(News release courtesy of the Junior League of Dallas)
DALLAS - July 6, 2006 - The Junior League of Dallas (JLD) is proud to announce that it has chosen Linda Pitts Custard to be the third recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is given every five years in recognition of an outstanding Junior League of Dallas sustaining member who has consistently shown outstanding service to the community and best exemplifies the League's goal of promoting voluntarism and improving the community through service, effective action and leadership. This year also marks JLD's 85th anniversary.
Exemplary service
Mrs. Custard is being honored for her exemplary service, not only to the Junior League of Dallas, but also to the Dallas community, in particular for her passion for arts and education. She will be honored and presented the award at the Junior League of Dallas' 85th Anniversary Celebration, generously underwritten by Citigroup, being held Sunday, November 5, at 7:00 p.m. at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.
"Linda Pitts Custard embodies the spirit of selfless giving. She is a visionary leader who has made a great impact on the Junior League of Dallas and our 85 years of history," said Lynn McBee, president of the JLD. "Her advocacy for the arts, education and social services fulfills the goals of the League and inspires so many others to improve the quality of life for our fellow citizens through community service. Both the city of Dallas and the Junior League of Dallas should be proud that we continue to benefit from her leadership."
Community leadership
Mrs. Custard presently serves on 10 boards and five foundations: Southern Methodist University (SMU) Board of Trustees, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, Salvation Army Advisory Board, JPMorgan Chase, Life Trustee of the Dallas Theater Center, Life Trustee of The Hockaday School, Life Trustee of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and The Dallas Opera. She helped create several organizations and funds including The Benefactors of the Dallas Theater Center, Opera Action, Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Junior Group, Charter 100, the Greer Garson Fund at SMU, the Custard/Pitts Family Endowment Fund at The Hockaday School, the Linda Pitts Custard Presidential Scholarship at SMU, and the Linda Pitts Custard Women in Business Conference at Mills College, Oakland, California.
"Linda Pitts Custard is an inspiring Dallas civic and philanthropic leader who exemplifies selfless volunteer leadership that is a vital role in the development of institutions and organizations that serve community needs and enrich the lives of Dallas citizens," said R. Gerald Turner, president of Southern Methodist University. "Linda gives generously of her time, talents and resources to the Dallas community, and I am thrilled that she is the recipient."
Service in the Junior League
In Mrs. Custard's 40 years with the League, she has served in many ways: 1978-1979 JLD President, Executive Committee three times, Board of Directors eight times and on all 16 committees at least once. She chaired the JLD Ball in 1973 and served as AJLI Area V Director from 1979-1981. She was the first JLD President to attend Leadership Dallas in 1975-1976, paving the way for all JLD Presidents.
"I am honored to receive this distinguished award from the Junior League of Dallas," said Mrs. Custard. "I have always credited my JLD training as the basis for my lifetime of community service. The League is a special organization to me because its mission is to create an awareness of the community and its needs and issues, while teaching members the leadership skills to confront those challenges."
The Junior League of Dallas Lifetime Achievement Award previous award recipients include Ruth Sharp Altshuler and Lindalyn Adams.
Junior League of Dallas
The Junior League of Dallas is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. In 2006-2007, the JLD will contribute more than $1 million and 120,000 volunteer hours within the community. For more information, go to www.jld.net.
CONTACT:
Debbie Munir: 214.890.0338
Libby Johnson: 214.755.1297
