United Way of Tarrant County
From left, Brian Estridge, Sonny Dykes, and Randy Galloway partake in a roundtable on Thursday during "Unplugged."
While we were assembling the September issue of Fort Worth Magazine last week there was some yucking up going on in downtown on Thursday evening.
“Unplugged With Sonny Dykes and Randy Galloway” at PalmWood Event and Conference Center, featuring Brian Estridge as emcee, gave guests an insider’s look into the TCU football season.
The event was a fundraiser for United Way of Tarrant County’s $100 million GET UNITED: The Second Century Campaign.
Frost Bank was the sponsor.
“At the heart of our organization is a simple yet profound belief: that when people come together with a shared vision, remarkable things can happen,” said Leah King, United Way of Tarrant County president and CEO. “For 100 years, United Way of Tarrant County has been focused on transforming lives, igniting change and building programs and partnerships that address the toughest issues facing our neighbors. None of that work is possible without the support of leaders in all aspects of our community."
Dykes and Galloway, the retired wordsmith, talking head with extremely hot sports opinions, and noted player of the ponies, shared their reflections on the important messages of unity, compassion, leadership, and support.
Estridge, the voice of TCU football, led what was described as a "rousing" Q&A with Dykes and Galloway about the upcoming TCU football season and life lessons on leadership, community service, and philanthropic giving. The Frogs open the season Sept. 2 against Colorado in what will be one of the most intriguing games in the nation that weekend. Deion Sanders always generates attention, but his first game as an FBS coach will bring that much more.
The Frogs, of course, are coming off one of the best seasons in their history, which ended in the College Football Playoff Championship Game.
King and Jeff Williams, former mayor of Arlington and co-chair of the GET UNITED campaign, shared the imperative to gather as a community and support United Way's efforts to combat major issues — like youth gun violence and veteran’s health — facing Tarrant County residents.
“None of United Way’s work, or the lives they impact, would be possible without coming together to lend our support of time and donations to those in need in our community,” said Jeff Williams. “Sharing United Way of Tarrant County’s mission to make Tarrant County a better place is exactly what the GET UNITED campaign is all about.”
Significant support for this GET UNITED event was provided by:
- Frost Bank
- Anthracite Realty Partners
- GM Financial
- BNSF Railway
- Rainwater Charitable Foundation
- Graham Associates
- Kelly Hart and Hallman
- Linebarger Goggan Blair and Sampson
- Marty Leonard
- O. Trevino Construction
- Standard Meat
- TCU Flying T Club
- Zang Adams Real Estate
- Acme Brick Company
- EECU
- TCU
- Texas Health Resources
- The Rios Group
- Vermeer Texas-Louisiana