Shelby's Social Diary
Craig Biggio hits a home run for Sunshine Kids, Lesley Stahl makes news andPeter Buffett rocks
It's been one heck of a week party-wise. Five events on Tuesday, two on Wednesday, five on Thursday and more on Friday and throughout the prior weekend. Herewith, we play catch-up with a few of the more memorable events of the past week.
Buffeted by Buffet
Peter Buffett, son of billionaire Warren Buffett, might be short on cash since Dad gave most of his fortune away to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. But the guy is long on music and on monologue as he occupied the final 60 minutes of the Communities in Schools benefit dinner, sharing his interesting story and performing his music in the packed ballroom of the Hilton Houston Post Oak. It wasn't exactly an upbeat hour with songs on human trafficking, on world pollution and on changing the plight of teen girls around the world. But it was fascinating.
In addition, the program included testimonials on behalf of the valuable work that CIS does, the presentation of honorees plus a video, allowing not much time for revelry.
But we couldn't applaud the cause more — keeping students in school. And 88 percent of CIS clients graduate. We couldn't admire the chair Franelle Rogers, honorary chairs Maureen and Jim Hackett or the honorees, Janiece Longoria and Steve Lasher, more. And we salute them for bringing in more than $450,000 gross at the midweek fundraiser. Comcast was honored with the CIS corporate award.
We loved the lively start to the evening with a great crowd so energized that no one wanted to be seated, not even CIS board chair Charles Duncan and his wife Anne. Add to the notable mix Judy and Charles Tate, Kathy and Jeff Love, Joan Schnitzer-Levy, Melissa and Doug Schnitzer, Margaret Williams, Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Kathryn and Jim Ketelsen and Joelle Rogers. Three cheers for the handiwork of emcee Jerome Gray, KPRC Channel 2 news anchor.
A sellout at Minute Maid
Supporters of the Sunshine Kids packed Union Station at Minute Maid Park for the annual Craig Biggio Celebrity Gala where the star power was contributed not only by Biggio and his wife, Patty, but also by Sunshine Kids Foundation executive director G.W. Bailey, popular star of TNT's The Closer. Add the show's producer Andy Sacks to the celeb mix. (Biggio is national spokesman for the Sunshine Kids.)
The Biggios co-chaired the dinner evening with Ann Woodroof. Taking bows for their heavy involvement in the annual fundraiser were Marilyn Eiland and Mark Woodroof, owners of founding event sponsor Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors.
Biggio sang the praises of honoree Bob Allen, KTRK Channel 13 sports director who has long been generously involved with the non-profit. Sunshine Kids founder Rhoda Tomasco made the trip in from her home in Hawaii to express her gratitude for Allen's devotion to the youngsters with cancer. Between the testimonial of Sunshine Kid Shelby Robin and the talented emcee and auctioneering talents of Sunshine Kids spokes-kid James Ragan, it was one emotional evening.
The following Monday, a hefty load of retired sports stars joined the Sunshine Kids Celebrity Golf Classic at Sweetwater Country Club. Among them were Clyde Drexler, Gregg Bingham, Mike Chamballa, Doug Drabek, Goose Gonsoulin, Moses Malone, Robert Reid and Bubba McDowell.
Age-defying leadership
The ballroom of River Oaks Country Club was packed to the rafters for the Huffington Center on Aging at Baylor College of Medicine's Women's Health Summit and Luncheon. This popular annual event, which spotlights women of accomplishment of a certain age, honored 60 Minutes reporter Lesley Stahl with the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award for Living With Grace and Distinction.
But that was not the only honor handed out before the high-powered luncheon crowd. Nancy Dinerstein and Mary Ann McKeithan were recognized with the Spirit of Excellence Award. Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein and Denise Hazen received the Excellence in Bloom Award.
Applause, applause for the mother-daughter chairs Mary Bain Pearson and Bain Pearson Pitts and for involved honorary chairs Terry Huffington and her husband, Ralph Dittman.
On hand for the health summit and the luncheon were guests including Nidhika Mehta, Martin Fein, David McKeithan, Jack Dinerstein, Melissa Mithoff, Julia Frankel, Mary Lee Merritt, Linda Brown, Joan Lyons and Joanne King Herring.