Robin Roberts, Resiliency, and Reverence for the Handwritten Note — Inside the Junior League of Dallas’ 2024 Milestones Luncheon

The Junior League of Dallas (JLD) hosted its annual Milestones Luncheon on Friday, April 5, at the Omni Dallas Hotel. Sandwiched in a multi-course lineup of luncheons during Dallas’ filling spring social calendar, Milestones stood out as an optimistic and joyful palate cleanser for members and supporters alike. The sprightly 102-year-old organization “cultivates women leaders who collectively address the critical needs of the community.” Affirming its mission, the League pours every dollar raised at Milestones directly back into the community through $1M in annual grants.

At the helm, eloquent and poised event co-chairs Sally Pretorius Hodge and Linda Secrest executed a luncheon that simultaneously honored the past while firmly fixing its gaze on the future. The 2024 theme: “Be Bold.”

“Imagine, if you will, a time when the rights and roles of women were far more limited than they are today,” Junior League of Dallas President Christina Eubanks said. “And in that era, a small, but mighty group of women came together with a bold idea. They believed that by uniting their efforts, they could make a tangible difference in their community. And so, in 1922, the Junior League of Dallas was founded. Fast forward to today, and you have an organization that’s not just survived but flourished over the last century, now with thousands of members who are as diverse as the city we serve.”

For Hodge, co-chairing the Milestones Luncheon helped her “hone [her] skills on what it means to “Be Bold” within the community, within the league, when it comes to making asks and advocating for the League.” For Secrest, it was “yet another opportunity to give back to the League that has given [her] so much.”

Before the featured speaker ascended the stage, JLD honored its “Sustainer of the Year” Kathleen Gibson, who credited her Junior League of Dallas training for developing the skills required to lead Southwestern Medical Foundation in a $1 billion capital campaign. 

After a boldly-flavored lunch (Texas-spiced chicken breast with chorizo and poblano grits, followed by Dr. Pepper chocolate cake!), emcee and WFAA Anchor Cynthia Izaguirre introduced featured speaker Robin Roberts.

At the risk of stating the obvious, allow me to say that the best speakers talk for a living. As co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America since 2005, Roberts knows how to capture the attention of a live audience. She instantly and effortlessly charmed those in attendance, vulnerably recalling her battle with both breast cancer and myelodysplastic syndrome. 

“I am the walking, breathing embodiment of ‘This too shall pass,’” Roberts said. 

Roberts’ resiliency is only surpassed by her sense of gratitude for all that she’s been blessed with. She described the distinction between joy and happiness, which is conditional, and said, simply, “You can’t put a limit on gratitude.” 

The Southerner also made a point to share her affection for handwritten thank-you notes. Journalism 101? Know your audience. Handwritten thank-you notes are as JLD-coded as it gets.