Philanthropist named Grand Marshal

Hot Springs philanthropist Dorothy Morris has been chosen as the Grand Marshal of the 2012 Oaklawn Rotary Christmas Parade, announced Shannon Carroll, parade chair. The parade will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 3 in downtown Hot Springs. 

Morris’ charitable activities harmonize well with the parade theme of “Peace, Joy and Love.” When asked recently what she loves most about what she does, she replied, “Giving to improve the lives of others is simply a great joy.” Going beyond just charitable giving, Morris invests her energy, resolve, optimism, business expertise and passion for life in helping people and organizations throughout Hot Springs and the State of Arkansas. 
In 2008, Morris co-founded the Hot Springs Giving Circle, providing the opportunity for like-minded individuals to connect with one another to maximize their collective giving impact. Since its inception, the group has given nearly $330,000 to an array of local and state initiatives. Nationwide, there are more than 800 giving circles that grant about $100 million annually. 
A native of Hot Spring County and a graduate of Malvern High School, Morris enjoys focusing on people and organizations in Central Arkansas whose financial welfare and survival serve the needs of Arkansas as a whole. Her foundation has invested more than $1 million in the region, including Arkansas-based non-profit organizations such as UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, and Mercy Hospital, Levi Hospital and the Charitable Christian Clinic in Hot Springs. She has even been honored on numerous occasions for her generosity in bordering states. 
Morris currently serves on the board of directors for The Muses Creative Artistry Project, Hot Springs Community Foundation, Mid America Arts Alliance, KYE-YAC International, Hot Springs Giving Circle and the UAMS COM Board of Visitors. She serves on the advisory councils of the Hot Springs Musical Festival and MOCA. Her strong support of the St. Joseph’s Cooper-Anthony Child Advocacy Center, AETN (Linda Palmer’s Champion Tree Documentary), Charitable Christian Medical Clinic, Arkansas Rice Depot, Mid-America Science Museum, Heifer International, Arkansas School of Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, and Garvan Woodland Gardens have helped those organizations grow and flourish. By providing seed money for scholarships and hosting fund raisers, she has sent numerous area students as youth ambassadors to Hanamaki, Japan, Hot Springs’ sister city. She was honored in June at a Governor’s Mansion gala for her philanthropic impact throughout Arkansas. She is the recipient of the Arkansas Cultural Enrichment Award, Association of Fundraising Professionals Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation Award, and the Governor’s Patron of the Arts Award.