The evening of Mar. 03, 2017 brought out the kid in some of Houston’s finest. Donning their best pirate attire, they joined CHILDREN AT RISK at its spring party, hosted this year by Main Street Theater. More than 250 would-be pirates “walked the plank” at the MATCH in Midtown. They were there to raise money for Houston’s children. The evening’s chairs were Heidi Dugan, Jennifer and Lance Gilliam, Kara Greenberg Gross and Adam Gross, Karen and Bill Shields, Suzanne Starley, Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Steves, and Dr. Hilary Suzawa and Dr. Daniel Lemke. 

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The breezeway at MATCH was transformed into a pirate-themed world, with red and white flags, a six-foot ship’s wheel and a 5-foot cannon made of wood. Party-goers were treated to the “Taste of the Chef’s Competition.” After dining on the fabulous food prepared by notable Houston chefs David Cordúa, Jean-Philippe Gaston, Teddy Lopez, Alex Padilla, and Danny Trace, guests cast their votes for the dishes that pleased their palates the most. In the end, David Cordúa was the recipient of the prestigious Surf & Turf throw-down award.

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A star-studded production followed. Written exclusively for Spring Party by Main Street Theater, the play showed off the thespian skills of some local celebrities, including the Honorable Annise Parker, former Houston Mayor; Scott McClelland, president of HEB; Chip Brewster, KPRC-2 lifestyle reporter; and Andrea Bonner, image consultant.

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Another highlight of the evening was the live auction—always a crowd pleaser. This evening’s was no exception, featuring several vacation getaways. One of the most sought-after was a photo safari trip for two to Zulu. It sold seven times. There were even grab bags to be had for $100. In all, the evening raised over $225,000 for Houston’s children.

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To end the evening of fun, festivities, and food, there were dessert, drinks, and dancing. The perfect ingredients for the perfect ending to the perfect night.

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Guests: Scott and Soraya McClelland, Laura and Steve Jones, Michelle and Joe Kelly, Tracy Maddox, Justin and Crystal O’Brien, Sara Padua, and Susan Schneider.

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About CHILDREN AT RISK

CHILDREN AT RISK is a nonprofit organization that drives change for children through research, education, and influencing public policy. It serves as a catalyst for change to improve the quality of life for children through strategic research, public policy, analysis, education, collaboration, and advocacy. CHILDREN AT RISK stands out from other organizations of its kind by being the only nonprofit focused on the well-being of the whole child, tracking those indicators, and proactively driving change for children by educating legislators on the importance of improving each of the key indicators. Its focus is to make children’s needs a priority and to ensure ample resources are available for children and their families to thrive. As well, CHILDREN AT RISK is a well-known leader in understanding the health, safety, and economic indicators impacting children and in educating public policy makers in their importance in improving the lives of children.