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    The Year in Culture

    Ka-ching! The return of million dollar fundraisers made for a bountiful year

    Shelby Hodge
    Dec 30, 2010 | 8:00 am
    • Rice University's Baker Institute reaped $3 million in proceeds from the 80thbirthday celebration of namesake James A. Baker III.
      Photo by Gary Fountain
    • The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston One Great Night in November earned $1.1 millionin art purchases.
      Photo by Kim Coffman
    • The Las Vegas-themed Memorial Hermann Foundation Circle of Life gala brought in$2.3 million.
      Photo by Gary Fountain

    If one thing stands out in the charitable landscape of the past year, it is the resurgence of benefit galas that reached, if not surpassed, the seven-figure mark. One year after the nation was mired in a painful recession and more than a few local non-profits were feeling the pinch, 2010 provided a beacon of hope on the non-profit fundraising scene.

    Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III's 80th birthday celebration proved to be one of the most profitable fundraisers of the year. A cool $2 million was committed for Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy well before the heady collection of black-tie-attired donors entered the party tent on the Rice campus. Chairs Isabel Stude Lummis, Courtney Lanier Sarofim and Aliyya Kombargi Stude began the evening more than pleased.

    But when trial lawyer Joe Jamail announced a personal gift of $1 million in honor of his friend Baker, their enthusiasm and that of the 650 guests, including former President George H.W. Bush, soared.

    The fundraising highs continued throughout the spring with the Memorial Hermann Foundation Circle of Life gala bringing in a whopping $2.3 milliion. Applause were generous for chairs Alina and Roberto Garcia, Donny and Tony Vallone and Sheridan and John Eddie Williams.

    Even before oilman Oscar Wyatt announced his $1 million gift to Houston Grand Opera in honor of wife Lynn Wyatt, HGO's Yellow Rose Ball, chaired by Denise Bush Bahr and Philip Bahr, was expected to net an easy million. Ka-ching! A month earlier, Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein and Martin Fein shepherded the stunning Houston Symphony Ball to its $1 million goal.

    It doesn't always take a black-tie gala to bring in the serious money. The Barbara Bush Celebration of Reading, which annually packs the Hobby Center with business-attired donors, raked in $1.9 million last April, up from the previous year but not quite reaching the $2 million-plus proceeds of a more flush 2008. In any case, spirits ran high at the increasing revenues and at the entertaining nationally-recognized authors, who read from their most recent works.

    While fundraising galas go on hiatus during the summer months, the generous giving continued once the social swells were back in town from their summer sojourns. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Grand Gala Ball, chaired by Carol and Mike Linn, brought in $1.2 million for museum coffers. Only a month later, the MFAH's men's smoker, One Great Night in November, earned $1.1 million in art purchases.

    If the promising numbers of 2010 are any indication, things should be looking up across the board for charitable fundraising in 2011.

    Editor's note: This is the ninth in a series of articles CultureMap will be running this last week of 2010 on The Year in Culture. The stories in this series will focus on a key point or two, something that struck our reporting team about the year rather than rote Top 10 lists or bests of.

    Other The Year In Culture stories:

    Organic, sustainable, local: The words that now dominate food

    Demolishing the doldrums: Office towers somehow keep rising in Houston

    Less blockbuster, more indie surprises: A call for fewer Texas-sized art exhibits in 2011

    Forget The Social Network, it's all about keeping mom off Twitter

    On the store front: H-E-B's final plan for Montrose market has a neighborly attitude

    Houston chefs turn into celebrity spouses and I find a new partner

    It's the year of the "gaybie:" Elton John is the latest proud parent

    One thing I learned in 2010: Not even the BP oil spill could rub out Louisiana's soul

    unspecified
    news/society

    Power and Style

    Fashion show and tequila toasts light up Latin Women’s Initiative lunch

    Joel Luks
    Jun 13, 2025 | 4:30 pm
    Latin Women's Initiative gala luncheon 2025
    Photo by Dave Rossman
    Jessica Perez, Vicky Nehme, Raquel Thomas, and Alejandra Elizondo.

