Friend raising
Houston Methodist supporters experience a different kind of Rocky Mountain high at Aspen outing
Culling the rarified Aspen landscape in summer for charitable support has become a ritual that Houston medical institutions and cultural groups consider a fundraising must, though no hands are actually extended during these friend-raising expeditions. Just out of the shoot was Houston Methodist, which put together a day-long mini-camp, so to speak, for supporters bunking in the Rockies for their personal cool-weather hejiras.
Cam and Rod Canion, Nancy and Jack Dinerstein, Kimberly and David Dominy and Lesha and Tom Elsenbrook hosted the three-part event that found Houston Methodist patrons, execs and docs either on the golf course or chowing down at a cooking class/lunch and all gathered at day's end for a tasty barbecue party.
There was cause for celebration at the barbecue when Houston Methodist CEO Dr. Marc Boom announced that the hospital was named best hospital in Texas for the third consecutive year.
Bayou City Capital, another group grasping the value of Aspen connections, sponsored the scramble golf tourney at Aspen Golf Club, where men and women teed up for beautiful scenery and prizes. We are told that Denise Monteleone's ladies team was so fashionably coordinated (orange the predominant color) that Tom Elsenbrook commented that the fairway fashion splendor "created dissent on his golf team causing them to be off their game."
Hole No. 5 held a special surprise for golfers. Dr. Mauro Ferrari, president and CEO of Houston Methodist Research Institute; Dr. John P. Cooke, chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences; and Dr. Michael Reardon, chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery, were there as a special welcome committee sharing medical nuggets.
Those avoiding the links were entertained at Pyramid Bistro where chef Martin Oswald and Houston Methodist nutritionist Kari Kool provided a cooking demo and talk on the importance of nutrition in mental and physical health.
At day's end, there was cause for celebration at the barbecue when Houston Methodist CEO Dr. Marc Boom announced that the hospital was named best hospital in Texas for the third consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. Bayou City Capital president Bob Hay joined in the presentation.
The Houston/Aspen crowd included Darlene and Cappy Bisso, Leslie Blanton, Elizabeth and Alan Stein, Rita and John Madden, Eliza and Johnny Duncan, Farley and Steve Erikson, Joyce and Dr. Eric Haufrect, Kelley and Steve Lubanko, Dr. Veronica and Mike Curran and on and on.