Houston Moms and Daughters Stand Together for Planned Parenthood, Raise $1.1 Million in Roe v. Wade Luncheon
Girlfriend Podcast Hosts Help Push Record-Breaking Afternoon
BY Shelby Hodge // 02.10.20Peggie Kohnert leads the other mom and daughter chairs of Planned Parenthood's 47th annual Roe V. Wade luncheon, (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
What: Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast 47th annual Roe v. Wade Luncheon
Where: Marriott Marquis Hotel
PC Moment: Bravo Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, co-hosts of the podcast, Call Your Girlfriend, for their spirited “conversation” on stage highlighting the power of friendships to create social change including those of former Governor Ann Richards and Molly Ivins, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and Wilma Mankiller and Gloria Steinem.
One could say it was a $1.1 million performance, for that is the total raised. The windfall and the attendance of more than 2,350 made this a record-setting fundraiser for Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. The funds will aid Planned Parenthood in its mission of providing expert, affordable reproductive health care and medically accurate sexual health information and funding for the organization’s two newest services — transgender care and primary care.
Applause, applause for luncheon chairs Peggie Kohnert and her daughter, Vail Kohnert-Yount, and Gina Carroll and her daughters, Jennifer, Jessica, and Jillian Carroll.
Taking bows as honorees were Lillie Robertson, Beth Robertson and her daughter, Cullen Geiselman, whose family heritage of supporting Planned Parenthood dates back to 1947 when Hugh Roy Cullen served on the first fundraising campaign for Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, then known as the Maternal Health Center. Since 1992, the Cullen Trust for Health Care has generously partnered with PPGC to provide health care and sexual health information.
More than two dozen elected officials, including Mayor Sylvester Turner and congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, joined the midday fundraiser.
PC Seen: Sima Ladjevardian, Sissy Farenthold, Bobbie Nau, Carolyn and Jake Sabat, Sherry Merfish, Kim Sterling, Christine Morenz, Phyllis Cohen, Cathryn Selman, David Lee, Erin Mincberg, Ted Lee and Marc Sekula.