Location: Junior League of Houston
The 71st annual Junior League Charity Ball: Fire & Ice kicked off it’s first night (of 2 nights) with a resounding success! I had the pleasure and honor of serving as this year’s Sustaining Advisor, under Ball Chairman Tanya Leiber, and it was so exciting seeing everyone’s hard work come together. Patrons showed up with excitement about the theme wearing lots of “fire and ice” gowns. My table chose way ahead of time that we were going as “ice queens”. I chaired this ball in 1995 and it was so fun for me to be involved again so many years later.
The Junior League of Houston hosted its 71st Annual Charity Ball, Fire & Ice, and raised money to fund the Junior League’s Community Program and volunteer initiatives. When coining the theme for this year’s soiree, the League chose one that describes its membership and generous supporters. These women range a spectrum of backgrounds, personalities and talents, and have an intense passion for building a better community, leaving behind an evident brilliance on the lives that they touch. From this, Fire & Ice was born. Over the course of two nights, guests began each evening sipping cocktails while browsing silent auction items and were mesmerized by fire and ice queen characters and an aerialist pouring champagne. After the cocktail hour, guests made their way to the ballroom to enjoy a delectable dinner prepared by Michael Smith, the Tea Room Chef. The excitement continued as guests watched the League’s legendary, all-volunteer cast show produced by Bill Bartlett and Alissa LaVergne, which featured singers, dancers, a cellist and a pianist. The entire show included songs with the fire and ice theme. So fun!!
A very special thank you to the Junior League Community Partners: Texas Children’s Hospital, CCRM Houston, Memorial Hermann, Sewell Automotive Companies and the Woman’s Hospital of Texas.
The chic soiree continued into the night as guests stayed to enjoy live music from The Guzzlers along with night caps and dancing. The silent and live auctions included fabulous items such as an eight-day wintry getaway to Telluride at a home located in Mountain Village that sleeps up to 10 people with a $500 Southwest Airlines credit; an in-home private dinner in Houston for 10 with acclaimed chef Drake Leonards of the Cajun-Creole brasserie, Eunice; and a three-night getaway in an ocean view, two-bedroom villa overlooking white sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets at Las Verandas Hotel & Villas in Roatan, Honduras.
Since 1949, the annual Charity Ball has been an integral source of funding for the Junior League’s Community Program and volunteer initiatives. The Junior League of Houston partners with organizations to deliver services and assistance directly to those in need, delivering positive change through the efforts of its highly trained and empowered female volunteers. In 2018 – 2019, more than 1,400 dedicated volunteers, 82 percent of whom work outside of the home, will contribute over 100,000 hours of service in the Houston community. The mentoring relationships fostered within many of these community projects and between League members cultivate civic leadership and a tradition of service.
From addressing critical issues such as children’s health and education and abuse of women and children, to enhancing the community through cultural enrichment, The Junior League of Houston, Inc. continues to adapt to meet the evolving needs of its membership and the community. The League trains volunteers to be effective in the community well beyond their membership requirements. With 1,400 active members and over 3,000 sustainer members, the League encourages mentorship and development, cultivating a lifetime of civic service for thousands of women. Through the achievements of its members and generous donors, the League will contribute more than $2 million in volunteer time and direct financial support to 36 community projects and other volunteer initiatives in 2018 – 2019. The League is able to triple the value of each donation received by pairing it with trained volunteers. For more information, please visit http://www.jlh.org/or call 713.622.4191.
Photos/Assistance by Amber Fierman and Ally Totah
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