Society / Featured Parties

The Best Damn Party of the Year Rocks This River Oaks Hotspot: NFL Hunks and Stylish Socialites Mingle in a Deliciously Rowdy Night

BY // 09.26.18
photography Priscilla Dickson, Daniel Ortiz

Houston Texans defensive end Christian Covington was no easy mark in the second floor dining of River Oaks District hot spot Steak 48. No selfies without a minimum three-figure contribution to the cause. $100? No way. $200,? That’s more like it.

And so it was that gridiron heavyweights shamed and cajoled the cocktail-attired crowd into digging deep into their pockets on behalf of the March of Dimes. It was a deliciously rowdy night that was more like a private party than the typical sonorous fundraiser.

Steak 48 pulsated with a crush of cocktail-attired fashionistas, socialites, philanthropists and beefy Houston Texans, all in a stylish herd that stampeded the scales of fun-raising while fundraising. Let’s cut to the chase and giddily declare this March of Dimes benefit  the best charity party of the year.

How could it be anything less with the bars open, wine flowing and an endless parade of Steak 48 mouth-watering specialties, all compliments of the house. Add the competition between Texans players to see who could raise the most charitable dollars. The party rocked.

Taking home the prize — a Rolex watch from IW Marks Jewelers — for most funds raised was safety Kareem Jackson, who managed to playfully harass diners until he raised more than $10,000. Center Nick Martin did his duty raising $9,100 and in third place was  Covington, who earned $8,000 through personal photo ops and sales of light-up necklaces.

Texans joining the party included Ryan Griffin, Brian Peters, Jon Weeks, Benardrick McKinney, DJ Reader, Greg Mancz, Andre Chachere and more as well as former Texans Brian Cushing, Owen Daniels and Garrett Graham. By night’s end, the event had raised more than $450,000.

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This special celebration of the March of Dime’s 80th anniversary was a departure from the annual Signature Chefs fundraiser. As March of Dimes executive director Darcie Champagne Wells explained, Hannah and Cal McNair, Houston Texans chairman and chief operating officer, had signed on to chair the event and then decided they wanted something completely different. And different it was.

The night began with red carpet arrivals, a step and repeat, greetings from a tuxedo-clad Toro and cocktails and appetizers on the sprawling restaurant’s first floor. Even before the fundraising competition began, the crowd was in a very festive mood.

There was, however, time out for the serious side of the evening when both Hannah McNair and March of Dimes Mission honoree, Houston Texans running back  D’Onta Foreman shared their wrenching stories of losing babies at childbirth. The frivolity diminished and more than a few tears fell as the mission of the March of Dimes, healthy moms and strong babies, was brought home.

Once the throng of close to 300 filled the second floor for the seated dinner, the merriment resumed with vigor, fueled by a hearty supply of food from the talented kitchen of executive chef Jeff Taylor and corporate executive chef Marc Lupino. Guests partied from table to table while the players, who had dined earlier, worked the room raising the ante for healthy babies and raising a whole lotta cain.

Party people: Voice of the Houston Texans Marc Vandermeer who served as emcee, Hallie Vanderhider, Joanna and Brad Marks, Courtney and Bill Toomey, Molly and Matt Lafauci, Brigitte and Bashar Kalai, Caroline and John Harrell, Alicia Smith, Laurel D’Antoni, Tony Bradfield, Melanie and Marcus Luttrell, Sylvia Forsythe, Rachel and Tom Regan, and Abby and Chris Vanegas.

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