Not all of the 650 guests at the Houston Police Foundation "True Blue Gala" loved the drive to Hobby Airport, but there wasn't one in the bunch who wasn't blown away by the impressive party setting — Landry's corporate jet hangar.
"Awesome" was the word most commonly heard among the crowd partying in the vast hangar that was set up with dining tables, dance floor, party decor and bandstand.
With the back walls of the hangar flung wide, HPD officers set up a veritable carnival of police activities. Want to know if you've had your legal limit of alcohol? Step up to the breathalizer. Want to wrap your hands around an assault weapon? Come on over.
Rappelling down the side of the hangar was limited to a few, but not before Mayor Annise Parker's partner Kathy Hubbard tried her skills at the controlled descent.
Want to know if you've had your legal limit of alcohol? Step up to the breathalizer. Want to wrap your hands around an assault weapon? Come on over.
Highlight of the hands-on activities were helicopter rides over the city. HPD arranged for two choppers to transport guests on a 30-minute city tour, price tag $500 per person. Before 9 o'clock, all slots were booked and there was a waiting list of big donors, who will get their chance next weekend.
For the bash chaired by Paige and Tilman Fertitta, with Sheridan and John Eddie Williams serving as honorary chairs, the Landry's/Events Co. team pulled out the stops. Food stations featured Landry's Signature Group specialties with servings of beef tenderloin, crab cakes, jumbo shrimp and loads more. No one left hungry. Not even the scores of HPD officers who seemed to be everywhere.
The event raised $500,000, thanks in no small part to supporters including Police Chief Charles McClelland, dinner chair Laura Ward, Channel 13 KTRK news anchor Dave Ward, foundation head Charlene Floyd, Houston Rockets CEO Tad Brown and wife Janice, Houston Texans COO Cal McNair and wife Hannah, Monica Hartland and John Blaisdell, Kristina Hornberger and fiancé Paul Somerville, Edna Meyer-Nelson, Darlene and Cappy Bisso, Channel 13 news director Dave Strickland and wife Tina and jeweler Wayne Smith with Denny Lyons.
