Game Night Goes Glam! Inaugural 'Mahj for Mental Health' Is a Hit

Kelli Durham
Game Night Goes Glam! Inaugural 'Mahj for Mental Health' Is a Hit

Heidi Saporito, Ansley Cire, Callie Gaines and Ashley Partridge

THE FIRST-EVER Mahj for Mental Health event, hosted last week at River Oaks Country Club, brought together fashion-forward, philanthropic-minded women for an evening of games and exciting raffles.


Kelli Durham Oster and Callie Gaines partnered with the Mend Center, founded and run by Daniel Garcia, who was recently named to CityBook's 'Cool 100,' to host the game night. Proceeds from the evening went to the nonprofit.

The pair, dressed in flirty floral dresses, welcomed their guests with cocktails in hand, and ushered everyone through a buffet of almost-too-pretty-to-eat bites. Attendees also browsed the raffle prizes, which included items from Oh My Mahj!, the Monogram Shop, LovelyKind Beauty, Shaded Spraytans + Teeth Whitening, and Love George, a children's clothing brand designed and created by Gaines.

Garcia grabbed the mic for a bit to tell those who might be unfamiliar a bit about what the Mend Center does: It seeks to remove the stigma associated with some of the most debilitating mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, through education, treatment and support for families. It recently moved into a Heights bungalow that has been converted to a residential treatment facility — the first of its kind in the country.

Then it was time to mahj! Tables were outfitted with the most beautiful sets (plus arrangements courtesy of fab florist Maria Maxit), and the gals gabbed and gamed for hours. Everyone left with hand-painted cookies designed to look like mahjong tiles from Village Bakery.

The event will return next spring, and Oster says more events are currently in the works.

Dr. Daniel Garcia with his wife, left, and Michele Foreman

Callie Gaines, Daniel Garcia, Kelli Durham Oster

Lea Tcholakian, Kelly Shields, Cara Moran and Callie Gaines

Brooke Horlen and Anna Schleicher

Ashley Partridge

Whitney Rape

Raffle items

Parties
Fall Philanthropy Report: Spindletop Community Impact Partners Engages and Supports At-Risk Youth

The 50th Annual Spindletop Holiday Ball, Seas and Greetings, will be held on Thursday, December 12. Tables and sponsorship opportunities are available now.

What is your mission? Spindletop Community Impact Partners, Inc. enhances the lives of at-risk youth through funding and volunteering from the energy industry, while promoting fellowship and networking among its participants.

Keep Reading Show less

Houston Ballet dancers Danbi Kim, Estheysis Menendez, Gian Carlo Perez, and Chase O'Connell

IT WAS AN evening of style, flavor and celebration as guests filled Caracol for Houston Ballet’s signature spring event, Raising the Barre. Co-chaired by Duyen & Marc Nguyen and Dr. Tatiana Sorkin & Michel Coret, the dinner brought together 160 supporters and raised $110,000 for the Ballet’s performances, education programs and artistic initiatives.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties

Nancy Gonzalez, Denise Reyes, Christina Jack, Destiny Fernandisse (photo by Emily Jaschke)

WHEN THE GRANDE dame of Houston philanthropy steps up to chair the annual gala for one of Houston’s most elite cultural institutions, expect high elegance to abound and big bucks to roll in.

Keep Reading Show less