The Celebration

On November 30, 2023, the home of Freyja and Travis Lauritsen was the scene of joyful preparation and celebration as over 60 guests kicked off the upcoming Hope Grows Here Promise Ball. The event will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Joining them were 2024 Promise Ball chairs, Jordan and Brian Amis.

 

The Story

Participants were welcomed by Rick Byrd, the executive director of JDRF’s Southern Texas Chapter. Thirst-quenching cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres, such as bacon-wrapped shrimp with Mediterranean BBQ sauce on a stick and mini tuna tartar tacos with wasabi aioli, from Masraff’s, were enjoyed by everyone in attendance. As well as announcing the plans for the 2024 Promise Ball, the soiree also served to gather fine wines for the event’s wine pull.

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The Moments

The Amis’s shared their story of hope with the assembled group. They spoke of how the JDRF assisted them when their then 10-month-old son (now 15) was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. They also thanked everyone for their support while introducing the 2024 Promise Ball team, which includes Corporate Underwriting chair, Will Shappley; Leadership Giving chair, Davis Bonham; Stewardship chair, Andrea Calo; and Auction cochairs, Lindsay Brett and Christie Stewart.

 

The 25th anniversary of the Promise Ball, one of Houston’s highest netting fundraisers, will be celebrated at the Hilton Americas on Saturday, April 13, 2024. It will be an evening of many commendations: Dr. Pam Carmain will be honored, Rosalyn and Barry Margolis will be presented with the  Meredith and Fielding Cocke Visionary Award, and the Cerny Family (Rose and Chris) will be celebrated as The Fund A Cure Family.

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Drew Dougherty, the host of Texans TV, will be the evening’s emcee. He will deliver a powerful program celebrating advancements in the research and treatment of type 1 diabetes. For the enjoyment of everyone, there will be a curated silent auction as well as a live auction led by auctioneer Jim Jungers from Stokes Auction Group.

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Additional fundraising activities will include a wine pull for exceptional wines and a jewelry raffle. Guests will also be given the opportunity to support type 1 diabetes research during the Fund A Cure portion of the event. The evening will culminate with a performance by the high energy pop rock cover band Skyrocket! There will even be a Casino Games afterparty, sponsored and hosted by Liskow.

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Tickets for the Promise Ball start at $500 per person for an individual ticket. Numerous table sponsorships are available from $5,000 to $100,000.

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Board members, sponsors, and supporters joining in the kickoff celebration included: Marshall Lang, Andrea and Michael Soper, Linda and Bob Brown, Blayne Bonham, Lindsay and Tyler Brochstein, Dan Feather, and Sue Sue and Don Aron.

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For more information on the JDRF 2024 Promise Ball, including benefits and opportunities, sponsorship, and general donations, please visit 2024 Southern Texas, Promise Ball - Southern Texas Chapter (jdrf.org).

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About JDRF, Southern Texas Chapter

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of diabetes from people’s lives until a world without T1D is achieved. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to bring life-changing therapies from the lab to the T1D community.

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For more information about JDRF, please visit, www.jdrf.org and follow on Facebook and Instagram.