Houston’s Fanciest Parties are Turning Into Astros Parties as Baseball Fever Grips the City
Dress for Success Jumps On Board and Salutes Women Veterans in Touching Night
BY Shelby Hodge // 10.29.19Kelli Kickerillo, Susie Cunningham, Monica Richards (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
During these past weeks, there has been no escape from the Houston Astros. And who would want to miss out on this phenomenal baseball season? Not Houston Grand Opera. Not Ronald McDonald House. And not Dress for Success Houston, which created a special game-watching suite at The Revaire for its foodie-infused night celebrating 21 years of empowering women.
It seems that every nonprofit in the city is creating a two-tiered experience for Astros fans.
While the Dress for Success evening focused on saluting the 1,300 women veterans that have been served since the launch of the veterans program in 2014, the crowd cheered on the home team. Still there was plenty of enthusiasm for the cause, the military mode beginning with the singing of the “National Anthem” by USAF Staff Sgt. Angela Matthews and presenting of the colors by the Marine Corps JROTC group from the Energized for STEM Academy.
The evening’s emcee KHOU 11 news anchor Mia Gradney shared the success stories of eight veteran clients while veteran client ambassador Latisa Muhammad moved guests to tears with her story.
Then it was on to the foodie fun in The Revaire’s Great Room where 22 food stations tempted even the most serious among the carb- and sugar-phobics. Among those putting their best dishes forward were A Fare Extraordinaire’s Ryan Bouillet, Alice Blue’s Brandi Key, B.B. Italia’s Daniel Berg, and Coppa Osteria’s Jorge Torres.
With ticket sales, sponsorships and auction proceeds, Dress for Success coffers were enriched by more than $535,000. Applause, applause for gala chairs Kim Campo Hartz and Ted Hartz and Melissa and Dan Sugulas, as well as for auction chairs Susie Cunningham, co-founder of Dress for Success Houston, and Kelli Kickerillo and Monica Richards, DFS advisory council members.
Elizabeth Anthony
PC Seen: DFS president Lauren Levicki Courville, DFS co-founder Nancy Levicki, Lauren and Will Page, Alissa and Kevin Maples, Peggy and Stephen Klineberg, Mo and Ric Campo, Courtney and Richard Campo, Maria and Graham Lowery, Sharon Dryer and Laurel D’Antoni.
