Big Game Party

Big Game Party draws Food Network TV star and a whole lot of sports talk

What: Big Game Party.

Where: The home of David and Audrey Gow.

The scoop: Several hundred Super Bowl fans stopped by the Rice Village-area home of Gow Communications CEO David Gow for a party honoring the media company's investors, clients, and out-of-town guests, with BBVA Compass as presenting sponsor. Guests could watch SB Nation talk show hosts Lewis Woodard and Elissa Walker Campbell broadcast from inside the house, with simulcasts on ESPN 97.5 FM and SB Nation 1560 AM, or head outside to the tented yard, where a feast of Italian food awaited from Maggiano's, desserts from Nothing Bundt Cake, and beverages from Duchman Family Winery.

Along the walls of the tent, a wide array of sports memorabilia was up for bid in a silent auction, with proceeds earmarked for charity.

Who:Food Network star Sandra Lee, the brand ambassador for BBVA Compass, stopped by, along with the bank's chief marketing officer Jennifer Dominiquini, Houston CEO Mark Montgomery, COO Rafael Bustillo and head of business development and digital transformation Pepe Olalla.

Sports stars Elvin Hayes, Ryan Leaf, Bubba Mcdowell, Cris Dishman, Jim Leyritz, and Qadry Ismail also were seen in the crowd.

Others joining in the fun included David and Sarah Suttles, Jeff and Paula Paine, Steve and Kate Gibson, Dr. Stan and Lisa Duchman, SB Nation Radio COO and program director Craig Larson Jr., Scott Brogan, Channel 13 sportscaster David Nuno, Doug Harris, Nelson and Meg Murray, Dr. Ann Voss, and Nicole Morris.

Meghan Courtney, Sandra Lee, Jennifer Dominiquini.

Photo courtesy of Archer Sparks Photography.

Meghan Courtney, Sandra Lee, Jennifer Dominiquini.

super-bowl

raising glasses

Wine and dine raises spirits for Houston's Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities wine and dine fundraiser 2024

Photo by Johnny Than

Alicia Reggie Freysinger, His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Catholic Charities President Cynthia Nunes Colbert.

An evening of fine dining and philanthropy unfolded at The Revaire for the 2024 Wine and Dine Dinner, benefitting Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on November 16. With wine glasses in hand and wallets wide open, the stylish and pious savored a night dedicated to lifting up the most vulnerable in the community.

Co-chairs Mikki Hebl and David E. Harvey, Jr., alongside Kerri and Downey Bridgwater, welcomed the crowd, which included His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, who blessed the meal. The highlight? A four-course feast by master sommelier Brandon Kerne and chef Ryan Bouillet, paired with wines selected to enhance each bite.

An interactive twist with the secret sip challenge surely added a playful element. Attendees worked together to identify the mystery wine — a 2015 Merite Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia’s Wrattonbully region.

But the night wasn’t just about indulgence. The live auction, emceed by Johnny Bravo, and a moving “fund a need” segment inspired oenophiles to dig deep for Catholic Charities’ programs. Last year, the organization served people in need 358,000 times across Harris, Fort Bend, and Galveston counties, providing essentials like food, housing assistance, and legal aid for immigrants.

Generous support came from sponsors like the Hildebrand Foundation, Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, and Cuenod Families.

Wining and dining were Alicia Reggie Freysinger, Cynthia Nunes Colbert, Penny and Paul Layne, Monit Cheung and Patrick Leung, Ashley and Doug Plaeger, Sandi and Jim Lemming, Carol and Paul Beck, Louise and Bob Parsley, Avalyn Langemeier, Suzanne Werner, Amie Springmeyer, Lori Hessel, Ginger Niemann, Peggy Idstein, Karina and Mark Amelang,and Ellen and Jim Ginty.

Photo by Johnny Than

Alicia Reggie Freysinger, His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Catholic Charities President Cynthia Nunes Colbert.

catholic charities of the archdiocese of galveston-houston fundraisers