by societytexas | May 1, 2022 | R.S.V.P. AUSTIN, 2022 May June
Texas Alzheimer’s Association Honors DK Reynolds As Community Caregiver Of The Year
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Tyler Schmitt of Mill Photography Studio
THE SETTING: The Four Seasons in Austin was the recent venue for the Hidden Heroes Caregiving Award Luncheon. The event featured over 200 of Austin’s most notable sociables and philanthropists to honor philanthropist DK Reynolds.
THE STYLE: The Austin-chic crowd began the afternoon in the foyer of the Four Seasons, where guests mingled and enjoyed the opportunity to personally congratulate the guest of honor. The festivities then moved to the Four Seasons ballroom for the main program. Highlights of the event included a touching tribute video, words from the Texas Alzheimer’s Association Board President Dr. Char Hu, and a lively Q&A conversation with TAA Board Member Rita Hortenstine and Chief Director of the Center for Brain Health at The University of Texas at Dallas Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman. The program was capped off by honoring DK Reynolds for her tireless work and support as a humanitarian, philanthropist, and dedicated caregiver.
THE PURPOSE: The event, co-chaired by Sarah Beuerlein and Sheri Krause, raised funds for the Texas Alzheimer’s Association. The organization’s mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders through the advancement of research and enhance much-needed support for individuals, families, and caregivers inflicted by the disease.
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by societytexas | May 1, 2022 | 2022 May June, R.S.V.P. AUSTIN
Imagine Muny Raises Nearly $1 Million To Preserve Lions Municipal Golf Course
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Tyler Schmitt of Mill Photography Studio
THE SETTING: A picture-perfect evening in Austin was the recent setting for an evening of fun and fundraising on behalf of saving one of the Capitol City’s most beloved institutions. A sold-out crowd featuring several hundred sociables, VIPs, and philanthropists descended upon the Moody Theatre at ACL for the inaugural Imagine Muny gala. It was an evening of touching tributes and dazzling performances, all in the name of Austin’s beloved Lions Municipal Golf Course.
THE STYLE: The Cosmic Cowboy chic attire assured a welcoming vibe for all who attended, which could be felt as partygoers ascended the stairs to The ACL Moody Theatre terrace. Guests mingled, caught up with friends old and new, and shared their favorite Lions Course tales…all the while wearing various interpretations of western attire.
The festivities then continued on the ground floor level of the theatre for the main program. As guests dined on delectable family-style barbecue, they were treated to a series of touching tributes of how the Lions Course has positively impacted the Austin community since its founding in 1924. Next came a spirited live auction, which featured highly coveted items including a Masters experience with Masters Tournament of Champions’ Ben Crenshaw and Sergio Garcia, diamond jewelry courtesy of Korman Fine Jewelry, and an unforgettable Aspen package. The evening was capped off with a star-studded concert featuring captivating performances by Ray Benson, Lukas Nelson, and Eric Church, as well as a special appearance by Jimmie Vaughan.
THE PURPOSE: The event raised nearly $1 million for the Muny Conservancy to preserve and enhance Austin’s Lions Municipal Golf Course. This is so it can become a central green space destination for Austinites, both old and new, to enjoy for generations to come.
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by societytexas | May 1, 2022 | R.S.V.P. AUSTIN, 2022 May June, Parties
Harry Ransom Center Hosts VIP Opening Of Women and the Making Of Joyce’s Ulysses Exhibit
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Chad Wadsworth
THE SETTING: A picture-perfect spring evening at The University of Texas’ Harry Ransom Center in Austin was the recent setting of the VIP Opening Party of the much-anticipated exhibition, Women and the Making of Joyce’s Ulysses. The exhibit celebrates the 100th anniversary of legendary literary modernist author James Joyce and specifically highlights the previously unacknowledged role women had in making his literary masterpiece come to life. In total, over one hundred of the city’s most notable literary and artistic patrons turned out for this special evening.
THE STYLE: The crowd began the evening sipping cocktails and socializing with many conversations abuzz surrounding the legendary work of Joyce on display. Additionally, patrons could go back in time to the early 20th century and personally press their own postcard featuring an image of Joyce as a keepsake for the evening.
Guests were then treated to informal talks by the show’s leaders, including exhibit curator Dr. Clare Hutton, who dazzled the audience with her passion and knowledge of Joyce’s work. After the talks, patrons were able to view the 150-pieces in the exhibit, with Hutton personally taking several individuals on personal tours of the manuscripts, page proofs, and accounting logs from benefactor Harriet Shaw Weaver. These items perfectly demonstrate how women were instrumental in the making of one of the most important literary works of the 20th century.
THE PURPOSE: The Harry Ransom Center is a world-renowned archive collection of significant artists and writers with over 42 million manuscripts, five million photographs, and over 100,000 works of art in its archives, including many from the world’s most renowned artists, including E.E. Cummings, Robert De Niro, Albert Einstein, Frida Kahlo, and Jack Kerouac among many others. The Women and the Making of Joyce’s Ulysses exhibition is open to the public, free of charge, through July 17th at The University of Texas’ Harry Ransom Center.
