Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Ron Powers gave an emotional speech about his family’s struggles with mental illness at the Hope and Healing Center & Institute’s Chrysalis Award luncheon. … Career and Recovery Resources’ Barrier Breaker Award lunch, honoring Ed and Gwen Emmett and Philamena and Arthur Baird, raised more than $250K. … A lively Sunday brunch at the Four Seasons doubled as a fundraiser for the Great Age Movement, which promotes learning and socialization among seniors. Jazz performances and ballroom dancing dazzled the crowd of 200. … Designer David Peck and his wife chaired the Judy’s Mission Possible lunch at the Houstonian, raising funds for early-detection and ovarian cancer research at MD Anderson. … The Latin Women’s Initiative’s annual fashion show lunch was as festive as ever, featuring designs by Andrés Otálora — and tequila shots. … At River Oaks Country Club, the Mayor’s Literacy Breakfast honored the Houston Dynamo and Dash teams.
Describe the mission of Make-A-Wish. Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana grants life-changing wishes for local children battling critical illnesses, serving 47 counties in Texas (from Lufkin to Corpus Christi) and the entire state of Louisiana. We are on a quest to bring every eligible child’s wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child’s treatment journey.
How do you view your role in Make-A-Wish? I truly believe I have the greatest job in the entire world! Every day, I see the strength and bravery of the wish kids we serve and the power their wishes have to transform not only their own lives, but those of entire communities. I work with the most hard-working and dedicated staff imaginable. It’s my responsibility to ensure that they have the foundational support to effectively do their jobs and fulfill our mission at a level of excellence. I’m here to work alongside our team and Board of Directors to guide our organization daily and propel our future with limitless possibilities.
What’s unique about your approach? We are building a team based on a sincere belief in having the best and most capable staff executing our mission and serving our wish families. A key component of fulfilling this vision each day is empowerment of my team to embody a service-focused culture of achievement. My motto is, “We always find a way to make a wish happen!” We’re here for the sole purpose of making magic happen for our wish kids — it’s that simple!
What factors motivated you to choose a career in non-profit leadership? Growing up, I was fortunate to have role models who constantly showed me what true community stewardship looks like. Studying Journalism at Mizzou, I felt a strong desire to bring stories to life. Then, I saw the need for people to actively contribute to making their community stronger. It is an ongoing, rewarding and humbling journey to work with a team who shares that mindset and to bring hope to those that need it.
What are the key lessons you’ve learned? By far, the most important lesson is that we must be 100 percent kid-focused with every decision we make. There is no higher priority than our wish kids. We must act with honesty, integrity and compassion. The commitment to serve is one not to be made lightly, and we hold ourselves to standards higher than those set by anyone outside Make-A-Wish.
What’s most exciting about the future of Make-A-Wish? This summer we will grant the 10,000th wish to a local kid since our organization’s inception in 1984. This represents a very special and key milestone as Make-A-Wish is building toward our impact goal to double the number of local wishes granted annually by 2025. Get involved at http://wish.org/texgulf
WITH HOLIDAY PARTIES and festive dinners galore this time of year, it’s officially Champagne season! Artisans is celebrating with a special bubbly dinner paired with sips from famous Champagne house Moet Chandon Winery on Thursday, November 14.
Chef Erik Cruz has worked with the winery to produce a decadent tasting menu to be paired with flutes of Moet & Chandon and Veuve. To start: there’s caviar — because what’s a champagne dinner without caviar? — and ceviche. The three main courses feature smoked tiger prawn, slow braised sweetbread and roasted lamb. All topped off with delectable chocolate mousse.
Chef Cruz has worked at storied Houston eateries Brennans of Houston and Hugo’s Café. Under Artisans owner and executive chef Jacques Fox, Cruz honed his French techniques while incorporating his Mexican roots.
Artisans relocated from Midtown to Westheimer in 2023. They are located at 5745 Westheimer Houston, TX 77057. Tickets are $199 and available here.
HOLIDAY CHEER IS coming to Bandista, the Four Seasons hotel’s swanky speakeasy, in the form of a fun collab with Nashville bar Four Walls.
The 20-seat Bandista will be decked out in holiday décor on Dec. 4 and 5 as unique concoctions are mixed by the bartenders from Four Walls — which was recently named to the prestigious Esquire's Best Bars in America list — benefitting Camp H-Town.
Don’t let the ingredient list scare you — you’ll find chickpeas, red bell pepper and chives on the menu. These are serious boozy cocktails. The cleverly named Misplaced Memories features gin, Crème de Cacao, pistachio, lime and egg white. On the spicy side is the gin-based Queen’s Gambit with red bell pepper, rosemary, ginger, coconut, jalapeño and garlic. And where do those chickpeas come in? The Hollywood Babylon, mixed with tequila, horchata, saffron, honey, lime, grapefruit, pineapple and chickpeas.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Bandista for our first Houston pop-up,” says Mickey Stevenson, Lead Bartender at Four Walls. “It is an honor to partner with a team that shares our commitment to craftsmanship and creativity, and we can’t wait to share highlights from our new menu with their guests.”
Four Walls is located inside The Joseph hotel in Nashville and is inspired by the music city and owner’s Italian-American heritage — think a chic western vibe.
The event’s beneficiary, Camp H-Town, offers an urban camp experience at the Four Seasons for children and siblings touched by cancer.
Reservations at Bandista are available from 5pm-midnight and cocktails are priced at $30 each.