25, at the corner of Hardin Boulevard and Eldorado Parkway behind Sonic,” Nelson says.

MLA’s December meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8 at Methodist McKinney Hospital, 8000 W. Eldorado Parkway in McKinney. The public is invited to attend (and bring an ornament to exchange!). 

MLA is dedicated to supporting the children and families of our community through special events and fundraising efforts organized by MLA. Each month, MLA supports a different local charity. For meeting details or more information about this service organization, please visit www.McKinneyLadies.org.

This fall, explore your dreams, learn how to make your aspirations come true, and hone your creative writing skills – all while you’re nurturing yourself and reconnecting with nature.  

These exciting topics are all part of upcoming weekend group retreats at the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center, a luxurious 5,000-square-foot cabin on 160 wooded acres near the Texas-Oklahoma border. 

Counseling and Consulting Associates of North Texas (CCA North Texas), a longtime McKinney Chamber of Commerce member, designed the retreats in response to requests from the public.  

"Our fall retreats have a wide public appeal – these are requested topics we're excited to present, and there's really something for everyone," says Dr. Suzanne Hales, CCA North Texas and Crescent Moon owner, who is helping facilitate the retreats.  

Space is limited and early registration is advised. "The retreats are small in size by design so that everyone has an opportunity to fully participate and be heard," Dr. Hales says. "Our goal is to foster a personal, meaningful connection with each participant and give them valuable tools so they can use the insight they've gained after the retreat."  

Details and How to Register: 

Sept. 19-21: Conscious Dreaming Retreat, led by Valley Reed, a level III certified teacher of active dreaming and a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.  

Participants will explore and discuss their dreams, actively work to have dreams. “Throughout the weekend together, we will call in our dreams on conscious shamanic group dream journeys, guided by the sound of the drum,” Ms. Reed says. “Our shamanic journeys will take us into realms of deeper exploration, where we may connect with spirits of the land, our ancestors, power animals and spiritual guides.”

• Cost: $395 per person for the weekend or $295 Saturday only (includes lodging and meals for the weekend) plus 12.75 percent tax; checks are to made payable to Valley Reed.
• Registration: Contact Valley Reed at 214-554-2840 or visit www.chrysalishealingarts.org; a $50 non-refundable deposit will guarantee your spot and the balance due upon check-in.  

Oct. 10-12: People of the Dream Retreat, led by Dr. Suzanne Hales and Dr. James Kitchens, both of whom are licensed professional counselors.  

We are all dreamers. Dreamers lead lives of adventure and risk. Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they fail. Unfortunately, many people have lost the ability to dream. Is there hope? This workshop explores how to recover your aspirations. A new day comes with each dawning, and what we wish to achieve from this weekend retreat is an awakening.  

"Our work this weekend is to awaken the dawn and recover our deepest dreams for life," Dr. Hales says. "We'll examine if you're still a dreamer, if you desire more laughter and joy in your life, how to recover enthusiasm for life, how to develop the courage and confidence to walk the pathway of your dreams. Then we'll give participants steps to take after the retreat so they'll know how to proceed from here."

• Cost: $400 per person (includes lodging and meals for the weekend) plus 12.75 percent tax; checks are to made payable to the Crescent Moon Lodge
• Registration: Contact Dr. Hales or Val at CCA North Texas, 972-542-8144; a $100 non-refundable deposit will guarantee your spot and the balance due upon check-in. 

Oct. 17-19: Writing Retreat led by McKinney writer and foodie Michele Bernard.  

“‘Yes,’ says the hero, and the journey begins,” Ms. Bernard says. “Calling all fledgling writers, hobbyists, and seasoned professionals! Regardless of genre, say yes to this call for adventure. Walk your writer’s journey. Follow your hero’s path. Participate in fun, experiential sessions designed to enhance your creativity and focus your process. Revel in personal writing time. Savor great food and the camaraderie of fellow sojourners. Return home equipped, refreshed, and ready for your next great writing adventure.”

