Houston's Energy Titans Throw a Million-Dollar Charity Ball

Fulton Davenport
Houston's Energy Titans Throw a Million-Dollar Charity Ball

John & Amanda Taylor, Stephanie Willis, Jason Weddle

AMONG THE MANY festive fetes held at The Post Oak Hotel over the Christmas season was the 50th annual Spindletop Holiday Ball.


Hosted by Spindletop Community Impact Partners, the energy-industry event supports more than 40 different nonprofits in the area, mostly ones benefiting at-risk children and families. Executives from big-wig oil companies including ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Equinor, Murphy Oil Corporation and many others attended the milestone gala, which honored individuals Dominic Macklon, Terry Bono and Jordan Zaiser for their involvement in the industry and community.

The evening kicked off with the national anthem sung by Etoile Academy Charter Middle School students, and a dance performance courtesy of Ensemble Theatre Young Performers. Throughout the night, artist Fumi McFarland wowed guests with her mesmerizing sand art, and patrons supported a toy drive for Girls Inc. After bidding on silent auction items — deBoulle diamond earrings, Astros and Texans tickets, dinners at Tony's, The Marigold Club and Brasserie 19, and a hunting trip to the Patagonia region — attendees hit the dance floor.

The evening raised a whopping $1 million!

Ann Adamson, Warwick King, Keelan Adamson, Wendy King

Veronica Foley

Billy-Jo Lafortune, Lindsay Weddle, Pragati Mathur

Spindletop Women in STEM BAFTX Scholar Reagan Crow

Constance White Volunteer Service Award Recipient Jordan Zaiser with Lia Vallone, Lindsay Weddle & Bart Cahir

Chad & Cristina Williams

Seliece & Lee Womble

Ensemble Theatre Young Performers

Eric Everett, Richard & Julie Mercer, Kaitlin & Jordan Zaiser

Sara & Ryan Young, Kerry Sedge

Laura Miller, Evan & Stacy Powell

Roger & Jill Jenkins

Liam & Gill Mallon

National Anthem Singers from Etoile Academy Charter School

Luna Rey, Genevieve Carter

Maggie & Greg Sheridan

Parties

Robert Clay, Dana Barton, Bobbie Nau and Tony Bradfield

DINNER ON THE stage is always a special privilege for arts patrons — and the annual Houston Symphony Wine Dinner and Collector’s Auction, served on the stage of the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, was arguably even more spectacular than usual. After all, in addition to the uniquely striking setting, Symphony supporters also were treated a multi-course meal by chef Aaron Bludorn, paired with wines chosen by John and Lindy Rydman and Lisa Rydman Lindsey of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods.

Keep Reading Show less

David Robertson

AS HOUSTON SLOWLY recovers from last week’s severe derecho, it is strangely serendipitous that on May 25 and 26, a little over a week after that unexpected drama, the Houston Symphony will perform composer John Adams’ critically acclaimed Nativity oratorio El Niño, named after the 1997 meteorological phenomenon and precursor to what we now refer to as “weird weather.”

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment