Fall Philanthropy Report: Spindletop Community Impact Partners Engages and Supports At-Risk Youth
Oct. 8, 2024
What is your mission? Spindletop Community Impact Partners, Inc. enhances the lives of at-risk youth through funding and volunteering from the energy industry, while promoting fellowship and networking among its participants.
What are you most proud of? Spindletop is proud to support 35 non-profit organizations in Houston, all aligned with our four pillars: Educate, Empower, Protect, and Nurture. Together, we work to create brighter, healthier, and more fulfilling futures for Houston’s at-risk children.
At the heart of our success are more than 60 corporate sponsors and supporters from the energy industry, who provide both financial support and volunteer time. Since 2018, the Spindletop Army has grown to more than 500 dedicated volunteers, ensuring impactful projects for Houston’s youth are executed with great care, enthusiasm and precision.
How have you impacted the community? At Spindletop, we strive to make a lasting impact on the greater Houston community by connecting at-risk youth with programs that educate, empower, protect, and nurture them throughout their lives.
Our four giving pillars guide this mission:
1. Educate: Bolstering foundational educational resources to ensure success at all levels of schooling.
2. Empower: Fostering confidence and life skills that support social and emotional development.
3. Protect: Advocating for children’s safety and overall well-being in the community.
4. Nurture: Providing support for healthcare and wellness to individuals facing illness or special needs.
Spindletop provides critical funding to worthy causes that span across these pillars, including Bo’s Place, BridgeYear, Camp For All, Kids’ Meals, Texas Center for the Missing and more. For the full list, please visit our website: https://bit.ly/SCIPWWD24
Tell us about your big event. The Spindletop Holiday Ball is the premier holiday event in the energy industry, capturing the merriment of the holiday season all the while raising more than $1 million annually to support Houston’s at-risk children.
This year, we will celebrate the 50th Annual Spindletop Holiday Ball, Seas and Greetings, on Thursday, December 12. Guests will enjoy a fun-filled evening under the sea as we honor industry leaders and their contributions to the community as a whole. Highlights of the evening include a dance performance by Ensemble Theatre, a Holiday Toy Drive with toys collected by our holiday “elves” from Girls Inc. of Greater Houston and a beautiful poinsettia tree cultivated by citizens of The Brookwood Community - all Spindletop non-profit partners. The evening is capped off with dancing to the musical stylings of Password.
If you or your corporation are interested in supporting this year’s Spindletop Holiday Ball, please contact Spindletop Executive Director Lia Vallone at info@spindletophouston.org.
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Fairytale 'Boo Ball' Yields Happy Ending for Ronald McDonald House
Daniel Ortiz and Jacob Power
Nov. 1, 2024
SUPPORTERS OF RONALD McDonald House Charities of Greater Houston gathered for a whimsically fun fete at the Hilton Americas hotel. The 2024 Boo Ball was themed "Once Upon a Time," and it raised a true happily-ever-after amount of $1 million — a new record!
More than 700 costumed revelers — Cinderella, Jack and his beanstalk, and more! — were greeted a magical-castle photo backdrop, and grabbed a glass of bubbly on their way into the main ballroom. Event chairs Jennifer and Scott Allison mingled with the creatively dressed guests and gala honorees Lesha and Tom Elsenbrook, Vuong Ho, Deric Jech and others. And the organization's CEO, Cristina Vetrano, gave remarks thanking guests for their support of their ongoing mission to provide the safety and comfort of "home" to seriously ill children and their families during long hospital stays.
In addition to a silent auction, a raffle and a "Baubles and Bottles" draw, a "paddles up" contest generated more than $185,000 in less than five minutes — plus a match of $150,000 from an anonymous donor. Johnny Bravo emceed this portion of the evening, which raised funds specifically for 15 one- and two-bedroom apartments for families who need extended stays in the Med Center.
Partiers packed the dance floor thanks to Radio Live, who kept the beats pumping all night long.
Aaron and Victoria Bludorn
Zac and Courtney Hamon
Angel and Amy Hinijosa
Ben and Bethany Buchanan
Will and Semmes Burns
Cristina Vetrano, Tom and Lesha Elsenbrook, Jennifer and Scott Allison
Tinkerbell
Crowd dancing and singing with the band
Tiffany Riggs, Angela Majors, Gracie Hernandez, Logan Harrison
Susan Blaney and ZoAnn Dreyer
Edward Sanchez and Kristen Cannon
Steve Genest, Peggy Micko, Peggy East, Dick East
Erica Bartlett, Matthew Begnaud
Frank and Natalie Vega
Gary and Judith King
Hallie Vanderhider and Bobbie Dees
Ronald McDonald and Johnny Bravo
Jessica and Gray Lisenby
Kurt and Michelle Lyn
Mike and Susan Blaney
Laura Thompson
Nicole Mott, Michelle Marandi
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A RECORD 486 party animals donned their most boo-tiful and spookiest costumes to celebrate the Houston SPCA’s 100th anniversary at its annual Howl-O-Ween Ball.
Chaired by Zane and Brady Carruth, the evening started with a ghoulish reception that included magicians and fortune tellers in the Equine Rescue Arena that was decorated to look like a haunted mansion — floating candles and ghost dancers included! The horse barn was open for photo ops, and some of the horses wore costumes to partake in the night’s festivities.
Emcee Deborah Duncan welcome the crowd before it was time for a spellbinding three-course dinner as TUTS dancers performed “I Put a Spell on You”. Bone-appetit!
The live auction included a game in the Buzbee Suite at Kyle Field; a night out with Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud; a weekend getaway for at a Galveston beach house; and the opportunity to experience a release of rehabilitated bald eagles.
After dinner, “cocktails, cuddles and cookies” were available in the dog and cat adoption area, where sweet pups and kittens were available for petting and holding. The fab-boo-lous evening raised $1.3 million for those animals in need.
Allison and Jim Bagley
Bill Boyce, Ray Echevarria, Bruce Lundstrom, Scott Davenport
Carl and Cindy Bohannon
Deborah Duncan & Duncan Horner
John and Terry Johnson
Kristen & Mike Kelly
Brady and Zane Carruth
Hannah Barker, Ashley Nguyen
Cathy and Larry Kelley
Chris & Susan Dray
Hershey Grace and Ed McMahon
Ryan & Katherine DeLongchamps
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