Houston’s Rocking Young Professionals Party Inside a Zany Alice in Wonderland Vision

What: Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Young Professional Group’s annual “Storybook Gala”

Where: Hotel ZaZa Museum District

PC Moment: Kasey and Nick Carnrite and Joselyn Tego and Jeff Carnrite led the charge that rollicked through the Alice and Wonderland-themed gala that found the ballroom decorated to the imaginative hilt by Art Attack. Adding to the theme was the compliment of playful custumed characters from the Lewis Carroll fairytale.

Close to 400 young professionals and a few older types helped raise approximately $300,000 with $40,000 of that earned from  the appeal which was headed by the night’s emcee Matt Rogers. Those funds were enhanced by a match from an anonymous donor. In an effort to inspire greater giving during the “paddles-up” segment, Cathy Garcia-Prats, president of San Francisco Nativity Academy of Houston, spoke on the foundation’s significant impact on the school. Funds were also earned through a raffle and silent and live auctions.

Phillips 66 was honored with the Childhood Literacy Impact Award for the company’s instrumental role in supporting the foundation’s mission and spawning innovative programs such as Connect4Literacy.org, Read Houston Read, My Home Library, Family Place Libraries and the Curiosity Cruiser mobile libraries.

The night closed out with the dance floor packed as guests boogied to the sounds of Drywater Band.

PC Seen: Julie Baker Finck and Ron Finck, Grace and Tom Gosnell, Andrew Wilson, Deborah and Monte Stavis, Al Carnrite, Beverly Caskey and Steven Westbrook, Megan and Joshua Carrasco, Cody Schlegel, Trish and Rock Morille, Anthony Tarantino and Gabriela Aparicio, Brian Coyle and Andrea Henry, and Allie Jarreau.