At next month’s High Point Market, CEO Karen McNeill will be spending three days with the team from Roto, which is responsible for designing the facility and its exhibits, to help them gain a better understanding of our industry and how each of the Hall’s four tenets play into it.

 McNeill said when finished, the facility will serve as a place for consumers to learn about the industry, a place for newcomers to absorb information (with a lot of information available on demand online).

“The first [aspect] is for the industry. It will be focused on creating educational and training programs for the industry. There will be gathering places for seminars and other training,” she said. “The concept is to create pride in our industry and help consumers build a better appreciation for home furnishings.”

Additionally, it will provide a place for inter-industry gatherings and celebrations.  “It’s going to be a gathering place for the industry. Right now, there is no gathering place. You can go to a showroom but there is no place to gather,” McNeill said. “Our Celebration Hall will be big enough for 400 people or a seated dinner for 150.”

To learn more about American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame, please visit their website.

In Dallas, ART member Global Views held a vaccine clinic for its employees and family members on April 21. In all, 62 people signed up for the Pfizer shot.  COO Frederick Rayner coordinated the clinic after hearing how simple it was to set it up.  “Our warehouse manager told me about it because his daughter’s employer offered this service for a team to come in and do vaccines. I thought it sounded great and decided to get more info,” Rayner said. The clinic was conducted by RealTime Laboratories, Inc and returned on May 12th to administer the second round of Pfizer shots.

Rayner said his rationale for setting up the clinic was a simple one: he wants a sense of normalcy to return sooner rather than later, and he wants to see people be as safe as possible.
“I really want people to be vaccinated,” he said.

Tri Delta Cookies & Castles – Dallas is a two-day gingerbread extravaganza that benefits the prosthetics department at Scottish Rite for Children, a Dallas-based specialized pediatric hospital. Each December, families and friends gather to decorate gingerbread houses and cookie men. Participants select delicious decorations from the “Candy Bar” filled with more than 5,000 pounds of sweet treats. The first day’s event is an annual Ladies Luncheon where decorating houses and cookies has become a treasured tradition for those who attend. The second day of gingerbread decorating is Cookies & Castles Family Day. This day is a true multigenerational event where parents and grandparents bring children of all ages to experience the magic of the season. Families can choose a morning or afternoon seating for this event. Both days include photos with Santa, raffle items and plenty of holiday music.

Standefer, Loloi’s director of textiles, has had a hand in the event since the Dallas chapter adopted it 14 years ago. She noted that since she joined Loloi seven years ago, the Dallas-based company has stepped up its participation and began sponsoring it six years back. During that time, Standefer has been the sponsor chair for Cookies & Castles for several years and chaired the entire event in 2015.

“For all the wonderful things the dedicated doctors and medical professionals at Scottish Rite for Children do to support children and families in need, the annual Cookies & Castles fundraiser is near and dear to our hearts,” said Amir Loloi, founder and president of Loloi. “We are happy to donate money specifically targeted for the prosthetics department. As the hospital’s slogan says, Loloi wants to help give children their childhoods back.”

Standefer said the Ladies Luncheon is one of the most poignant parts of the event, as kids who have received prosthetics share their stories. She said many times, there isn’t a dry eye in the house by the time the children are finished speaking.

“Scottish Rite says they want to give children back their childhood no matter their ability to pay. The stories are so heartwarming and you see what goes into it,” Standefer said. “A child growing up with a limb deficiency will need 25 prostheses in their lifetime and each costs $15-$25,000 or more depending on how specialized they are.”