January/February 2024 Class of Fort Worthies

With the launch of Madeworthy, we wanted to have a page dedicated to local people, places, and events that add to our city. Below are worthy stories and conversations to share with your family and friends.

Camp Fire First Texas has announced that Brian Miller, M.S., LPC, who has been serving as the interim President/CEO since early April 2023, will become the permanent President and Chief Executive Officer starting December 1. “I fully trust that Brian Miller will make bold strides to build up our next generation of leaders by creating a clear vision that engages and inspires our community for many years to come,” stated Lisa D. Mares, Camp Fire Board Chair.

Before each home game throughout the football season, TCU and Amegy Bank recognize small businesses in Tarrant County that are making a positive impact in their community in the Small Business Spotlight. Carpenter’s Café & Catering was honored in 2023 for their work benefitting… well, everyone! Co-owner and chef (and Madeworthy cover story!) Katrina Carpenter is a founding ambassador of BRAVE/R Together, a nonprofit that is dedicated to addressing the roots of systemic inequities in our city. She gives tirelessly of herself to this city, volunteering and serving on boards, all while remodeling and running the business AND raising 16-year-old twins. Congratulations to Carpenter’s Café & Catering! We’re thrilled you’re receiving the attention you deserve!

Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD), the oldest co-ed college-preparatory school in Fort Worth, celebrated its 60th year of excellence in academics, arts, and athletics in 2023. On September 9, 1963, FWCD hosted its first day of classes with 210 students and 17 teachers on a 10-acre campus with three original buildings. Just one year later, in 1964, 80 additional acres of land were purchased, and FWCD opened the doors to its brand-new Annie Richardson Bass Lower School. Sixty years later, FWCD is the proud home of 1,097 students and 159 full-time faculty members across 13 buildings throughout its 104-acre wooded campus in southwest Fort Worth. Here’s to many more years educating Fort Worth’s young minds!

HSC Health Family Medicine social worker Maryssa Vasquez was frustrated to see so many of her patients go home hungry. Vasquez tapped into a little-known and seldom-used partnership HSC has with the Tarrant Area Food Bank to take advantage of a streamlined system that speeds up the delivery process for those in need. She’s also spearheaded a food drive and hopes to send patients home with pre-prepared food packages after their appointments. Patients who need food resources in Tarrant County and are homebound or have limited transportation are now automatically approved for a delivery of shelf-stable products.

Alara The Label is an up-and-coming lifestyle brand based out of Fort Worth and Dallas with a storefront in the Shops at Clearfork. Founded by a local mother-daughter duo, Alara The Label is dedicated to quality, purpose, and storytelling. It produces limited edition, artisanal pieces handcrafted with thoughtfully selected materials from around the world. In addition, they only use materials needed to create zero waste as part of a commitment to slow fashion and sustainable practices. The collections include accessories, womenswear, menswear, and home decor.

Billboard Magazine just released their 2023 year-end boxscore [sic] charts, and Dickies Arena is officially Billboard’s Number One Venue in the World with a seating capacity of 10,001-15,000 and events held during November 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. “Fort Worth is a wonderfully unique and diverse market with a passion for entertainment… It is a tremendous honor to be named Billboard’s Number One Venue in the World, and we will continue to bring an array of top-notch entertainment to the city of Fort Worth,” said Matt Homan, President and General Manager of Dickies Arena. Congratulations!

North Texas Community Foundation (NTCF) recently awarded grants to local equine therapy nonprofits to support their operations and help them meet their goals. NTCF works with local donors to award grants to nonprofits and organizations that serve North Texas by developing and managing custom charitable giving plans for individuals, families, businesses, and private foundations. Grant recipients include the All Star Equestrian Foundation, Riding Unlimited, STEPS With Horses, Stars and Strides Therapeutic Riding Center, Victory Therapy Center, and Wings of Hope.

All Saints’ Episcopal School (ASES) named Wallace Worden as the Assistant Head of School for Internal Operations at All Saints’ Episcopal School in 2022. As such, Worden oversees operational alignment for student engagement, curriculum development, faculty culture, and family partnerships. He has ably served All Saints’ in leadership roles for over 20 years in various capacities and holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Design from Arizona State University and is in progress on an Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Keri, have two current Saints, Wiley ’28 and Kirby ’30.

Fort Worth does not have an official bird, but that will change soon, thanks to some Fort Worth ISD elementary schools that will assist the city in selecting its official bird. Participating campuses will be assigned one of the six birds approved by the Fort Worth Audubon for research. Over the course of this school year, students will conduct research and create presentations advocating for their assigned bird to become the city’s officially recognized bird. The most compelling presentations will be featured at the district’s annual science fair, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 4, 2024, at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center. The community is invited to view these presentations and vote on their preferred bird.

For many years, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) has entertained Fort Worth audiences each summer with live performances in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and other venues. However, the FWSO has announced that the annual Concerts in The Garden Summer Music Festival will temporarily pause to accommodate the FWBG’s Master Plan, which includes the design and construction of a new stage. But fret not, lovers of Concerts in the Garden! The FWSO remains committed to the Fort Worth community and will schedule alternative concerts in collaboration with local arts organizations so that live music can still be a part of the traditional summer fun for all families.