Victory Declared! Houston Rallies for Kids with Cancer, Raising $1.6 Mil

Daniel Ortiz
Victory Declared! Houston Rallies for Kids with Cancer, Raising $1.6 Mil

Susan and Mark Ryan

IN ITS INAUGURAL year, the Victory Rally Ball, held at the new 713 Music Hall inside Post Houston, was a gigantic success — in every way.

Nearly 1,000 partygoers joined chairs Elizabeth Fulghum, Melissa Hobbs and Stephanie Morris at the event, which raised funds for pediatric cancer research and initiatives in Houston. The "Pop Art"-themed party was colorful indeed, and featured caricature artists and bright decor. Several of Victory's founding members were in attendance, cheering on a few rounds of Paddles Up and Vegas-style gaming.

Emcee Frank Billingsley kept the evening moving, and introduced auctioneer extraordinaire Johnny "Bravo" Holloway, who showed up ready to rally in a gold sequined jacket. Items in the live auction included jewelry from Valobra and Diamonds Direct, and cool culinary experiences like a Steak 48 cocktail party, and dinner for 24 at the home of Johnny Carrabba himself.

Sonic Automotive rolled in the big guns at the end, donating a 2023 Ford F-150 King Ranch custom truck, which got bidders excited. The dealer ended up donating a second truck because interest was so high — and the two sold for a combined $190,000. Guests were riding high after the energetic auction, and took to the dance floor to boogie to tunes by Yacht Rock and Disco Expressions.

In all, the night brought in a whopping $1.6 million. For nearly 40 years, Victory's all-volunteer team has raised more than $60 million for cancer research — all of which goes to Medical Center organizations.

Regina and Matt Reynolds, Jo and Matt Farina, and Frank Billingsley and Kevin Gilliard

Karen Tellepsen, Aimee Dodson and Cynthia Urguhart

Elizabeth Fulghum, Stephanie Morris and Melissa Hobbs with Johnny Bravo Holloway

Jackie Eubank, Dee Darby and Marissa Eubank

Amanda Moreno, Krista Shamaly, Laurie Cacioppo and Tiffany Halik

Diane Cain and Samantha Derrett

Emily Anderson throwing dice

Alex and Robin Brennan Martin

Cynthia Wolf and Raquel Lewis

Susan Ryan, GiGi Harbison and Susan Bonora

Elaine Finger and Sherri Zucker

Diane Cain with Jo Ann Petersen

Riley Canfield, Katie Tiegs and Jessica Morrison

Lauren and Nathan Colbert

Patrick Carter, Lisa Hauser-Carter, Sarah Oliver and Boriss Losso

Hind Rafei, Hilla Janjua, Sheetal Rao and Hibah Callies

Rob and Bayli Dale

Parties
Thrive & Inspire: At Orion, O’Brien and Patel's Focus Is ‘Families We Transport Every Day’

ORION EMS Vice President Sumi Patel and President/CEO & Founder Gerard O'Brien

DESCRIBE YOUR HIGHLIGHT of 2022. A continuation of our values, our leadership within the industry and the commitment to quality that our customers have come to expect. We remain on a growth trajectory within Houston and are happy to continue to expand our customer base by providing quality care.

Keep Reading Show less

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

Inside Buttermilk Baby (photo by Kirsten Gilliam)

NOSTALGIA RUNS HIGH at new Buttermilk Baby in M-K-T Heights, where classic Carvel ice cream treats — a rarity in restaurants — are paired with a menu of buttermilk biscuits, chicken sandwiches and burgers.

Keep Reading Show less
Food