    Houtson's Latin Women’s Initiative pulled off a tres chic triple threat — style, celebration, and serious giving — during its 30th anniversary luncheon and fashion show, drawing more than 850 supporters to the Hilton Americas-Houston ballroom. The event blended culture, community, and catwalks into one spectacular midday affair.

    Event chairs April Ramirez Fabre and Julie Garza, alongside board president Jovanny Orellana, welcomed guests to a ballroom teeming with fashionistas, philanthropists, and a whole lot of Latin sass. The annual luncheon, show, and bustling marketplace marked a major milestone for the nonprofit, which has supported Houston’s Latin community for more than two decades. This year’s honorees, Lisset Garza and Naimeh Salem, were recognized for their years of dedicated support to the organization and beyond.

    Festivities kicked off early with a shopping marketplace that opened in the morning and quickly became standing room only. Stylish attendees sipped tequila samples from local brand Titanium Tequila while browsing vendors. A specialty cocktail bar and music from DJ Freddy B kept the energy festive. Event designer Johanna Terry delivered an elegant setting, infusing the ballroom with rich emerald green tones, a nod to the organization’s 30th anniversary, paired with lush florals.

    The program began with Orellana welcoming the crowd from a dramatic Y-shaped runway, as Mariachi Reyes de Mexico filled the room with music that hushed the crowd for a heartfelt invocation.

    Then came the moment every fashion lover waited for: Lo Mejor de Saks Primavera 2025 (The Best of Spring Saks 2025), a luxe runway show presented in partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue, led by Heidi Turney and Hasina Starks. Applause echoed as models and a few brave Houston firefighters showed off the season’s must-haves. But the true showstopper? Actor and TV host Julián Gil, who surprised the audience by strutting the runway himself, earning whoops and cheers from the crowd. His appearance was generously sponsored by Salem.

    The catwalk came alive with Latin beats and massive LED screens flashing colorful visuals, thanks to a production team led by Lenny Matuszewski and Tamara Bonar. Behind-the-scenes storytelling and videos, created by exclusive media partner Telemundo Houston, added a poignant layer to the spectacle.

    As guests settled in for lunch, anticipation built for the raffle, which included a dazzling diamond tennis necklace from Zadok Jewelers. Helene Zadok herself took the stage to crown the lucky winner. All that excitement translated into impact: the event raised more than $500,000 to benefit Justice Forward, Rebuilding Together Houston, Segundo Barrio Children's Chorus, El Centro de Corazon, and Naba Shoes for Kids.

    And what’s a Latin party without a proper toast?

    Guests clinked glasses in a tequila-fueled cheers to three decades of fashion for a cause, then danced the afternoon away to live music from Grupo Kache. The grand finale included more marketplace shopping and lite bites, with plans already announced for next year’s fête on May 1, 2026.

    Houston’s Latin glitterati showed up, including Ceron, Patricia Herrera, Leticia Fallick, Rosi Hernandez, Gloria Luna Bounds, Trini Mendenhall-Royalty, Vicky Dominguez, Becky Reyes, Maritza Gonzales, Vicki Luna, Chree Boydstun, David Cordua, Frances Castañeda Dyess, Patricia Garcia, Alba Huerta, Daisy Mendoza, Arcy Muñoz Marshall, Jolene Treviño, Mari Salazar, Leanne Schneider, Hoda Sana, Xochitl Ljuboja, Jackie Garcia, Cathryn Martinez, Mariangeles Orti, Vanessa Ramirez, Matty Restivo, Lisa Flores, Susan Dray, Marilu Garza, Conchita Reyes, Lorena Gomez, Lucia and Michael Cordua, and Leisa Holland-Nelson.

    Latin Women's Initiative gala luncheon 2025
      

    Photo by Dave Rossman

    Jessica Perez, Vicky Nehme, Raquel Thomas, and Alejandra Elizondo.

    fundraiserslatin women’s initiative
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