Shelby's Social Diary

The bon temps rolled at UST gala

Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman
Photo by Kim Coffman

It might not have been Bourbon Street in New Orleans but the ballroom of the Hilton-Americas Houston enjoyed a Mardi Gras vibe on Tuesday when the University of St. Thomas celebrated its 60th annual Fat Tuesday gala.

Masks, beads and a joie de vivre permeated the ballroom where Mango Punch provided dance tunes and 480 guests raised a whopping $800,000. Those funds are earmarked for the Father Francis E. Monaghan Scholarship Fund.

Congrats to gala chairs Minnie and Will Baird who oversaw the evening that honored Dr. Mikki Hebl and David Harvey. Also taking bows were "Legacy Families" that have supported UST through the decades: the George and Annette Strake family, the Rev. Robert Crooker family, the Charles and Betty Fischer family, the Joseph and Norma McFadden family, the Giorgio and Cathy Borlenghi family, the Dennis and Ginny Malloy and Michele Malloy families.

Adding a royal touch to the festivities were UST seniors Lukas Simon and Emily Calasanz, who won the honor of serving as King and Queen of the black-tie ball. In robes and crowns, they welcomed guests.

The revelers included UST president Robert Ivany and wife Marianne, Margaret Williams and Jim Daniel, Kay and Fred Zeidman, Trini Mendenhall Sosa and Frank Sosa, John Poindexter with Claudia Craft, Raye White, Alice and Keith Mosing and Lucia and Michael Cordua.

Celebrating UST alumni, the school engaged UST grad Danielle Guzman of Channel 2. Mango Punch's Walter Suhr is an alumnus as well.

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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