Sarah McLachlan croons for Vogel Alcove

Sarah McLachlan

“The world’s on fire and it’s more than I can handle” Sarah McLachlan sang to the audience at the Meyerson Symphony Center last Monday evening. She said it was the perfect song to illustrate her passion for philanthropy. “If we have more than we need, then we have a responsibility to share it” she explained to the audience.

The Grammy winner claimed to have had walking pneumonia for seven weeks at that point and was relieved to even be able to sing. We had a hard time believing it as she reached and maintained every note to crystal clear perfection, moving many of us to tears on multiple occasions. But it wasn’t just the music.

The crowd was gathered for the twenty-second annual Vogel Alcove Arts Performance Event, raising money to provide free childcare, education, and case management for Dallas children and their families residing at 18 local emergency shelters, domestic violence shelters, and housing programs.

The program is the only school in the nation doing what they are doing, and the children go on to start at other schools at the same educational levels as the others the same age, despite their circumstances. The organization is grateful to be in Dallas, a community that does not turn its back on the homeless or their children. McLachlan had visited the center earlier in the day and had what she described as “a very profound experience. [The children] feel loved and cared for.”

McLachlan with children at Vogel Alcove
photo: Sarah McLachlan on Facebook

The event started with a dinner in the Meyerson lobby, which included stations serving ceviche and tray-passed milkshake martinis. We practically had to tackle a waiter to get our hands on those before others snapped them up. Fellow guest LeeAnne Locken admitted she did the same.

Whole Foods Karen Lukin watched a bartender loose control of a champagne cork as it flew threw the air and met a head a few tables over, and Crave DFW's Steven Doyle kindly brought back a full plate of mini desserts for our table to devour quickly along with our last glasses of champagne before heading into the hall.

Speeches and a beautiful video shared the mission and accomplishments of Vogel Alcove, and we collectively mourned the loss of Sheila Chapman, a Vogel Alcove board member for 13 years. Then Sarah took the stage along with her bandmates and the orchestra, filling the stunning I. M. Pei hall with songs even she admitted could be quite depressing.

Her self-deprecating humor, her laid back charm and her considerable talent made it a beautiful performance throughout though, and she ended it one a high note. The crowd, singing along “it’s a long way down to the place where we started from,” stood and waved their arms and remembered Sheila Chapman’s words; “Hey guys, this is all about the kids.”

To learn more about Vogel Alcove and its mission, visit VogelAlcove.org


About the author: Jayne Chobot Herring

Jayne is an executive liaison from New York City who fell in love with a Texan and is now embracing everything about her new life in Dallas.  A passionate traveler, hostess, and mom to a sassy little girl, she is often over-caffeinated and always on the hunt for new & interesting. You can follow her adventures online @jayniemarie,and on her blog A Moveable Appentency.




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