The night before the Momentous Institute kicked off the two-day Changing the Odds Conference, a very special dinner was held on Wednesday, October 5, at Sixty Five Hundred. Not only did Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones receive the inaugural Changing the Odds Leadership Award, but author Glennon Doyle Melton was the keynote speaker. Here’s a report from the field:
Leslie Melson and J.D. McCaslin*
More than 400 supporters gathered at Sixty Five Hundred on Wednesday, October 5, for Salesmanship Club of Dallas and Momentous Institute’s 5th annual Changing the Odds Dinner. Guests enjoyed a private dinner and address with speaker Glennon Doyle Melton, bestselling author and founder of the wildly popular Momastery.com. Dinner chairs for the event were J.D. McCaslin and Leslie Melson.
Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones, Bill McClung and Guy Kerr*
Momentous Institute Chairman Guy Kerr and Salesmanship Club of Dallas Past President Bill McClung presented Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones with the first-ever Changing the Odds Leadership Award for their significant contributions to the health and well being of children in our community, including those served by Momentous Institute.
Michelle Kinder*
Momentous Institute Executive Director Michelle Kinder followed by underscoring the urgent need for social emotional health, particularly in light of national events, including the recent Dallas shootings.
“As a city, in the face of the unspeakable – we saw firsthand the difference social emotional health makes — we saw it in Mayor Rawlings and we saw it in Chief Brown. Compassion exemplified,” Kinder said. “Momentous Institute is about showing up in the lives of children so that the next Mayor Rawlings and Chief Brown can emerge. Every person we work with represents a complex story – and a sacred opportunity for kindness, compassion and the expectation of momentous outcomes.”
Glennon Doyle Melton*
Melton inspired the crowd as she recounted years of love, hurt, addiction, bravery and healing with her trademark authenticity and wit.
Melton is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoirs “Love Warrior,” of which the evening’s guests received a signed copy, and “Carry On, Warrior.” She is also founder of Momastery.com, an online community reaching millions of people each week, as well as the creator and president of Together Rising, a nonprofit organization that has raised nearly $5 million for women and children in crisis.
The dinner preceded Momentous Institute’s annual Changing the Odds Conference (October 6-7), a two-day conference at Omni Dallas that brings more than 1,600 mental health and education professionals (from 132 cities, 29 states and 7 other countries) together to hear best practices in social emotional health from thought leaders around the world.
* Photos provided by Momentous Institute