The Event On Saturday evening, April 13, 2002, the Gay and Lesbian Fund hosted America the Beautiful, An Evening with Lynn Sherr, a fund-raising event to benefit the Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future. The event raised $100,000 for the Women's Museum. In exchange for the contribution the Next Thing Theater in the Women's Museum has been permanently named in honor of the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Dallas. Lynn Sherr, award-winning correspondent for ABC News' 20/20 and author of America the Beautiful: The Stirring Story Behind Our Nation's Favorite Song, was the keynote speaker for the event. Also appearing were the Honorable Laura Miller, Mayor of Dallas and Honorary Chair of the event, and Gloria Campos, news anchor for WFAA- Channel 8 in Dallas. The Women's Chorus of Dallas performed a short program including an arrangement of America the Beautiful. The over 300 guests of the event enjoyed delicious hors-d'oeurvres provided by Ciudad Restaurant. Many local and national merchants, artists and individuals donated items for a large silent auction. Costs of the event were covered by generous gifts from the event's corporate sponsors and underwriters.

Corporate Sponsors Presenting Sponsor      + Blockbuster, Inc. Benefactor      + Gill Foundation Supporters      + Washington Mutual      + CityHomes Media Sponsor      + Dallas Voice

Corporate Underwriters Adolphus Hotel American Airlines Bud Light Caven Enterprises Ciudad Restaurant Interior Resources McCrocklin Entertainment Group Rain Vodka Zebra Printing

Event Host Committee Steve Atkinson Dolores Barzune, Chair, Dallas Cultural Affairs Commission Lucy Billingsley Cathy Bonner, Founder, The Women's Museum Honorable Leo V. Chaney, Jr., Dallas City Councilmember, District 7 Honorable Harryette Earhardt, Texas State Representative Tim Gill, Founder, Quark, Inc., and Founder, Gill Foundation Nancy Hamon Honorable Craig Holcomb, Former Dallas City Councilmember Honorable Janet Kafka, Honorary Consul of Spain Matrice Ellis Kirk Honorable Veletta Forsythe Lill, Dallas City Councilmember, District 14 Lory Masters Dr. Tim Seelig

Event Steering Committee Honorable Laura Miller, Mayor of Dallas, Honorary Chairperson Mark Niermann, co-chair Nancy Pearce, co-chair Scott Barretto Lee Cobb Barbara Corday Kenneth Craighead Pam Gerber Tim Hurst Enrique MacGregor Dee Pennington Kelly Rao Raj Rao Michael Spann, M.D. Stephen Weber