Houston Firefighters Gala Turns Into a Red Hot Night: These Heroic Hunks are the Real Stars

It’s not often that a gala chair couple has so much fun at their event — and gains so much satisfaction from the effort — that they immediately sign on to take the fundraising helm the following year. Hello, Elizabeth and Alan Stein.

After raising $500,000 for the Houston Professional Firefighter Association Charitable Foundation at the inaugural “Red Hot Gala,” the duo stepped up to the plate once again, volunteering to take the reins in 2019.

As one might expect considering the theme, Hotel ZaZa Museum District was awash in a sea of red — red gowns, red lighting, red decor and the auction of “Red, a 12-week old dalmatian. In fact, the paddles up and auction brought in more than $100,000 thanks to a number of “hot” items — a B&B Butchers (official steakhouse of the fire department) dinner and United Airlines trips to Costa Rica and to Greece.

Not your typical fundraiser, the evening began with Theresa Grayson entertaining on her bejeweled saxophone during cocktails and quickly moved into high gear with the Houston Fire Department Honor Guard presentation, followed by the Houston Fire Department Pipes and Drums Corps, and then a gripping reenactment of a fire rescue by the Fire Department Rescue Division.

Emcee Roula Christie of 104.1 KRBE encouraged the sellout crowd of 400 to dig deep into their pockets in support of fire department equipment needs including extrication suits, rescue bailout equipment and gear washers.

While the Houston Arson Bureau’s only ATF and Accelerant K-9s Humphrey and Lux were stars of the night, co-chairs Cyndy Garza Roberts and Thomas Roberts, a 38-year firefighter veteran, enjoyed their share of notoriety as did honorary chairs Renee and Alan Helfman.

Who: President of the Local 341 Patrick “Marty” Lancton and wife Krista, board chair Erin Powers, City Councilman Billy Lambert, Donna and Tony Vallone, Bruce Padilla and Shelby Kibodeaux, Trini Mendenhall, Bill King, Ellie and Michael Francisco, Bill White, Ashley and Steve Birdwell, Denise Monteleone, Kevin Black and Tony Bradfield, Robert Tijerina, Joanna and Brad Marks, Christin and Ugo Tombolini and Dr. Uri Gedalia.