Texas’ Endangered Animals Get a Huge Boost in This Zoo Gala
It’s a Western Party With a Purpose —
By Shelby Hodge //
Photography Daniel Ortiz
What: Houston Zoo‘s 11th Annual Wildlife Conservation Gala
Where: The zoo’s Masihara Pavilion
PC Moment: It was a great night for Texas’ Attwater’s prairie chickens, sea turtles and Houston toads as more than $750,000 was raised for the zoo’s programs directed at saving Lone Star animal species from extinction. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive director Carter Smith was on hand to applaud the zoo’s work with the department on conservation strategies.
Gala chairs Kelley and Stephen Lubanko led the conservation coalition.
For the Texas-themed evening, many among the 600 guests stepped out in western finery and all chowed down on a Lone Star themed dinner that included Gulf shrimp, steak medallions, King Ranch enchiladas, and Texas peach and blueberry crisp.
In a break with tradition, the midweek dinner evening was followed by an after party headlined by country artist Pat Green. Leading the two-stepping into the night were the sister chair duo of Elise Lubanko and Kaia Kessler.
Who: Houston Zoo CEO and president Lee Ehmke and Sue Chin, Leigh Smith, Tony Bradfield, Cullen Geiselman, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Peggy and Bill Shrader, Jeremy McKinney, Demi and Ron Rand, Isabel and Danny David, Mari and Brian Glass, and Kimberly Falgout Scheele.
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