How we love it when the invitation calls for cocktail attire with a Western twist. How we love it even more when CMA awards winner and recent Grammy nominee Cody Johnson is on stage. And so it was on this night at the Post Oak Hotel, that TEACH entertained a record 700 guests in boots and bling while raising an astonishing $1.9 million.
Before the toe-tapping and singing along to Johnson’s tunes, gala co-chair Wallis Marsh did a mini interview with the Texas singer, who’s charming 5-year-old daughter accompanied him to the gala. In fact, one of the several tunes he crooned was “On My Way to You,” her favorite song. To the surprise of many, Johnson told Marsh that at one time he was a bull rider on the rodeo circuit. And as Marsh pointed out, in 2019 Johnson made Houston Rodeo history by becoming the first independent artist to play to a sold-out crowd.
Applause, applause to Johnson who calls a 25-acre ranch in East Texas home. He contributed not only his remarkable talent but also added to the bottom line by contributing an autographed guitar to the live auction. All proceeds from the gala will go directly to TEACH, founded by Susan Sarofim and Mary Yenik, thanks to the generosity of the late Fayez Sarofim, a longtime TEACH supporter, who underwrote the entire event with a surprise check received the week after he passed away last May.
Cheering over the seven-figure bottom line were co-chairs Dee Dee and Wallis Marsh and Carol and Mike Linn.
The Texas chic theme of the gala was a propros of the night’s honoree — the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, recognized for its near-century of supporting education through multi-million dollars in scholarship given to students each year. Accepting the honors were HLSR board president Brady Carruth and HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman. The rodeo was also the recipient of the inaugural Fayez Sarofim Champion for TEACH award.
While the rodeo provides higher educational opportunities, the work of TEACH (To Educate All Children) extends to the classroom by providing teachers with ongoing coaching and comprehensive professional development in nonverbal classroom management techniques geared to creating a positive learning environment.
PC Seen: TEACH executive director Alvin Abraham, HISD superintendent Millard House II, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Hallie Vanderhider, Margaret Alkek Williams, Gaye Lynn and Stuart Zarrow, Yvonne and Rufus Cormier, Julie and Stephen Chen, Lesha and Tom Elsenbrook, Elizabeth and Alan Stein, Kelley and Stephen Lubanko, Zane Carruth, Edna Meyer-Nelson, Phyllis and Cornel Williams, Ellie and Michael Francisco, Alice and Keith Mosing, and Laurie and Tracy Krohn.