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Face painting for the cause
Nine-year-old Peyton Donovan likes to do her part to help others. She’s raised more than $275 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in support of her friend, 7-year-old leukemia survivor Jack Dragna, and her grandfather, Jerry Donovan. She set up her own face-painting booth (her first one ever) at a crawfish boil organized last spring by Jack’s parents, Leslie and Frank Dragna, and friends Tina and Dan McElyea, held at the home of Cathy and David Finck. Peyton’s parents, Karin and Gregg Donovan, watched as customers lined up for embellishments. She raised $105 at the event. Many customers decided to forgo the 25-cent face-painting fee and donated more at Peyton’s second fundraiser, a gumbo cook-off held in October. With so many customers, she enlisted her friend Anabelle Ramsey to assist. Peyton even allowed her little brother, Brazos Donovan, to set up a temporary tattoo section at her table. She encourages other kids to organize face-painting fundraisers for their favorite charities and has a website to get them started. Check out www.facepaintingforthecause.com for ideas. Peyton is pictured (holding jar) giving her recent $170 donation to (from left) Frank, Jack and Leslie Dragna.
Fiddling to future fame
The Fiddling Lions from Bunker Hill Elementary performed in the lobby of Jones Hall before The 5 Browns concert last month. The 5 Browns are a classical-piano group consisting of five siblings, two of whom attended Bunker Hill Elementary before studying at The Juilliard School of Music in New York City. Pictured after their performance are (kneeling in front row, from left) Mykaela Lawson-Ho, Akiko Avendano, Mayu Murata, (standing, from left) Isabella Truong, Nadia Truong, Kyle Chang, Ryan Chang, Moka Murata, Nora Hammett, Lexi Marandi, Anna Hammett, (back row, from left) Curt Avendano, Bunker Hill violin director Julie Lundgren and David Mogilevsky.
Preparing for takeoff
Fundraising will practically take flight at Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School’s inaugural gala, Defying Gravity, on Jan. 29. The event will be held inside the airplane hangar of Enterprise Jet Center near Hobby Airport. Gala committee members pictured making final plans for the gala include (top row, from left) Madeline Sheehy, Mary Kay Hunt, Diane Cain, Nita Lindley, Peggy Idstein, Jeanmarie Craven, (middle row, from left) Jill Cokinos, Nancy Ormand, Marsha Hyslop, June Cowan, Sally Farley, Belinda Hill, (front row, from left) Eileen Johnston, Joy Posoli, gala co-chair Penny Grams, Father T.J. Martinez, co-chair Carol Beck, Heidi Black and Janet Cavanaugh. Cristo Rey Jesuit offers a college education and work-study program for more than 150 students from low-income families to get them into college. Check out www.defyinggravitygala.org or call Bee Dickson at 281-501-1298 x-106 for info.
Healing Hearts at Bo’s Place
Mary Beth Staine (pictured, at left) has joined Bo’s Place as executive director of the free-of-charge grief-support program for children and families coping with the death of a loved one. Joining Mary Beth in guiding the organization and its more than 500 volunteers are Suzanne O’Donnell (middle) and Shari Fish (right). Bo’s Place will be holding its Hearts of Hope luncheon Feb. 2 at the Hilton Americas Hotel. Chairs for the event, which will honor Texas Children’s Hospital CEO Mark Wallace, are Chris and Merrell Athon and Dorothy and Ronny Cuenod. Go to www.bosplace.org for info.
Falling into fun
Warm temperatures and the hard work of hundreds of parent and staff volunteers combined for a perfect day of fundraising at Rummel Creek Elementary’s annual Fall Festival. Students jumped on giant inflatable playhouses, munched on treats from local restaurants, played carnival games, won prizes and participated in raffles. Assisting as festival volunteers were (pictured, from left) student teachers Heather Bartell and Raquel Tidwell and first grade teachers Carol Ansel, Meredith McKim, Meredith Ramey, Helen Ann Brasher and Meg Hansen.
Birthday wishes worth counting
The Children’s Museum of Houston celebrated its 30th year and the $1.2 million raised at the Birthday Ball gala held at the museum. The mother-daughter co-chair team of Kathryn Rabinow and Sarah Rabinow Pesikoff received overwhelming support. During the silent auction chaired by Anne Graubart and Stacy Lewis Graubart, the bids were high for exclusive stays in Telluride and London, where board members donated their homes. Seen on the dance floor and watching the big-board auction items were Kathryn’s husband, Richard Rabinow, and Sarah’s husband, David Pesikoff, as well as Rebecca and Matthew Ringel, Bobbi Samuels with Marci Rosenberg and Ben Samuels; Nancy Allen with Randy and Laurie Allen; Chinhui and Eddie Allen; Anne Lamkin Kinder with Kara and Aaron Howes; Gloria Gaston with Gina Gaston Elie; Clayton and Shel Erikson with Farley and Steve Erikson; and Franci Crane with Krystal and Garret Thompson. Pictured enjoying the evening are (from left) David and Marie Louis Kinder with Toni and Joe Listengart. (Photo: Kim Coffman)
Winning ways with wine
To celebrate receiving the 2010 Grand Award from Wine Spectator Magazine, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse uncorked a few bottles from its cellar of 48,000 bottles to toast its success. The wines were paired with light bites for guests including Katie and William Ray and Russell Mancini. Wine director and master sommelier Drew Hendricks, as well as Chris and Harris Pappas, were all smiles as they welcomed celebrants including (pictured, from left) David and Donna Hotze. The Grand Award is presented to only 75 restaurants in the world to recognize outstanding wine programs. (Photo: Kim Coffman)
Golfers swing for education
A team of golfers including (pictured, from left) Eric Efron, Brad Staller, Gavin Roseman and Ryan Kagen earned the trophy for Second Net bragging rights at the 15th Annual Spring Branch Education Foundation’s Fall Golf Classic. The event grossed $110,000, which pleased event co-chairs J. Carter Breed and Terry Breuer, who welcomed 36 teams to the River Ridge Golf Course. Committee members Patty Busmire, Gary Cooper, Warren Matthews, Roy Montalbano, Ted Nowak, Ron Nunley, Rudy Ramos, Doug Rapier, Portia Willis and Cece Thompson were on hand to play as well. Proceeds from the event will support enrichment programs for the 32,000 students of Spring Branch Independent School District.
Scientific mentoring
Middle school boys at The Regis School known as “big brothers” conducted science experiments with their “little brothers” from the early-childhood program and lower school as part of the school’s Potions and Monsters: Halloween Science event. The hands-on experience at Regis is the result of a partnership with Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Educational Outreach. The big brother/little brother program helps middle school boys develop mentoring and leadership skills as they are paired with younger students throughout the school year. The Halloween-oriented science experiments included ghost brains, boo bubbles, salt-sensitive larvae and soap-boat races. Pictured conducting an experiment are (from left) Ben Contant, Harrison Agee and John LoMonaco.
Bee Seen in Buzz About Town
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