• Cost: $400 per person/$50 deposit. Price includes lodge, meals, snacks, workshop supplies and taxes.
• Registration: Contact Michele at Michele@Mckinneyfoodie.com; 214-726-2203

 Dr. Hales opened the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center in 2013 to provide a unique cabin for fellow therapists and counselors to hold workshops, group sessions and retreats. The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center also welcomes area nonprofits, churches, scout troops, quilters, scrapbooking enthusiasts, corporate retreats, family vacations, weddings – and anyone else looking for a serene  setting with luxurious accommodations in which to relax and unwind.

 Amenities include sleeping accommodations for 24, three bathrooms, a large open living area with an oversized stone fireplace, a full kitchen, laundry facilities, a wrap-around porch, and a hot tub. Visitors enjoy panoramic views, cultivated gardens, a five-acre pond, three docks, a river, catch-and-release fishing, bird and wildlife watching, a stone labyrinth for meditating, and trails for jogging, hiking and exploring. Farm-to-table group meals prepared by a chef are available upon request. For more information about the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center, located in Rattan, Oklahoma, a pleasant drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or the Oklahoma City area, please go online to www.CrescentMoonLodge.com. Online reservations are available as well. To make a reservation or obtain answers to any questions, please call 214-926-2074. 

About the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center: Join us for a retreat into nature. The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center is a relaxing, tranquil respite for groups, families and friends. The 5,000-square-foot lodge stands on 160 acres of wooded hills in the town of Rattan, Oklahoma, near the Texas-Oklahoma border. The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center provides comfort and quiet reflection amid natural beauty. For more information, please go online to www.crescentmoonlodge.com.

 About CCA North Texas: CCA has provided counseling services to residents from McKinney and the surrounding area for more than 25 years. Founded by Dr. Suzanne Hales, CCA offers a staff that includes licensed professional counselors, social workers, therapists and a psychiatrist who provide counseling, psychotherapy and psychiatric care for adults, children, couples and families. CCA is located at 2750 W. Virginia Parkway, Suite 104 in McKinney. To make an appointment, please call 972-542-8144. For more information, please go to www.ccanorthtexas.com. CCA’s therapy provides encouragement, support, information and assistance to help you in the changes and transformations you seek in your life. We are honored to be a part of your process of change, and we applaud your courage in seeking assistance to make changes in your life.

McKinney, Texas – When Tammy Elliott of McKinney visits her hometown of West, Texas, she is saddened that so much work remains to help the community recover from the devastating fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 people and destroyed hundreds of homes nearly one year ago. 

“West has definitely made great efforts in the ongoing recovery, but it’s hard to see the damage and know there are still West residents who are missing loved ones and aren’t back in their homes,” Elliott says. 

That’s why Elliott, a Zumba® dance fitness instructor, organized a Zumba® dance fundraiser April 12 in McKinney that will benefit The First Baptist Church of West Disaster Relief Fund. The public is welcome. 

“RISE UP, Dance for West” begins at 5:30 p.m. this Saturday at The Beach at Craig Ranch in McKinney. All event proceeds and T-shirt sales as well as 15 percent of food and drink sales until midnight will benefit the West disaster fund. 

“My favorite thing about being part of the Zumba® community is that I can dance while helping people in need,” Elliott says. “This event to benefit my hometown of West means the world to me, and I feel so blessed to be able to let the residents there know that North Texans are still thinking about them and helping their recovery.” 

When a fire initially broke out at the West Fertilizer Company, emergency personnel rushed to the scene. A dozen first responders were among the 15 people killed and 300 people injured during the ensuring explosion of ammonium nitrate stored at the plant. About 350 homes and three schools were devastated as well. 

The opening ceremonies at “RISE UP, Dance for West” will include a tribute to fallen West first responders and a performance of the national anthem by country singer Donna Beckham, a West native. Beckham will also sing a song she wrote about West, titled “Home.” The song is available for download on iTunes, and CDs of her album, titled “Charm,” will be on sale during the event. A percentage of album sales and downloads of the song “Home” have gone and will continue to go to West, Beckham says. 

