fun two-night

Junior League's boot-scootin', 2-night Texas-themed balls raise $900,000

2022 Junior League Ball The Road Home Alexandra Yates, Whitney Walsh, Amy Comiskey, Mitra Woody

Alexandra Yates, Whitney Walsh, Amy Comiskey, and Mitra Woody.

Photo by Priscilla Dickson

Call it a comeback. After a pivot to a virtual gala in 2021, the Junior League of Houston returned to in-person festivities in not one, but two, charity balls.

Junior League of Houston president Jennifer Scheifley Roberts and charity ball chairperson Lauren Rae Brown welcomed more than 600 members, patrons, and donors to the League building for the 2022 Friday and Saturday night charity balls. The League’s 74th annual charity ball, The Road Home, raised over $900,000 for the League’s community initiatives.

As guests arrived, they were greeted by the Charity Ball committee in the classic receiving line, and took in the stunning, Texas-inspired décor and florals created by Decorations chair Anaam Zamorano, while they sipped on specialty cocktails and perused silent auction items. Guests then made their way to the ballroom to enjoy a three-course dinner from the renowned Tea Room.

Saturday evening continued with the traditional music performances by talented League members, a raffle with prizes as the coveted premium Junior League parking space, a bottle of Blanton’s bourbon, and wine magnums. There were whiskey tastings from Giant Distillery, and a live auction led by Johnny Bravo Entertainment with live paintings by Taft McWhorter, trips to Belize, Costa Rica and Mexico, and many more luxurious items.

The evening ended with guests getting their boot-scootin’ boogie on and two-stepped the night away to live music from The Grooves on Friday evening and the Honky Tonk Revivalists on Saturday evening.

From addressing critical issues such as children’s health and education and abuse of women and children, to enhancing the community through cultural enrichment, The Junior League of Houston trains volunteers to be effective leaders in the community well beyond their active membership requirements.

With close to 5,000 members, the League encourages mentorship and development, cultivating a lifetime of civic service for thousands of women. The League is able to triple the value of each donation received by pairing it with trained volunteers.

Seen in the crowd: Jennifer Roberts, Rachel Regan, Ruchi Mukherjee, Megan and Luke Hotze, Madison and Faisal Tai, Amy Comiskey, Avery and Kadriye Alcorn, Holly and Ryan Henry, Emily and Kolby Wahl, Jayne Johnston, and many more.

Alexandra Yates, Whitney Walsh, Amy Comiskey, and Mitra Woody.

Photo by Priscilla Dickson

Alexandra Yates, Whitney Walsh, Amy Comiskey, and Mitra Woody.

galas

Painted with Purpose

21 Houston doctors trade scrubs for canvases at Arts of Healing gala

Photo by Alida Bonifaz

Chita Craft, Bethany Buchanan, and Nora Jarrard.

Turns out, creativity isn’t just for the canvas. It pulses through the hands of healers, too.

Photo by Alida Bonifaz

Chita Craft, Bethany Buchanan, and Nora Jarrard.

That was the spirit of The Arts of Healing Eighth Annual Gala, where physicians traded lab coats for aprons and oils to showcase their artistic prowess at The Post Oak Hotel on November 8.

Guests — close to 500 — were greeted by a floral fantasia courtesy of Blooming Gallery. A grand circular bar anchored the room, while a curated silent auction, wine pull, and an ultra-chic Valobra raffle for a diamond necklace tempted attendees. The centerpiece? Art by 21 physician-artists being honored that evening lining the entire ballroom.

Among the physicians celebrated for their contributions both in hospitals and on canvas were Dr. Shetal Amin, Dr. Deepak Bedi, Dr. Mark Dannenbaum, Dr. Meshann Fitzgerald, Dr. Matthew Goldman, Dr. Brandon Goodwin, Dr. Mollie Gordon, Dr. Maysoon Hamed, Dr. Emily Jamea, Dr. Henry Kuerer,Dr. JP LeFave, Dr. Dean Moore, Dr. Marlene Morales, Dr. Sehar Najamus, Dr. Eric Powitzky, Dr. Terrence Wadley, Dr. Cindy Williams, Dr. Jose Miguel Yamal, Dr. Sarrah Zadeh, and Dr. Isaac Raijman, who, alongside his wife, Lori Raijman, founded the Arts of Healing Foundation.

Co-chaired by Rachel and Warren Ellsworth IV and Natalie and Mark Bordman, the evening marked a fundraising high, collecting more than $560,000 to support The Arts of Healing and its Sunshine Kids Summer Camp collaboration. The initiative brings children facing cancer from across Texas together for creativity, connection, and joy.

A special musical cameo brought the house down when honoree Dr. Jeff Ross took the stage, trumpet in hand, for a guest appearance with Dry Water Band. The dance floor stayed thumping well into the night, a tribute to the spirit of creativity as medicine.

Summoning their inner Picassos were Sarah Collins, Michele and Youval Meicler, Kristen Collins, Betsy and Jimmy Montgomery, Courtney and Zac Harmon, Kristen Cannon, Cathleen Fishel, Stephanie Wilcox, Alexis Rosales, Faith Majors, Bethany Buchanan, Susan and Steve Beatte, Larry Doty, Vanessa and Chuck Ames, Dana Barton and Robert Clay, Rita Shuma, Jennifer Wisler, Dr. Rukmini Rednam, Dr. Victoria Chang, Dr. Danielle Antosh, Katie Tsuru, and Dr. Kathy Nguyen.

fundraisers