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by societytexas | Feb 28, 2022 | 2022 March April, R.S.V.P. AUSTIN, Parties
Center for Child Protection’s Dancing With The Stars Event Breaks Fundraising Record
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Estrella Chacon, Jeff Loftin, and Haley Plotkin
THE SETTING: A picture-perfect evening in Austin was the recent setting of one of the Capital City’s most anticipated events and, in the process, put an exclamation point on the fall social season. Over a thousand sociables, philanthropists, and VIPs descended upon the JW Marriott for the 15th annual Dancing with the Stars gala. Dressed to the nines, with pandemic protocol in place, the guests were treated to a night full of fun, showstopping dance routines, and, most importantly, fundraising.
THE STYLE: The festivities began during the early evening in the foyer of the JW Marriott, where patrons sipped cocktails while visiting with friends old and new, brimming with anticipation of the fun ahead. VIPs then headed to a special red carpet for pre-show Facebook Live interviews with Society Texas’ own Lance Avery Morgan and Rob Giardinelli. The black-tie crowd, always on trend, featured an elegant mix of solid and metallic evening gowns for the ladies, while the men sported dapper tuxedos and dinner jackets.
The action then moved to the JW Marriott Ballroom for the evening’s main program, where emcees Glenn Ball and Holly Mills-Gardner, effortlessly kept the festivities vibrant. As guests dined on delectable multi-course meals, they were treated to a series of emotional tributes and testimonials highlighting important work the Center for Child Protection does to help abused and neglected children in the Austin area. A spirited live auction followed, which included a raffle for a three-year lease of a 2022 Mercedes Benz C300 Cabriolet.
Then came the main event–a series of 11 showstopping dances by local celebrities and philanthropists and their professional dance partners that frequently brought the crowd to their feet. The winning duo, Pete Phillips and his professional dance partner Susan Kirklin, received the coveted mirror ball trophy for their dazzling turn to the iconic song Copa Cabana. The evening was capped off with dancing, where partygoers kept the fun going well into the evening, courtesy of tunes by DJ David Garza.
THE PURPOSE: The event, chaired by Julie Jumonville and Jenny Mason, raised over $2 million for the Center for Child Protection, a nationally accredited children’s advocacy center. In 2020, the center provided over 1,700 forensic interviews, counseling, medical examinations, and interventions to help children in Central Texas begin the healing process from abuse and neglect.
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by Lance | Jan 26, 2022 | Blog
By Jake Gaines Photography courtesy of SAFE and Mark Ashby Design
When Mark Ashby Design, the top-drawer Austin-based design firm, partnered with SAFE, the non-profit organization in Austin, magic happened. It was the perfect cause because SAFE shelters and supports survivors of violence, sex trafficking and domestic abuse, to redesign 530 square feet of the facility’s public spaces bringing beautiful design and a fresh outlook to six communal living quarters.
The goal was to reimagine the public spaces at SAFE, so the job ahead was no easy task. For the project that would greatly enhance the current SAFE space, Ashby’s firm raised money throughout 2020 and 2021 (during the heart of the pandemic, mind you) by incentivizing their clients with interior design discounts, donating proceeds from design projects, volunteering to design events for corporate donations, and ended the fundraising with a public GoFundMe campaign. It was a true can-do period for both Ashby and SAFE.
The design team enlisted corporate sponsors McCoy Rockford, Four Hands and many others, all of which were generous with their time and donations. Using the most durable fabrics and sturdy pieces, Simon and design partners Callie DeLuca, Ashleigh Malen, and Annie Bacon delineated best practices to create a timeless, serene design plan that can also withstand everyday wear and tear. That meant calming, neutral tones were used with added pops of energetic color to convey positivity.
The emergency shelter communal living spaces accommodate survivors and often multiple families, so it had to be restful and inviting. The team chose to keep the space light, kid friendly, and well planned by creating zones for living room activities, game playing, family meals, and one-on-one conversations. “Our goal was to support the valuable and important work SAFE provides by creating a warm and welcoming environment for survivors to heal and to process the next brave phase of their lives,” says Christina Simon, Senior Designer, Mark Ashby Design.
“Because of Mark Ashby Design and their corporate sponsors, when families and adults come to SAFE’s shelter looking for safety, they will enter a warm and uplifting environment where they can rest and prioritize their healing and recovery,” says Jacqueline Smith-Francis, Corporate Development Specialist SAFE Austin. “SAFE is deeply grateful to Mark Ashby Design and its corporate partners for lending their professional expertise and connections to help survivors feel valued and supported during their stay with SAFE.”
We applaud the efforts of both Mark Ashby Design and SAFE, both of whom enrich the community so much.
