Heart Strings: Dolly’s Guitar, Easton Corbin and a Stetson-Savvy Crowd Set Record for Dec My Room
Jennifer Obar and Greg Sonnier (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
By Jeff Gremillion
Western chic filled The Ballroom at Bayou Place, and Dec My Room left with a record.
More than 250 guests turned out for the ninth annual Kick Up Your Boots for Kids, raising $415,000. Country singer Easton Corbin packed the dance floor. Chairs Anne Carl and her daughter, Elizabeth Carl, ran the night. Founders Kendall Plank and Susan Plank were there. Early in the program, Susan passed the hat to Kendall as the organization’s new leader.
Dec My Room started in August 2007. Volunteers have personalized and decorated more than 10,000 rooms in over 180 hospitals nationwide for pediatric and young adult patients, each built around the patient’s interests. Requests are up 30 percent this year. The items stay through the hospital stay and go home with the patient.
David Ackel emceed and called the auction. Two ice bars and two raffles ran alongside the main appeal: a necklace from Miseno Italy and a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 23-year bourbon. A spirits pull added another chance at a bottle. Community honorees Stacey and Al Lindseth and corporate honoree Northern Trust were recognized for their support.
The live auction kept paddles up. A Federal American Grill package built around Pappy Van Winkle drew strong bids. A Dolly-Parton-signed guitar surged enough that Ackel offered a second. Longtime supporter Mike Plank donated a golf outing at Big Easy Ranch in Columbus, with helicopter transportation, that sold twice. The night closed with a tequila bar, cigars and a last espresso martini from the Frio River Vodka ice bar.
Seen in the crowd: Maria Moncada Alaoui and Omer Alaoui, Kory and Geoff Blum, Matt Brice, Noble Carl, Fabio Cardamuro, Heather Almond, Adrienne Crane, Alicia Smith, Kim and Dan Moody, Julia Morales Clark and Matt Clark, Jerry Simon, Jennifer Grosvenor, Sneha and Nick Merchant and Ryan Venable.
Anne and Elizabeth Carl (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Trevor Wasiqi and Kendall Plank (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Susan Plank, Kendall Plank, Stacey and Al Lindseth (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Shelby Coppedge, Katie Tsuru and Adrienne Crane (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Mike Stasney, Easton Corbin and Carley Stasney (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Nina and Clint Rand (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Noel Wise (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Omar Alaoui and Maria Moncada Alaoui (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Mary Choe, Marie Daly and Demi Childs (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Lynnette Davis, Cindy Bendi, Sylvia Forsythe and Alicia Smith (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Karen Eddingston and Kate McGee (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Grace and Steve Ward (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Wanda Carter, Conner Fowler and Macy Carter (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Susan Plank, Jerry Simon, Jennifer Grosvenor and Kendall Plank (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Jill and Andrew Wright (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Julia Morales and Matt Clark (photo by Daniel Ortiz)
Anne and Noble Carl (photo by Daniel Ortiz)