Dallas’ KidneyTexas Luncheon Celebrates Its Silver Anniversary With A Glamorous Fashion Show
The Jan Strimple-Produced Event Featured Designs by Nardos, Tootsies, Betty Reiter, and More
BY Melissa Smrekar // 10.08.24
Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, Luncheon Co-Chair; Barbara Bigham, Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; Monica Cooley, President, KidneyTexas, Inc.; Emilynn Wilson, a 25th Anniversary Award honoree; Claire Catrino, Luncheon Co-Chair. Not shown: The late Claude Wilson, 25th Anniversary Award honoree. (Photo by Thomas Garza and Rob Wythe / Wythe Portrait Studio)
In celebration of the event’s silver anniversary, KidneyTexas Inc. hosted its 25th Runway Report luncheon and fashion show on Tuesday, September 24. Loyal supporters in a variety of fit-and-flare florals gathered at Brook Hollow Country Club for the tried-and-true event, whose formula works for a reason.
Gather the gals (and a few good men). Meet at Brook Hollow. Grab a glass of champagne, even though a well-intentioned stiletto might knock it over, and enjoy the show!
Claire Catrino and Kaleta Blaffer Johnson co-chaired this year’s luncheon, ensuring the entire affair would be as classy as ever. Lauryn Gayle White served as honorary chair.
The runway show, produced by the legendary Jan Strimple, featured festive looks for all seasons (and all budgets!) from longtime fashion show partner Tootsies, as well as St. John, Betty Reiter, and Nardos Design. Frosting each of the models? Jewels from Bachendorf’s, of course. Strimple announced that she’d be handing the proverbial torch to Robyn Chauvin Productions next year. Rest assured, it’s in the best of hands!
We collectively held our breath as the elegant models narrowly missed the clearance of the ballroom’s opulent chandeliers. Their dramatic ballgowns swished down the elevated runway, as attendees snapped iPhone photos of their favorite looks. (Shopping for future galas, perhaps?)
Funds from this year’s silver anniversary luncheon and fashion show benefited six local partners, including Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Methodist Health System Foundation, and Camp Reynal. Two campers from Camp Reynal — Twin siblings, one of whom battles kidney disease — delightfully joined emcee Scott Murray on stage to share highlights from their camp experience. (Spoiler alert, young boys still love zip-lining!)
Elizabeth Anthony
This year, KidneyTexas honored some well-known philanthropists for their steadfast devotion to the organization’s mission, including Donna Arp Weitzman and Barbara Bigham, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Immediately preceding lunch, a pared-down live auction, led by Ken Catrino, included three luxurious packages for the fashionistas — a custom couture piece from Nardos! A champagne-fueled afternoon of baubles at Bachendorf’s! A $2,000 shopping spree at Tootsie’s and a “cool-girl” bomber jacket from Bach Mai! Attendees generously lifted their paddles to raise funds for local efforts to diagnose and manage kidney disease.
At lunch, the tomato soup surprised my tablemates when it turned out to be a gazpacho. Over a pecan-crusted chicken breast, I caught up with Murray, who told me he emcees/hosts/moderates more than 500 events per year (that’s an average of 1.37 events per day!). The next time I’m feeling too booked and busy, I’m going to think of Murray.
Surveying the Brook Hollow ballroom, I saw so many familiar faces who attend The Runway Report year after year, a testament to their devotion to the cause.
Until kidney disease is cured, KidneyTexas will keep ’em coming back.
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