6th annual Mommy, Daddy and Me Sweetheart Tea raises funds to help homeless veterans
By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press
Princesses in dazzling gowns and swashbuckling pirates took over the Copperas Cove Civic Center Saturday afternoon for the 6th annual Mommy, Daddy and Me Sweetheart Tea, hosted by the Five Hills Scholarship Program.
This year’s Sweetheart Tea was the service project of Ms. Five Hills Jasmine Clowney, with proceeds from the ticket sales going to Operation Stand Down Central Texas, a non-profit organization founded right here in Copperas Cove that is aimed at helping homeless veterans find resources, from clean clothes and toiletries to support with other veteran organizations in the region. The organization recently opened its new 4,800 square-feet facility at 201 Carpenter Street.
Tickets for this event were $10. Prior to the doors opening, a total of 189 tickets had been sold, and several more tickets were sold after the doors opened for the event.
Shortly after the first flight of tea, Clowney presented a large presentation check for $2,000 to Joann Courtland, the executive director and co-founder of Operation Stand Down Central Texas.
Courtland was overcome with emotion as she accepted the check from Clowney before presenting the Five Hills Scholarship Pageant Program with a plaque commemorating the partnership.
Clowney, who is in the Army Reserves herself, chose to support Operation Stand Down Central Texas because of the impact the organization makes with veterans in the community.
“It means a lot that I'm actually helping my brothers and sisters in arms who are less fortunate than me, so it means tremendous a lot that I actually was able to partner up with Miss Joann and help her out in any way possible, shape or form,” Clowney said.
Clowney said she wasn’t expecting the large number of guests that had shown up, but she was so excited to see them at the event and to see that amount of money raised.
“Seeing this all happened right now is even more exciting because I can see that the parents and the children are actually enjoying themselves, so I know it was a lot of hard work and everything, but it paid off,” Clowney said.
Guests enjoyed three flights of tea: Caribbean Sea Water, Parrot Punch and Tropical Treasure, and a full menu of tasty goodies as appetizers, savory treats and sweet desserts. All of the tea was courtesy of Bush’s Chicken, and the golden nuggets served with the second flight of tea were courtesy of Chick-fil-A.
In addition to learning some etiquette tips, the princesses and pirates and their families had the opportunity to walk around the Civic Center and play different games, including a jewel dig, a treasure hunt, walking the plank and more.
Stacy Batchelor attended the event with her daughter Alexis and grandchildren, Channing Jackson and Leilani Jackson, after finding out about the event through the children’s school.
“I think it's amazing. It is so good,” Batchelor said. “I walked in, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ because something like this is so nice to have in Copperas Cove.”
She added that she was even more glad to be participating after finding out that the ticket proceeds were going to help homeless veterans through Operation Stand Down Central Texas.
Batchelor said she really enjoyed getting a chance to dress up for the event. She especially liked the etiquette lesson given throughout the event.
“The tea was very good, and we had our pinkies up, right?” Batchelor asked her grandchildren. “I liked the etiquette, because I’m all about etiquette. My daughter could tell you, I was like, ‘No elbows on the table. One hand only.’ That’s how they were raised, so that was awesome teaching them how to treat some ladies.”