COVID Cautious Author Delivers an Uplifting Presentation From Home For a Lively Junior League Ballroom

Raising Crucial Funds (and Hopes) for Houston Hospice

By Shelby Hodge // Apr 22, 2021

Photography Daniel Ortiz

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New York Times best-selling author Katherine Center addresses the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon digitally from her Houston home. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon chairs Abbott & Terrell Sprague (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Maggie Lummis, Gillian Sarofim, Louisa Lummis at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Chase Musslewhite, Frances Lummis, Anne-Marie Soza at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Aida Matic, Rana McClelland at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Fred Smith, Charmaine Smith Aida Matic, Rana McClelland at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Jennifer Perqur, Whitney Ogle, Karen Purvey at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Lorraine Winslow, Judson Robinson Jr. at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Margaret Pierce, Carol Price at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Nancy Kelley, Teresa Elcom, Julie Griffin at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Peggy Manske, Norelle Lundy at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Sally Lukats, Joyce Salhoot at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Sue White, Gail Faris at the Houston Hospice Butterfly Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

What: Houston Hospice annual Butterfly Luncheon

Where: The Junior League of Houston

PC Moment: While more than 120 guests took their seats at luncheon tables in the Junior League ballroom, scores of others tuned in to view the Livestreamed event from their homes due to personal COVID precautions. Even the guest speaker, New York Times best-selling author Katherine Center, delivered her uplifting presentation digitally from her home base in Houston. Currently, Center’s publisher Macmillan is not allowiing its authors to make presentations personally.

Hospice could not have had a more relevant speaker as Center is known for the “life knocks you down and you get back up” theme of her books. On this day, she emphasized the importance of finding hope, even merely a glimmer, in order to move forward in the midst of adversity.

Under the guidance of chairs Terrell and Abbott Sprague, the luncheon raised $180,000 for Houston Hospice‘s compassionate end-of-life care for patients and their families. The Butterfly Program, for which the luncheon is named, is recognized as a national leader in pediatric hospice care.

PC Seen: Emcee Lisa Malosky, Houston Hospice president and CEO Rana McClelland, Rich Walton, Dr. Michele Sabino, Dr. Paul Mansfield, vice president of development Aida Matic, Sue White, board of directors chair Joyce Salhoot, Isabel Lummis, Judson Robertson Jr., Nancy Kelley, Lorraine Winslow, Sally Lukats, and Joyce Salhoot.