Janell Mason always signs her emails with the phrase, “Make Today Count!”
Every email she concludes opens a door for its recipient to gain a fresh, positive perspective. It’s an expression Mason lives by, and anybody who’s enjoyed even a short conversation with her knows this to be true.
“I added it to my email signature several years ago as a reminder to myself,” Mason said. “It has been a lifelong mantra and stems from witnessing the kindness and generosity of my parents, who taught me that I should always strive to make a difference. It pops up and reminds me that there are so many ways I can make today count: through a smile, a kind word, a thank you, a helping hand, a listening ear and time volunteered, in addition to philanthropic gifts. It also reminds me that we should make the best of each day—have a little fun, laugh and spend time with loved ones and good friends whenever we can.”
Her positive outlook, along with her tireless energy, makes this Houston native a true asset to the nonprofits she serves. And there are quite a few on that list. There’s Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute (CARTI), Friends of Contemporary Craft, Old State House Museum Associates, Arkansas Baptist College, Our House and the one that’s keeping her busiest these days—Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas (RMHCA), where she serves on the board with her husband, Clark.
The organization is putting on its ninth annual black-tie Chocolate Fantasy Ball Saturday, February 11, at the Peabody Little Rock Hotel. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a seated dinner, followed by dancing to the band White Chocolate, more than 100 fabulous live and silent auction items and over 600 pounds of chocolate, including the signature Glazer’s Godiva Chocolate Martini.
“Who doesn’t like chocolate? Not only is it a decadently fun evening – chocolate of every type, everywhere, and a truly ‘eat dessert first’ philosophy – it also raises funds for an organization that takes care of families so they can care for their sick children,” Mason said.
Some of the fabulous auction items include an English Crème Golden Retriever puppy from Wisteria Goldens (which will be 8 weeks old and ready to go home with the winning bidder); airfare for four and a luxurious week in Angelica and John Rogers’ two-bedroom apartment in Midtown Manhattan; one week in Puerto Vallarta in a five-bedroom, five-bath villa; and a football autographed by Arkansas Razorbacks’ Bobby Petrino, Tyler Wilson, Knile Davis, Jake Bequette and Joe Adams, plus tickets to the first home Razorbacks game of 2012.
Tickets to the ball are $200 per person, and all proceeds directly benefit RMHCA. “We expect to raise more than $250,000, and the money helps pay for families and children to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. We ask families for a $10 per night donation to stay, but it is not required. It actually costs more than $60 per family per night to keep this 28-bedroom house running. The money raised [at Chocolate Fantasy Ball] helps offset some of these costs,” said Emily Piechocki, special events coordinator of RMHCA.
“The last thing a parent needs when a child is in medical crisis is to worry about where they will stay, will they be able to afford it if it lasts for very long, where will they find a hot meal, a supporting arm, a friendly smile and a moment of peace,” Mason said. “Our families may show up in the middle of the night without so much as a toothbrush.”
The services of RMHCA include a nightly meal, a private room with close proximity to the hospital and many necessities. More than 20,000 families have been served by RMHCA since the organization opened its doors in 1980; in 2010 alone, RMHCA served 802 families.
As an RMHCA board member and a mother of three, Mason is focused on the future and how to serve more families. “Our dream is to have no one on the waiting list,” she said. “Thirty years after we began serving families, we are out of room. I am focused on helping our leadership and board build a new house.” A good turnout at the Chocolate Fantasy Ball will help RMHCA start saving for a house that will comfortably accommodate more families.
Side Notes
What are your 2012 goals for the nonprofits you serve?
For Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, I’m on a mission to raise awareness of the need for funding a new house. I make it a goal to tell three people each week about each of my projects (and preach this at board and committee meetings). The way I’ve always looked at it, if I can share stories of my personal involvement with the causes I care about, it expands community awareness. Recently I emailed the bunco group in our building (River Market Tower) about an event where we needed volunteers, and a third of the women responded saying they’d love do get involved and just didn’t know how to do so.
How do you plan to celebrate the New Year?
We’ve celebrated the New Year on the ski slopes with our sons, quietly at home viewing [televised] Times Square festivities or at a special dinner with friends. This New Year’s Eve will find us toasting to new beginnings and new adventures on the balcony of our new condo overlooking the River Market, the Arkansas River and the Clinton Presidential Library. We love downtown living so much that just last week we purchased a shell and will be finishing it out in 2012. Woohoo!