Shelby's Social Diary

Must-have handbags are auctioned off in River Oaks to help families withcancer-stricken kids

Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill
Photo by Jenny Antill

When the doors opened to the dining room at River Oaks Country Club at 10 a.m., the ladies, hungry for a great buy, poured in to shop through the 250 must-have handbags that were on the auction block for Heroes for Children. The annual "Heroes and Handbags" luncheon drew some 500 women and a sprinkling of men there to raise funds for the charity that provides aid to Texas families with children battling cancer.

Welcoming the throng were luncheon chair Sarah Simon, honorary chair Susan Plank and silent auction chair Alissa Maples, who was responsible for the assembly of the fab fashion finds.

The auction featured nine "it" bags, retailing at more than $2,000 each, with labels such as Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi and Gucci. The star of the show was the Reed Krakoff python and water snake taupe bag, retailing for $3,800 at Saks. With her high bid, Megan Sutton-Reed took that baby home.

For her efforts as chair of the silent auction for four years, Alissa was honored with the Spirit of Allie and Taylor Award.

Heroes for Children executive director Christy Hensel came in from Dallas to participate in the program that included Larissa Linton, Heroes for Children founder, who shared the story of her daughter's death due to cancer.

Perusing the rows and rows of desirable handbags were guests including Virginia and Dan Steppe, Dee Dee Gugginheim, Amy Lee, Amy Snoots, Kimberly DeLape, Celina Stabell, Kiki Wilson, Kelli Tumey, Luvi Wheelock, Donae Chramosta and Sarah Deutser.

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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