Grand Galas Warm up the Winter Blues

The wonderful winter social season began with the Blue and White Ball, celebrating the San Antonio Museum of Arts world class collection of blue and white porcelain. This year's gala was chaired by Rod and Kim Lewis, and the room was filled with some of San Antonios most influential art collectors and philanthropists. This enchanted evening featured a fabulous dinner, dancing and unforgettable entertainment.

The Blue and White Ball is the museums most important annual fundraiser, as it provides crucial operating support for SAMAs collections, exhibitions and educational programming.

The next over the top event was the Symphony Belle Ball. The theme of this year's extravaganza was Festival of a Thousand Lights, a Celebration of the New World Baroque, and it featured 29 young ladies from San Antonios most prominent families making their debuts, along with their fathers and handsome escorts.

The 2010 Symphony Belles are Shelby Erin Plant, Julia Ann Heydenreich, Macon Howard Blount, Charlotte Frances Cooper, Eliza Shelby Smith, Madeline Lowndes Beck, Brittany Jo Brown, Hailey Patricia Marmolejo, Meredith Shannon Holdsworth, Audrey Elizabeth Lindell Hughes, Louisa Taylor Avellar, Caroline Buchanan Greehey, Sarah Paige Kerr, Leslie Asha Ticku, Samantha Jary Romo, Jamie Lillian Bloodsworth, Kathleen Lindsey Pipes, Elizabeth Adaire Hughes, Mary South Cavender, Gabriela Catarina Hernandez, Kelly Corinne Daniell, Avery Melissa Vaughan, Katherine OLone Mantz, Francesca Bailey Billups, Abigail Tate Brady–Abbey, Courtney Diane Catalani, Whitney Elyse Jones, Elizabeth Lee Marshall, Charlotte McHenry Blount, Natalie Davis Weyand and Payton Elizabeth Speer.

And Valentines Day was the perfect day for the “ladies who lunch” to gather for the annual Friends of Hospice Valentine Luncheon and Style Show chaired by Dian Sherrod, Nora Garza and Beverly Pace. This marvelous event featured a runway show spotlighting the newest spring fashions from Julian Gold modeled by Friends members as well as a silent auction and raffle.

The mission of Friends of Hospice San Antonio is to increase community awareness and understanding of hospice and to raise funds in support of patients and their families in end of life care. Christus VNA Hospice and Palliative Care is San Antonios only non profit hospice that benefits underserved and underinsured hospice patients and their families.

Then it was time for the Boxwoods & Bingo luncheon thrown by the ladies of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Dottie Cooper and Rebecca Flannery served as co chairs, Allison Zeller spun the bingo wheel, and Rick Cavender served as master of ceremonies for an afternoon of bingo with prize packages worth thousands of dollars.

The next event was the annual Cancer Center Council luncheon honoring past CCC presidents and volunteer of the year Rose Marie Banack. This fun afternoon was chaired by Carrie Sinkin and featured speaker Suzie Humphreys, author of several motivational books including her latest, If All Else Fails. . . Laugh.

This annual event is held to entertain and thank council volunteers and friends who support the Cancer Therapy and Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center. The Cancer Center Council is a broad based, nonprofit organization of volunteers who want to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Their mission is to support the CTRC through cancer education, community outreach, fund raising, patient assistance and volunteer services. Proceeds from this event benefit the CTRCs patient assistance fund.

Next, we joined the Boysville board of directors at Pearl Stables along with several hundred of their best friends to honor Harvey Najim as the 2010 recipient of the Arthur O'Krent Humanitarian Award. Sam OKrent served as master of ceremonies, and former Humanitarian Award winner Bill Greehey presented the award. The Humanitarian Award is given annually to an in•dividual who, by civic action, demonstrates love and con•cern for the well being of children within our community.

Najim, chairman and CEO of Sirius Computer Solutions, established the Harvey E. Najim Family Foundation in 2006 to help childrens charitable organizations in San Antonio and donated $75 million to the foundation. Since then, his foundation has given $20 million to various public charities to advance education, medical treatment and research for local childrens charities.

The final evening of the winter social season was the Briscoe Western Art Museums Night of Artists art sale and gala that took place over two nights. The first evening in•cluded a preview party and art sale with more than 50 artists representing a broad spectrum of media and subject matter within the genre of Western American art.

For the second evening, hometown hero Ed Whitacre, the new chairman of General Motors, was the special guest speaker, and National Western Art Foundation board pres•ident John Montford served as master of ceremonies. This event also honored artist Kent Ullberg with the Briscoe Legacy Award and philanthropist J.P. Bryan with the Briscoe Achievement Award.

Upon completion, the Briscoe Museum will be dedicated to the preservation, interpretation and creation of the art of the American West and will be a leader in the field of American Western art and history through innovative exhibitions, educational programs and other services for visitors to San Antonio.

CANCER CENTER COUNCIL PRESENTS ANNUAL SPRING LUNCHEON
1. Buddy Banack with McKenzie and Ramsey Schultz
2. Caroline Seay, Lisa Cohick and Emilie Kreager
3. Susan Gragg, Anne Ownby and Barbara Haley

SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART PRESENTS BLUE AND WHITE BALL
4. Edward and Nancy Steves with Fred and Emory Hamilton
5. Kenny Wilson and Peggy Mays
6. Xitlalt and Ramiro Salazar