THE SOCIAL FRONT
Sunshine Gala
Sunshine School & Development Center hosted its unforgettable Sunshine Gala on April 26 at Ledger in Bentonville, bringing together more than 400 guests dressed in their best country-chic attire for an evening of dinner, drinks, dancing and heartwarming generosity. Guests bid in live and silent auctions, all in support of a vital mission. This year’s honorary chairs were Melody Richard, senior vice president of pantry for Walmart, and Will McDonald, vice president divisional merchandise manager of beverages for Walmart — two incredible champions of the cause. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the community, more than $360,000 was raised to fund therapy, education and advocacy services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. www.nwasunshineschool.org
Brian Noland Memorial Pickleball Tournament
On April 26, the sound of paddles and purpose echoed across the courts at the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club in Fayetteville. The inaugural Brian Noland Memorial Pickleball Tournament brought together 48 players and dozens of supporters, all rallying behind a beloved friend and an even greater cause. Organized by the Pickleball Friends of Brian Noland aka “Pickleball Chicks”, this spirited event raised enough funds to provide three $5,000 scholarships for graduating seniors from Fayetteville High School. These need-based scholarships will be awarded July 19 at the FHS Hall of Greats Banquet, honoring students who are pursuing higher education with heart and hustle. Players received generous swag bags filled with donated goodies — a heartfelt tribute to the community’s generosity and Brian’s legacy of kindness and connection. The day was more than a tournament; it was a celebration of friendship, fun and the power of giving back. www.fhshallofgreats.org
Party with a Purpose
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Breakthrough T1D hosted its Party with a Purpose on April 26 at Osage House in Cave Springs. More than 425 community leaders, prominent citizens and philanthropists came together for an unforgettable evening to champion a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Brad and Megan Delco and Aubrey and Peter Grabow were the event’s co-chairs, and Matt Holt, vice president of health care operations for Sam's Club, was the honorary corporate chair. Emceed by Jon Williams and Allison Wise, the evening kicked off with a lively cocktail hour, followed by a delicious dinner and an exciting live auction. During the program, guests heard speakers share stories about what it is like to live with T1D, including a video featuring the Kaiser family's journey after their daughter Teryn was diagnosed. The highlight of the evening was the “Fund A Cure” moment, where guests could raise their paddle to directly support life-changing research and resources for people with T1D. More than $425,000 was raised in the fight to find a cure for T1D. www.breakthrought1d.org/southernstates
30th Anniversary Celebration
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas hosted an exclusive brunch-style event celebrating its 30th anniversary on April 30 at Rogers Convention Center. More than 350 guests gathered for a fireside chat between Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Walmart Inc., and Kieran Shanahan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Walmart U.S. Artis Stevens, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, also took the stage to share powerful remarks about the transformative impact of mentorship. www.bbbsnwa.org
Celebration of Excellence
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On April 30, the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation celebrated its 25th annual Celebration of Excellence at the Arkansas Air & Military Museum in Fayetteville, highlighting its commitment to the enrichment of Fayetteville Public Schools. This year, the foundation distributed $534,000 through grants to teachers, scholarships for students and funding for special projects to the Fayetteville Public Schools. Since 1992, the foundation's donor-invested $4 million endowment has provided support to FPS. In addition, the foundation recently rolled out the Reaching New Heights endowment, a new $1 million endowment to accelerate transformational grants in the Fayetteville District. www.fayedfoundation.org
Dish
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On May 1, The Arkansas Children’s Northwest Auxiliary hosted Dish, formerly a la Carte, at Ledger in Bentonville. This upscale, Western-inspired celebration brought together more than 500 guests to enjoy tastings from 25 of some of Northwest Arkansas’ best restaurants, entertainment by The Danner Band, and an online silent auction. This year’s honorary chef was Matthew Cooper, chef and owner of Conifer and RYN, and the event chair was Kelly Comer, counsel at Walmart U.S. Featured restaurants included baked by kori bakery & wine bar, Bienvenue, Bloom Cheese Collective, Casa Alejo, Conifer, Crabby’s Seafood Bar & Grill, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, Hardwater Cocktail Room, The Hive, Ideal Spice, Isabellas Italian, Junto, Menya Kitakara, Mirabella’s Table, Oven & Tap, Plomo Quesadillas, The Restaurant at Stonebreaker, The Spark Café, The Spring on Main, Superfine Sweets Shoppe, Table Mesa Bistro, Tavola Trattoria, Theo’s Rogers, Wood Stone Craft Pizza and Yankabilly Smokehouse. The event raised $153,000 to support ACNW. www.archildrens.org/dish
Gala for Education and Access
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TheatreSquared hosted its annual Gala for Education and Access on May 1 at the Fayetteville Public Library. Nearly 400 people were in attendance for the Grecian resort-inspired event. Guests enjoyed a three-course dinner prepared by chef Michael Roberts of Pizzeria Ruby and a performance by Carla Renata, who previously appeared at T2 as Cleo Bouvier in the world premiere of Designing Women. TheatreSquared honored Susan and Orville Hall with the Arts Advocate Award for their dedication to the arts and education, Dr. Michael Hollomon and Dr. Eric Wailes were presented the Cornerstone Award, and Joshua Jones of Fouke High School received the Arts Educator Award. The co-chairs for the evening were Dr. Naccaman Williams and Michelle Gill. In total, the event raised more than $235,000. This support will allow T2 to reach nearly 30,000 students, teachers, and underserved community members across Arkansas and beyond through free educational programs and ticket access initiatives. www.theatre2.org
Plant-a-Seed Soirée
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On May 2, the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Foundation hosted its annual Plant-a-Seed Soirée at Heroncrest in Elm Springs, presented by Cheez-It. Approximately 200 guests enjoyed live entertainment by Two Story Radio, a fabulous dinner prepared by Brightwater chefs and the Culinary Capstone class of 2025, and a live and silent auction. Emceed by Jaclyn House of KNWA, guests also heard from current NWACC student Rachel Schaap and alumna Clair Patton. The event hit a record-setting milestone, raising $125,205 to support NWACC Foundation scholarships. www.nwaccfoundation.org