The public is invited to join the two-hour event, during which more than 40 Zumba® instructors – including some who are visiting from West and the Waco area – will lead a dance workout that will feature Latin, hip hop and pop songs, spun live by DJ Sneaky of Frisco. 

Elliott says she could not have organized the event without a great team, including Sylvia Bernal, Danny Rojas, Kerry Oldham, Connie Elledge, Liza Engh, Alicia Trimble, Sweta Rajesh, and Sara Torres. Elliott gives special thanks to Brenda Lang, who is donating her professional photography services during the event, and Greg Richey, who designed the "RISE UP, Dance for West" T-shirts, which will be sold for $15 each to benefit West. 

Key sponsors of the event include The Beach at Craig Ranch; Texas Family Fitness; Luke Elliott, President of Consumers for Specialized Coverage; Intersect Church of McKinney; Italian Garden on North Custer Road in McKinney; North Texas Orthodontic Associates of McKinney, featuring Drs. Donald J. Copenhaver, Robert J. Lugo, Carlos Nurko, and Jerome S. Schechter; Frederick Moreno's Allstate Insurance Agency in McKinney; and Realtor Jeanne Elliott of Williams Davis Realty. 

How to Participate or Donate:

• What: RISE UP, Dance for West Zumba® Fundraiser
• When: 5:30 p.m. April 12 (two hours of Zumba® dancing starts at 6 p.m.)
• Where: The Beach at Craig Ranch, 6145 Alma, McKinney
• Cost: $20 ($15 for first 50 entrants)
• Registration website: RiseUpDanceForWest.Eventbrite.com

The McKinney Ladies Association (MLA) is pleased to announce that Warthan Dermatology Center of McKinney will serve as the title sponsor of MLA’s Spring Fashion Show fundraiser on March 3. 

“We are absolutely thrilled that Warthan Dermatology is supporting MLA’s fundraising efforts by becoming our event title sponsor,” says Tammy DeWet, chairwoman of MLA’s Spring Fashion Show. 

“Drs. Mandy and Molly Warthan are known for providing great medical care in our community, and we truly appreciate the fact that they have such big hearts and are contributing in such a big way to MLA’s fundraiser, which this year is benefiting Meals on Wheels,” DeWet says. 

Every year, MLA holds its popular Spring Fashion Show fundraiser to raise money for a different nonprofit in McKinney. This year, MLA has selected Meals on Wheels/Senior Services of Collin County as the beneficiary to recognize and support the incredible fact that Meals on Wheels prepares and delivers more than 700 meals to homebound elderly residents every day. Meals on Wheels/Senior Services of Collin County also provides hope and socialization for its clients, because its volunteers connect with and form friendships with otherwise isolated seniors. 

Public Invited

You are invited to join MLA for its Spring Fashion Show on March 3 at Eldorado Country Club, where you will enjoy a delectable three-course meal, preview the freshest fashions and bid on fantastic silent auction items. Tickets are $50 per person. Email mlafashionshow@yahoo.com for details. 

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

MLA raises money during its fashion show through ticket sales to attend the fashion show, through a silent auction of unique items contributed by both individuals and businesses, and through sponsorship opportunities. 

Additional sponsorships are available, as is the opportunity to contribute items to the Spring Fashion Show’s silent auction. The sponsorship deadline is Monday, Jan. 27. The deadline to contribute silent auction items is Friday, Feb. 21. If you would like to participate, please contact Tammy DeWet by email at mlafashionshow@yahoo.com. 

About MLA:

The McKinney Ladies Association (MLA) is dedicated to supporting the children and families of our community through special events and fundraising efforts organized by MLA. For more information about MLA or to find out how to become a member of this exciting women’s organization, please visit our newly redesigned website at www.mckinneyladies.org and sign up for the monthly MLA e-newsletter. Look for us on Facebook at McKinney LadiesAssociation and on Twitter at @McKinneyLadies.

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