Witte Museum Hosts 52nd Annual Witte Game Dinner
By Jake Gaines Photography by Trisha Lindsey Photography and Parish Photography
THE SETTING: More than 850 of San Antonio’s community leaders and philanthropists, dressed in their finest western attire, gathered to enthusiastically support the Witte Museum at the 52nd Annual Witte Game Dinner, presented by Embrey. The event’s theme, A Prickly Pear Affair, reflected a bountiful return, represented by the sumptuous pear of the cactus, from the prickly period of the pandemic. And it was a bountiful evening indeed, with an abundance of delicious South Texas game cuisine by The RK Group, cocktails, and spirited conversation.
THE STYLE: Attendees entered through the Valero Great Hall at the Witte Museum, adorned with cacti and bathed in hues of pink and green, where they had photos taken and socialized with friends during a cocktail hour that filled the museum campus. As they sipped on prickly pear margaritas, available throughout the galleries, the attendees re-connected with friends and enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and the famous Gordita stations to whet their appetites for what was to come.
The celebration continued to the Mays Family Center for the main event. Susan Naylor, The Feik Family Foundation, and SWBC were honored with Texas Heritage awards for their transformational support of the Witte Museum and visionary leadership in the city and across the state of Texas, as attendees enjoyed a multi-course meal including chicken fried quail, venison enchiladas and bison sliders. A robust live auction followed, with guests enthusiastically bidding before Cory Morrow provided the live music as the event’s revelry continued into the night.
THE PURPOSE: The event, chaired by Margaret and Ryan Pape and supported by a superstar committee, is the Witte Museum’s largest annual fundraiser, providing funding for the museum’s education programs, operations and exhibitions. SWBC announced a significant gift to underwrite the Land Stewardship Ambassador program, and other funds raised will support the Witte’s efforts to care for irreplaceable collections, advance new research and help ensure nearly 350,000 school-aged children and their families can experience all the museum has to offer, both in person and remotely.
