The second annual Neighborhood Service Council (NSC) luncheon was held Friday, May 25, 2012 at the Embassy Suites in Dallas. More than 100 local dignitaries and supporters attended the event, including Richardson Mayor Bob Townsend, members of the Richardson City Council, and teachers and administrators representing the Richardson Independent School District (RISD).
President of the NSC board, L.L. Cotter, and executive director Shawn Ainsworth, kicked off the luncheon, and entertainment was provided by the NSC children.
This year’s luncheon featured speaker Kim Caston, RISD Board of Trustees, and honored former RISD Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Bukhair.
“It is wonderful to see the many representatives of our community here today for Neighborhood Service Council and to recognize Dr. Carolyn Bukhair,” Caston said in her opening speech.
“As someone involved in the community, I am often asked about what makes the Richardson/North Dallas community so special. Particularly as all of these new communities have grown up north of us – with the new houses, and new shopping centers – what makes us so special? How do we stay so strong?,” Caston said.
“The response I always give them is the same, and to me is obvious: TREES!,” Caston said. “And I am usually greeted with a quizzical look and a one word response – ‘TREES?!?’ And I say yes – it’s our trees.”
“And I go on tell them that Richardson and North Dallas is a community of tall trees with deep roots. Our people are like those tall trees – they too, have put down deep roots in our community. Because deep roots imply a sense of strength and stability,” she said.
It is these deep roots residents have in the Richardson community that drives a passion to support causes such as NSC.
“The future of our community, the future of Texas, is dependent upon the ability of our children to learn, to grow, and to acquire the knowledge and the skills they will need to succeed in a 21st century global world, in which they will live,” Caston said.
To read Caston’s full speech, click here
Caston then went on to introduce the luncheon’s honored guest, Dr. Bukhair, for her commitment to this cause and to the success of the overall community.
Dr. Bukhair expressed her gratitude for receiving the honor and encouraged all guests to continue volunteering their time and efforts to help the community and, especially, the children in the community, to succeed.
Neighborhood Service Council is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization that for more than 20 years has provided free after-school and summer programs for economically disadvantaged children in North Dallas and Richardson, TX.
For more information on NSC and volunteer opportunities, contact Executive Director Shawn Ainsworth at shawn@nscikids.org.
“One thing that we know for sure is that children are 20% of our population, but 100% of our future.” — Kim Caston, RISD Board of Trustees
