Legacy Counseling’s Tea Party Inspires PositiviTEA

Tiffany Hendra with Helen Turner Goldenberg
photo c/o Tiffany Hendra 

Legacy Counseling held its annual PositiviTEA benefitting the Grace Project Conference on Sunday, March 22nd. The sun-drenched, Dallas afternoon completed the perfect afternoon of tea from The Cultured Cup, delicate bites from Eden Café, friends, and most importantly, empowerment. PositiviTEA is Legacy’s way of raising awareness for the number of women in Dallas County living with HIV/AIDS, which currently numbers over 4,000.

This year, Honorary Chair LeeAnne Locken, a local who recognizes the importance of education of HIV/AIDS education for Dallas women, was this year’s PositiviTEA chair. All proceeds raised through PositiviTEA benefit the Grace Project Conference, the largest conference in the world for living with HIV/AIDS right here in Dallas’ backyard. The conference seeks to support, educate and empower women living with HIV.

Melissa Grove, Ron Brady, LeeAnne Locken
photo c/o Legacy Counseling

Mimosas and champagne started off the event as guests, such as Tiffany Hendra, Cary Dueber, Amanda Ward, Erica Annise and Heidi Snadon, arrived followed by beautiful and delicious finger sandwiches hand made by Eden Café and a delicate and simultaneously bold PositiviTEA blend of tea, provided by Dallasite’s favorite, The Cultured Cup. Guests munched on cucumber, pimento cheese, and salmon sandwiches as women impacted from the Grace Project Conference shared how the Grace Project has changed their lives.

As scones and dessert were brought out, Diane Reeve, a woman who led the charge on securing the conviction of a serial HIV/AIDS infector who knowingly gave her and 12 other women HIV, spoke about how the Grace Project leads to an empowering break in the cycle of isolation for many women who realize their positive status. Diane has been featured on 20/20, and Oprah telling her story.

Helen Goldenberg, another Grace Project woman, shared her testimony at the event. Helen, a Dallas native, spoke passionately on why the Grace Project emboldens women to keep going and never give up. Melissa Grove, Executive Director of Legacy Counseling, had this to say about PositiviTEA and the Grace Project: “Many people do not realize that HIV can affect them, this wonderful event is not just a lovely day, but also an eye-opening experience to all who attend.” For $50.00 Legacy will create a scholarship in your name so that a woman with HIV may attend this life-changing conference. For more information about the Grace Project, or for information on how to donate a scholarship, please visit legacygraceproject.org.


Photos may be republished with credit back to the source as "Photos by Cynthia Smoot of OhSoCynthia.com"