Game Night Goes Glam! Inaugural 'Mahj for Mental Health' Is a Hit

Kelli Durham
Game Night Goes Glam! Inaugural 'Mahj for Mental Health' Is a Hit

Heidi Saporito, Ansley Cire, Callie Gaines and Ashley Partridge

THE FIRST-EVER Mahj for Mental Health event, hosted last week at River Oaks Country Club, brought together fashion-forward, philanthropic-minded women for an evening of games and exciting raffles.


Kelli Durham Oster and Callie Gaines partnered with the Mend Center, founded and run by Daniel Garcia, who was recently named to CityBook's 'Cool 100,' to host the game night. Proceeds from the evening went to the nonprofit.

The pair, dressed in flirty floral dresses, welcomed their guests with cocktails in hand, and ushered everyone through a buffet of almost-too-pretty-to-eat bites. Attendees also browsed the raffle prizes, which included items from Oh My Mahj!, the Monogram Shop, LovelyKind Beauty, Shaded Spraytans + Teeth Whitening, and Love George, a children's clothing brand designed and created by Gaines.

Garcia grabbed the mic for a bit to tell those who might be unfamiliar a bit about what the Mend Center does: It seeks to remove the stigma associated with some of the most debilitating mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, through education, treatment and support for families. It recently moved into a Heights bungalow that has been converted to a residential treatment facility — the first of its kind in the country.

Then it was time to mahj! Tables were outfitted with the most beautiful sets (plus arrangements courtesy of fab florist Maria Maxit), and the gals gabbed and gamed for hours. Everyone left with hand-painted cookies designed to look like mahjong tiles from Village Bakery.

The event will return next spring, and Oster says more events are currently in the works.

Dr. Daniel Garcia with his wife, left, and Michele Foreman

Callie Gaines, Daniel Garcia, Kelli Durham Oster

Lea Tcholakian, Kelly Shields, Cara Moran and Callie Gaines

Brooke Horlen and Anna Schleicher

Ashley Partridge

Whitney Rape

Raffle items

Parties
Thrive & Inspire: ‘Results for Clients’ in Oil and Gas Drives Michelman & Robinson’s Varnado

Lauren Varnado, Houston Office Managing Partner at Michelman & Robinson, LLP and sought-after oil and gas lawyer

WHAT WAS THE highlight of 2022 at your business? That’s easy, launching Michelman & Robinson in Houston was, for me, the absolute high point of 2022 — and that’s in a year that included so many highlights. Without question, being named the firm’s Houston Office Managing Partner is and was a professional milestone that I’m so very proud of. That I’ve already been able to expand the office to 10 of us (and growing) and significantly move the needle in terms of the firm’s reach within the energy space is icing on the cake.

Keep Reading Show less

HEAR YE, HEAR ye! The Texas Renaissance Festival has announced its plans for its 50th anniversary season, which opens on Oct. 12 and is preceded by a series of exciting events of magic and merriment.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Boozy slushees and the double smashburger, exclusive to Loro's new Kirby location

JUST IN TIME for patio season, a brother location to Houston’s original Loro Heights from Hai Hospitality and Franklin BBQ will bow Sept. 28. Loro is an approachable concept in the Hai Hospitality family that is also home to the award-winning restaurants Uchi, Uchiko, Uchibā and Oheya.

Keep Reading Show less
Food