2012 Friends Gala

Kenny Loggins Rocks the 32nd Friends Gala

Houston Event goes Hollywood

The stars were out in Houston on November 10 at the 2012 Friends Gala. Chairs Gabrielle Patout and Lory Tauber provided all the glitz and glamour any red carpet could want, and Gala guests had a chance to get ”up close and personal” with legendary singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. After months of plans and promotion, Gabrielle and Lory welcomed almost 600 friends to the glittering Westin Galleria Houston ballroom.

The Friends of the Stehlin Foundation is an independent charitable organization whose annual galas have become “must attend” events on Houston’s charity scene. In a nod to Loggins’ hit movie theme songs, the 2012 Gala was a salute to Hollywood.

The evening’s honoree was Houston-based accessory designer Elaine Turner. A Texas girl with a cosmopolitan sense of style and a serious dedication to the fight against breast cancer, Elaine hosts numerous fundraisers at her signature boutiques each year. (Note – see photos from Elaine’s August 2012 event at City Centre benefitting the Foundation here.)

The evening kicked off with fast and furious bidding on cool sports, entertainment, art, and travel items in both the silent and live auctions. Thanks to Auction Chairs Anna Williams-Parker and Danielle Durocher, guests competed for exciting and unique items and the bids were generous. Proceeds from the Gala and auction support the Foundation’s research on a deadly childhood sarcoma cancer – DSRCT – and a collaborative project with Baylor College of Medicine on prostate cancer.

Guests were entertained during dinner by the delightful music of Encore Strings. The group added beauty and elegance to a memorable dinner prepared by the Westin Galleria chefs. Notably, the wines served during dinner were hand selected and generously donated by Olivia and Robert Pacini.

Footloose!

A live auction ramped up the evening’s excitement, but it was the arrival of Grammy Award-winning singer Kenny Loggins that sent the party into overdrive. Performing such sentimental favorites as Danny’s Song, House at Pooh Corner, Celebrate Me Home and rocking mega-hits What a Fool Believes and Danger Zone, Kenny certainly didn’t disappoint. And by the time the first familiar notes of the Footloose theme began, people were dancing in the aisles – because there wasn’t any room left on the dance floor.

The ballroom didn’t cool down when Kenny left the stage. Skyrocket, Austin’s wickedly original party band, combined ’70 solid gold with classic rock, soul, and even disco to keep things heated up until the wee hours. Playing hits from Abba to Zeppelin, the band made certain guests went home hoarse, tired, and smiling.

And the Awards Go To . . .

An event of the size and complexity of the Friends Gala takes the hard work of MANY dedicated volunteers.

Special thanks to Nancy Ames,  Danny Ward, and Nancy Riviere of Ward and Ames Special Events for their tireless efforts to plan, produce, and support the event. Elaine Turner Designs and Joystix Classic Games / Young Texans Against Cancer hosted pre-Gala events that helped generate excitement (and donations) for the cause. And the terrific students of The UT School of Nursing at Houston arrived early Saturday morning to help with Gala setup and decorations.

Finally, the Friends and the Foundation sincerely thank all those who supported the 2012 Gala through their donations and table, ticket, and auction purchases. Since 1980, Gala patrons have contributed more than $11.5 million to the cancer research, treatment, and education programs of CHRISTUS Stehlin Foundation. The 2012 Gala added to the event’s well-deserved reputation as a fun evening for a great cause.

Click to view 2012 Gala Photos!

2012 Friends Gala Underwriters and Table Sponsors

The Godfather

Mrs. Charline Dauphin

Citizen Kane

The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Houston

Doctor Zhivago

EOG Resources, Inc.

Lucy Bonneau Striking Against Breast Cancer / Donna Conners

Marlaine and Ken White

Good Fellas

CHRISTUS Health

The Ellwood Foundation

Ginger and Terry Rathert

The Pevehouse Family Foundation

The Wild Bunch

Burguières Family Foundation

CHRISTUS Foundation for Healthcare

Insperity

The Marek Family

Republic National Distribution Foundation, Inc.

Ricoh Healthcare

Mrs. Denise Rosenfeld

Mrs. Annette Scranton in memory of Patrick and Don Scranton

Spec’s Liquor Warehouse

Strake Foundation

Tauber Oil Company

Jeanette and Jim Woods

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

ARAMARK Healthcare

Cynthia and Judson Bowman

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP

Cinco Energy Services

Elaine Turner Designs

Abraham and Cynthia Garza in honor of Conception Garza Montez

Cory and Carley Giovanella

Wendy and Beppino Giovanella

Houston Contract Interiors

Donna and Norman Lewis

Owens and Minor, Inc.

Carolene and Frank Patout, Sr.

Radack & Associates, P.C.

Riviana Foods, Inc.

David W. Tauber, Sr.

Lory Tauber

Margaret and Kim Wheless

Double Indemnity

Envoy Mortgage

Five Star Metals, Inc.

The Four Seasons Hotel

GE Oil & Gas

Hospital Housekeeping Systems

The Lents Foundation

Janet and Elton Lipnick

Bonnie and Clyde

Chilton Capital Management, LLC

Jacki and Brian Evans

Holub Realty, Inc.

W. Lesandrini

Cathey and Michael Meagher

Anna B. McCullough

Mike and Sheri McQuinn

John L. Zipprich II

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid

Ms. Patricia Bell

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

Catherine and Paul Cagle

CenterPoint Energy

Colliers International

Sallie Gordon and Kenneth Schwenke

Penny and Tom Haber

Mr. Thomas Jackson

Wanda S. Kimbrell, CPA

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Eugene Lehrer

Michelle and Constantine Markides

Marla’s Gem Creations

Marilyn and John McGill

Kathy and Dr. Ethan Natelson

Brian and Carrie Panacek

Sara Reddy

Mr. and Mrs. David Rude, Jr.

William Sarosky

Shell Oil Company Foundation

StarFlite Aviation

Steve and Barbara Wirik

Click to view 2012 Gala Photos!

You also may wish to visit the Friends Facebook page for additional photos and comments.