Big Bucks and Shirtless Hunks! It Must Be the Annual Red-Hot Gala for Firefighters!

Big Bucks and Shirtless Hunks! It Must Be the Annual Red-Hot Gala for Firefighters!

Mr. December, Kyle Collins

IN ITS FOURTH year, the "Red-Hot" gala — as noted for its stylish crowd of VIPs and emotional program honoring the city's heroes as for its shirtless hunky firemen steaming up the stage as part of the entertainment — took in a record-breaking $540,000, bringing the four-year total to just under $2 million for much needed equipment, training and support for firefighters in Houston.


Elizabeth and Alan Stein, founders of the gala, served as chairs. They joined honorary chairs Joanna and Brad Marks in welcoming more than 400 guests to the Royal Sonesta, where the evening's program began with a rousing National Anthem by firefighter Joe Rice and also included bagpipe serenades and a moving homage to firefighters who fell in the line of duty this year.

Special recognition was given to some of Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association Charitable's biggest supporters, including Bobbie Nau, Hallie Vanderhider, Susan and Fayez Sarofim and Janice McNair. Auction items included IW Marks' pink sapphire and diamond earrings, which brought in $10,500.

Other highlights included the hotties of the 2022 Houston Firefighter Calendar, who flexed bare biceps and showed off sexy six-packs to promote the fundraiser, which supports the Burned Children's Fund. Guest were thrilled to mingle with the hunks after dinner, when The Guzzlers band took the stage for the late-night crowd.

Spotted in the crowd: David Greenburg, Bill King, Gary Petersen, Patti and Don Murphy and Neiman Marcus' Chris Hendel.

Patti and Don Murphy

Elizabeth Stein and Hallie Vanderhider

Tori and Ed DeCora

Laura Stein, Ashley Plaeger, Price DuDose

Joanna and Brad Marks

Karyn & Tim Kelly, with Lux Kelly

Louis Tronzo, Jenna Lindley & Fady Armanious

Parties
Thrive & Inspire: Alchemy’s Arquella Hargrove ‘Inspired by People Making an Impact in the World’

Arquella Hargrove, Chief Culture Officer and Owner of the Alchemy Consulting Group

WHAT IS THE secret to running a successful business? The secret to a successful business is a rockstar team. With a rockstar team, clients experience the transformation within their culture. This also is connected to other success factors — a commitment to relentless change, communicating courageously, and collaborating to win. The ultimate goal is to be the change for our clients and to create a culture where team members thrive and grow exponentially.

Keep Reading Show less

Kat Pressly and Reagan Bregman

FORMER ASTROS PITCHER and current coach Joe Smith, along with his sportscaster wife Allie LaForce, hosted a gala at Minute Maid Park's Union Station in an effort to raise funds and awareness of Huntington’s Disease, which took the life of Smith’s mother in 2020.

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places

MORTGAGE RATES ARE high. So is the cost of living. Life milestones are coming later. The reasons that millennials are, according to society, "behind" previous generations when it comes to home ownership are finally crystal clear (and they have nothing to do with avocado toast, thankyouverymuch). But what do the statistics say about home-buying in Houston?

Keep Reading Show less
Home + Real Estate