Dish-Houston

KHOU TeamColorful personalities from the worlds of media, sports, entertainment, philanthropy, politics, business and space exploration, donned aprons and feather boas to be charitable Celebrity Servers for the night at Tony’s on Sunday.  The star-studded 32^nd Annual ESCAPE Celebrity Serve “Color My World” Benefit was abuzz with their energy and the evening’s heart-felt mission, as so eloquently expressed by the always-effervescent ESCAPE Celebrity Serve Benefit Co-Chair Joan Schnitzer Levy. She cited the critical need to raise funds for the ESCAPE Family Resource Center, which works so tirelessly to prevent child abuse and neglect before a child is hurt throughout the Greater Houston community.   

According to Co-Chair Gerald Franklin, who personally greeted all the guests at the door, close to 300 guests attended and brought in $288,000 for ESCAPE.  Franklin is a co-founder of ESCAPE, which dates back to 1983. 

Tony’s stunning interior design was a canvas of balloon-laden tables bursting in primary colors.  The room’s centerpiece was an impressive four-foot tall balloon sculpture on the table of Texas energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens, special guest of dear friends Schnitzer Levy and her husband, Irvin.

The 30+ celebrities mingling with the guests weren’t just there for show.  The likes of Astronauts Walt Cunningham and Gene Cernan, newly named KHOU-TV Sports Anchor Bob Allen, stylish Lynn Wyatt, Tae Kwan Do Silver and Bronze Olympic Medalists/siblings Mark and Diana Lopez, and parents-to-be Miya Shay, KTRK-TV reporter, and her husband, Texas State Rep. Gene Wu, were among the cast of hard-driving volunteer Celebrity Servers.  Before dashing back to Austin, Wu presented a House Resolution commending ESCAPE’s work that was read in the Texas Legislature.  The celebrities pulled out the stops to sell and outsell each other on specialty beverages and limited edition raffles via tickets and vibrant light-studded rings that add to ESCAPE’s bottom line.  KTRK-TV Anchor Tom Koch and Houston PBS TV Host Ernie Manouse served as auctioneers of major trips, private dinner parties, a Houston Rockets Suite and a children’s snow party.  Stylist Todd Ramos kicked in as an auction spotter.   

Pickens, who flew in from Las Vegas with his date, Toni Brinker, of Dallas, enjoyed a rah-rah tribute by the OSU Alumni – Houston Chapter, who purchased a table in Pickens’ honor and sang him the uproarious Cowboys’ fight song. Kristi and John D. Schiller Jr. -- John is an executive committee member of ESCAPE and chair of its annual ESCAPE Family Resource Center Golf Tournament -- also flew in from Las Vegas that day and celebrated John’s birthday at the benefit.  Tony’s feted John with a cake with sparklers as the whole crowd chimed in with the “Happy Birthday” song! The Schillers were high bidders ($3,000) on Pickens’ book, “The First Billion Is the Hardest,” autographed on-the-spot by Pickens. 

Lee Majors, T. Boone Pickens

Guests raved about the menu (ravioli appetizer to die for) complemented by wines generously underwritten by Becker Vineyards.  The rapturous party crowd included:  ESCAPE Board Chair Dennis Price and wife Vicki, Irvin Levy, Evelyn Franklin, Faith and Lee Majors, Hon. Bonnie Crane Hellums and her husband, former Houston Oiler Carel Stith, Louise and Dr. Denton Cooley, Hon. Meca Walker, Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Erica and Charles Harris, Regina Rogers, KTRH Radio Anchor Shara Fryer and husband, Barry Silverman, Marjorie Evans, Shantel and David Ferdman, Dene Hofheinz Anton, Celebrity Chair and ESCAPE Board Member Kim Padgett, Susan and David Morris, Clemencia and Jordan Larimore and ESCAPE CEO Lidya K. Osadchey.

KHOU-TV reporter and newlywed Courtney Zubowski was a scene-stealer with her rainbow-hued locks, eyelashes and furry boots. Other notables on tap:  KHOU-TV’s Chita Johnson, Lily Jang and Katherine Whaley, Buzz Lady Roseann Rogers, The 9-5-0 Radio’s Michael Garfield, singer Scott Gertner, KPRC-TV Anchor Andy Cerota, pro basketball player Jonathan Bender, and pro football player Devard Darling.