What: The 4th Annual KNOWAutism Gala
Where: The Briar Club
The scoop: Guests sparkled at the Reach for the Stars Gala benefiting KNOWAutism at The Briar Club. Presented by Van Cleef & Arpels, the event raised a record-breaking $375,000 to support families of children with autism by providing financial assistance and raising community awareness.
More than 250 guests dressed in their black-tie best and gathered to enjoy dinner as Deborah Duncan, the night’s emcee, introduced gala co-chairs Donae and Rob Chramosta and Amy and Rob Pierce to welcome guests and speak about the cause. (Through education, KNOWAutism teaches families how to detect the early signs of autism and the importance of intervention, while providing access to resources and services to help improve the long-term outcomes for children with autism.)
Vocalist Kelly Levesque debuted her new song “I Won’t Let You Down” which she dedicated to KNOWAutism to help raise awareness.
The night’s honorees Dr. Sippi and Ajay Khurana were presented with the inaugural KNOWAutism Humanitarian Award, followed by a glitzy fashion show featuring The Webster’s star-worthy designers such as Rosie Assouline, Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Balmain, and more.
The event concluded with a live auction featuring packages such as an Oahu retreat at the Four Seasons Resort, a suite at Minute Maid Park for one of the Astros’ 2018 games, and a luxury staycation presented by Bentley. The silent auction included special items such as a custom gold crystal butterfly clutch made specifically for KNOWAutism in Pakistan by a local designer. The clutch was then donated by 14-year-old Arissa Jokhio, who has a close family connection to autism, in an effort to give back to her community and support kids and teens with autism.
Who: Tammy and Wayne Nguyen, Donae and Rob Chramosta, Amy and Rob Pierce, Kimberly Perich, Laure Heriard Dubreuil, Dr. Sippy and Ajay Khurana, Deborah Duncan, Carolyn Farb, and more.
Mariola Chodkowska and Rae Strum.
