On May 6, 2017, Always Assisting U! is hosting the first annual Always Mothers Luncheon, benefitting Heavenly Mimi, a local nonprofit financially assisting families with domestic needs when a family member is diagnosed with cancer. The luncheon will be held at Embassy Suites Dallas Park Central and attendees will be treated to a powerful message on Self-Worth and Self-Confidence by motivational speaker, Stacey Lujan.
Expected to be a sellout event, Always Mothers Luncheon extends an open invitation to single fathers who are filling dual roles to join women of diverse backgrounds as they celebrate motherhood the Saturday prior to Mother’s Day weekend. Vendors will also be on hand with unique and special gift ideas so attendees can shop for meaningful gifts before and after the event.
Says event coordinator, Daphne Anderson, owner of Always Assisting U!, “Please don’t get hung up on the name of the event because men are encouraged and welcomed to attend! It’s my way of giving back to the community. People have helped me along the way. We’ll have resources that many don’t know exist to help them along their journey. Sometimes parents don’t have access to connections that support them and sometimes economic or social barriers cause them to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or scared to ask the questions necessary to find the help they need. We’ll be ready with friendly smiles to help them feel valuable and connect them to resources that can help.”
Ticket sales include a hot plated lunch, vendors, silent auction and live entertainment from the phenomenal K. Avett. You can purchase your tickets at AML2017.Eventbrite.com or www.AlwaysMothersLuncheon.com until April 22nd.
The new 2017 luncheon is loosely based off the original Mothers Luncheon … an event I hosted in 2013 for my mother, mother-in-law and those women that have/had fostered a mother’s love relationship in my life, at that time thus far.
The idea behind it was to celebrate them and show them that I appreciate them for helping to mold me into the woman/mother/person I am today. I brought my daughter along with me to show to her that even though I am her biological mother and have raised her, other women can play pivotal mother relationship-like roles in her like as well and that it is okay. This was also an opportunity for me to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mother in law and mother without having to choose who to spend Mother’s Day with (which was the next weekend).
It was a beautiful 2 hour lunch held at Olive Garden in East Plano where I prepared and printed a special menu for the mothers to choose from. My assistant and the photographer were there as well and ready to go. The “love bags” were filled with gifts specifically chosen for my mothers and Deja added to the overall look. She decorated the initial of their first name on the outside of the bags… in sign language. A beautiful touch to what I hoped to be a special event.
I gave each mother a small testimony of thanks for the love they had shown me over the years, Deja gave a small speech and each mother gave their words of love in return to us. It was truly more than I had imagined; God had shown up and touched us all as we laughed, cried, ate and rejoiced in that moment. Rochelle, my assistant and Karena, our photographer weren’t left out either; I presented them with something for helping me bring my vision and idea to light. I view them as my sisters and wanted them to know it.
Seated in order of left to right … Jeanette (my mother), Carolyn (my mother in law), Dianne (my Spiritual mother), Bessie (spiritual grandmother, RIP Gamma, Jan 2017)