Ashley Judd hits the H-Town charity circuit, Lance Armstrong with a hot blonde & a $100K prize

If we're going to talk medicine and heart-related health issues, could there be a lovelier setting than the swank Aspen home of Jana and Scotty Arnoldy? As many as 60 Houstonians did just that earlier this week when invited to the Arnoldys' mountainside aerie for the launch of the annual St. Luke's Episcopal Health System Speakers Series.

Scotty is chairman of the St. Luke's Episcopal board and a member of the health system board so it was totally appropriate for him and Jana to roll out the red carpet for the esteemed group led by health system president and CEO David Fine, who was accompanied by his wife, Susan Fine, and by St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital CEO Margaret Van Bree.

Leading the discussion that found guests gathered outdoors on the Arnoldy terrace surrounded by fluttering aspens was Dr. Michel E. Mawad, renowned expert in the diagnosis and treatment of strokes and aneurysms. 

Among the notables attending were Ginger and Jack Blanton Jr., Judy Ley Allen, Leslie and Jack Blanton Jr., Cathy and Giorgio Borlenghi, Dr. Veronica Selinko-Curran and Mike Curran, Clayton and Shel Erikson, Susan and Dick Hansen, Kathleen and Bill Sharman and Carolyn and John Young.

Star on a mission

Award-winning actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd brings her focus on human trafficking to Houston in October when she takes the podium at the Children at Risk annual Accolades luncheon, which raises funds in the fight against trafficking and exploitation of children. Judd has spoken compellingly on the subject at the United Nations, Harvard University and across the globe.

The father-daughter duo of Joe Sutton and Megan Sutton-Reed chair the event at Hotel ZaZa.

Jumping for joy

And fingers crossed. That would be the Houston Area Women's Center, San José Clinic and The Parish School. The three have been named finalists in the Humana Communities Benefit grant program, which is marking its seventh year in Houston. 

Sponsored by health care company Humana Inc., the program gives non-profit organizations a shot at winning a one-time windfall of $100,000 to be used for new programming or enhancing ongoing activities that focus on improving health experiences or building healthy communities.

Each of the three finalists will be reviewed in formal presentation by a panel of local judges comprised of community leaders and business representatives working with Humana. The winner will be announced at a dinner at Brennan's on Sept. 22. Key to the program will be Pattie Dale Tye, the affable and well-liked president of commercial products for Humana in Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth.

Sight 'ems

Love it when we receive celeb sightings from Houstonians in far-away places, so thank you Emily Jackson who e-mailed that she had an up-close-and-personal with Lance Armstrong at the New York Pizza in Aspen. "While ordering a delicious piece of pizza . . . with Nic Phillips and my husband, George, I found myself laughing about nothing while ordering at the counter, accidentally snorting in the process. Who caught me? Lance Armstrong. He took pies to go with a hot blonde (could not be identified) and said 'I heard that snor' and laughed" . . .

Sheridan Williams hosting a ladies luncheon in the ever-so-chic party space at Tootsies in West Ave where 19 women and two gents (including owner Mickey Rosmarin) sipped champagne, dined on party fare from Tony Mandola's, applauded the informal fashion show and loved the party favors from Elaine Turner . . .

Karen and Mike Mayell dining two nights in a row on the fab sushi-grade tuna at Charles Clark's Ibiza.