Trees for Houston Puts Down Serious Roots, Toasts New Campus and $485K Till at Annual Ball

Trees for Houston Puts Down Serious Roots, Toasts New Campus and $485K Till at Annual Ball

Helen Winchell, Marti Grizzle, Brittany Franklin, Jensen Wessendorff

HUNDREDS OF TREE-LOVING Houstonians savored and celebrated the good life at the La Dolce Vita-themed, 30th-annual Root Ball benefiting Trees for Houston.


Fittingly taking place at The Forest Club, the party wasn't hindered by a bit of soggy weather arbor enthusiasts know rain contributes to healthy tree growth, after all!). It took inspiration from the Amalfi Coast, from the breezy-chic attire to bites like prosciutto-wrapped melon and drinks such as Aperol spritzes.There was a lot to recognize on this night: It's the organization's first big bash since moving to its sprawling new Kinder Campus and upping its annual tree-planting numbers to 70,000-plus.

After a cocktail hour spent browsing the wine and spirits pull and a raffle courtesy of Zadok Jewelers, guests moved to the clay court, transformed by a yellow-and-white-draped tent and a canopy of native trees. Dinner was an Italian spread of chicken caprese, gnocchi and more, and a moving video presentation and paddles-up fundraiser had gala-goers buzzing with excitement as they moved onto the dance floor. The Grooves Band entertained for the rest of the night, and upon departure, guests grabbed an olive tree to plant at home.

Kristopher and Christiane Stuart, and Carrie and Jerry Alexander

Sarah Dallimore, Roxy Yeoh

Gary and Debra O’Neil

Lindsey Carlson, John O’Rourke

Kara Przypyl McIver, Kristen Kupperman

Janice Gregory and Marc Tausend

Joey and Maddie Cleary

Brad Trentham, Lindsey Long

Ryan Dumais, Vanessa Ingrassia

Al Ortiz, Brian Blowers, Slgi Jolissaint, Rhiannon Lear

Austin Smith, Ashley Smith

Will Maywald, Lauren Lothringer

Pamela and Garrett Lindsey

Meredith Symonds, Tom Flaherty

Cyrus Jaganathan, Teresa Lopez

Katherine Pulse, Cheryl King

Jonathan and Kasey Scullion

Jennifer and Greg Coleman

Margaret McCarthy, Mark Gress

Jessie and Gloria Bounds

Katie and Tim Yurick

Katelyn and Trevor McIntosh

Parties
Reyna Group Owner Leads Real Estate Market with Passion and Excellence

MICHELLE REYNA WYMES, a distinguished name in the Houston real estate market, is the owner of the successful boutique brokerage, Reyna Group. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Michelle has deep-rooted connections to the community she serves with dedication and pride.

Keep Reading Show less

What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.

Keep Reading Show less

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less