Healthcare Org Toasts to 30 Years of 'Making a Difference' in East End

Daniel Ortiz
Healthcare Org Toasts to 30 Years of 'Making a Difference' in East End

Cyndy Garza Roberts, Stephanie Ramos, Michele Leal Farah, Vicky Dominguez and Leisa Holland Nelson Bowman

WITH A GOAL of ensuring access to quality healthcare for underserved families in Houston’s East End, El Centro de Corazón has been making a difference for 30 years. Its annual Making a Difference luncheon, this year chaired by Vicky Dominguez with honorary chairs Leisa Holland Nelson Bowman and Leila Perrin, raised more than $150,000.


Emceed by Cyndy Garza Roberts, the River Oaks Country Club affair honored Michele Leal Farrah for her commitment to El Centro and similar causes all over Houston. The organization’s CEO, Marcie Mir, thanked supporters and shared why El Centro must still expand its services to reach more Houston residents. Notably, 74 percent of El Centro’s 12,000-plus patients live at or below federal poverty level ($31K annually for a family of four) and more than half are uninsured.

Then Stephanie Ramos gave the keynote address; the ABC News correspondent and Army Reserve Major spoke about channeling inner strength to make a bigger impact.

Andrea Godea, Larry Savala, Amalia Savala

Sippi Khurana and Donae Chramosta

Blanca Lopez, Julie Garza, Hoda Sana

Shelley Ludwick and Elvia Taylor

Elizabeth Ramos, Marcie Mir and Michele Leal

Esmeralda De la Cruz, Lorena Gomez, Vicky Dominguez

Neena Arora, Diana Grair, Kavon Young

Maria Smith, Diana Ospina

Mari Trevino Glass and Cinthya Reade

Evelyn Leightman, George Connelly, Helen Perry

George and Michele Farah

Lisa Wilmore, George Connelly

German Ibañez, Melanie Rodriguez

Linda Flores Olson, Vicki Luna, Graciana Garces, Jorge Gonzalez

Jan Mendenhall, Xochitl Ljuboja, Miriam Zatarain

Jolene Trevino and Vicki Luna

John Cisneros, Marco Perez

Lisa Wilmore, Ed Emmett and Leisa Holland Nelson Bowman

Parties
Wellness Pro LeBrina Jackson on Gratitude at the Holidays: It’s a ‘Reset Button for my Mind’

LeBrina Jackson

AS WE GET into the holiday season, we’re reminded of what we have, what we want and what might be lacking. As Sheryl Crow says in her song, Soak up the Sun, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you've got.” We caught up with LeBrina Jackson, owner of Escape Spa in Cypress, Texas, and learned how she tackles the holiday season with hope, love and most importantly, gratitude.

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Chairs Elia and Michael Gabbanelli

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER sold-out Wine Dinner and Collector's Auction for the Houston Symphony. This year's event was chaired by Elia and Michael Gabbanelli, and raised more than $900,000 for the Symphony's education and community programs.

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Art + Entertainment

Chef-owner Austin Waiter of The Marigold Club, now serving fried chicken and Champagne on Sunday nights.


IF YOUR SUNDAY nights could use a little sparkle—and a lot of fried chicken—The Marigold Club has just the thing. Starting May 25 at 5pm, the Montrose hotspot known for its playful mix of Southern charm and London polish is rolling out a new weekly tradition: Fried Chicken & Champagne Sundays.

This isn’t your average comfort food situation. We're talking a shareable fried chicken dinner for two, made with farm-raised birds from Deeply Rooted Ranch, and served alongside buttery whipped potatoes, minted peas, aged cheddar scones, and some over-the-top sauces — including a foie gras sauce supreme that’s as extra as it sounds.

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Food