A huge “THANK YOU” to all who helped make this year’s Candlelight Dinner & Auction a success! We couldn’t have done it without the support of all our guests, sponsors, and auction donors. We dressed up the SPJST Lodge in the colors of spring to ensure it was a beautiful backdrop for our evening, and it did not disappoint as a venue fit for all the fun we had in store. The Garden Happy Hour got us in the mood as we sipped local wine and enjoyed music from Grifters & Shills and the 1952 Seeburg Model C Jukebox that would later spark a bidding war, mixing and mingling with our neighbors and local makers/markets like Buchanan’s Native Plants.
From the moment Chef Adam Dorris, backed by the wonderful staff of Presidio, opened the chafing dishes, the aroma of our bespoke menu drew us to our seats to catch up over dinner before kicking off the live auction. Meanwhile, the silent auction enticed with items from members and area businesses whose donations contributed enormously to our success: Arra Vineyards, Bernie’s Burger Bus, Blanco River Mercantile, Bliss on 19th Street, Blue Line Bicycle Lab, Buchanan’s Native Plants, Buchanan’s Native Plants, C&D Hardware and Gifts, Cat Vet Clinic, Chief Art Acevedo, Christina Kuehler, Coda in the Heights, Crescendo Family Music, Define The Heights, Double H Quilts, Eclectic Home in the Heights, Erica DelGardo Jewelry Designs, Fundamentally Music, Hair by Amy C., Heights Hospital for Animals, Houston Fusion Glass, Hunter Dance Center, Imagination Woodworks, Jan M. Stephenson Designs, Jan M. Stephenson Designs, Jen’s Antiques, John Henry Childs, John Ross Palmer, Jubilee on 19th Street, Kelly Simmons & Keith Crane, Kevin Chenevert, Manready Mercantile, Martin Pike Custom Clothier, Massage by Gregory, Mister McKinney’s Historic Houston, Mitch Cohen, MoreHands Maid Service, My Daily Cocktails, Natran Green Pest Control, Nick’s Plumbing, Paloma, Pawve, Premium Draught, Presidio, Pure Barre Heights, Revive Salon & Spa, Soccer Shots Houston, Sue Korthauer, The Boardroom Salon, The Impeccable Pig, Tommy Gregory, Urban Float, Urban Jungle Self-Defense & Fitness, Urban Jungle Self-Defense & Fitness, Well Done Cooking Classes, White Salon, Wonderwild Indoor Party Playground, and Yu Cha Pak.
The auction’s big winners (and our biggest supporters of the evening) were:
- Tony & Michelle Torres-Aponte, who purchased the “Happy Days” jukebox that was restored by Gen’s Antiques just for this year’s auction.
- Joe Zanone, who purchased Mitch Cohen’s original painting of the Bart Truxillo home at the corner of Harvard & 18th Street.
- Houston Police Chief Art & Tanya Acevedo, who purchased the Tommy Gregory sculpture “Made For You & Me” from this year’s Boulevard Art Project installation.
- Simon & Linda Eyles, who purchased a private dinner for 20 donated by Presidio and hosted by Chef Adam Dorris.
- Pat Strong & David Donnelly, who purchased His & Her’s bicycles donated by Blue Line Bicycle Lab.
- Ryan & Michelle Grant, who purchased a custom playset donated by Imagination Woodworks.
- JoAnn Alanis, who purchased an Educational Tour of Houston Heights on the super fun Houston History Bus donated by Mister McKinney.
- Mitchell & Sue McFarland, Liz Butler, and Elizabeth & Andy Brock, who together purchased a ridealong donated by HPD Chief Acevedo.
We capped off the evening with the music of Western Bling while wrapping up our silent auction, which raised over $35,000 toward HHA programs and properties.
Many, many thanks again to all who attended, bid on auction items, and spread the word about this beloved annual event. See you next year!