March 2024 WAN

Annual Angelina Eberly Luncheon Benefits Austin History Center

By Forrest Preece

On February 29, the Austin History Center Association (AHCA) hosted the 14th Annual Angelina Eberly Luncheon at The Austin Club, formerly the Millet Opera House, in the heart of Downtown Austin. Charles Peveto, President of the AHCA and Chair of the Luncheon Committee, welcomed the diners and presided over the event. The Platinum Sponsor for the luncheon was the McBee Family Foundation.

Prior to the entertainment, Daniel Ronan, AHCA’s Interim Executive Director, made remarks about the vision for the History Center and the current status of the organization. A highlight of the event was a skit performed by Austin’s legendary comedy troupe, Esther’s Follies, depicting the story of Angelina Eberly protecting the status of Austin as the state capital. The leader of Esther’s Follies, Shannon Sedwick, also performed her beloved number as Patsy Cline, singing “She’s Got You,” during which she extracted a number of items from her costume, including a monkey wrench, golf clubs, and a handsaw. The event was emceed by singer and songwriter Guy Forsyth. After that, Sedwick and Lara Toner Haddock from Austin

Playhouse answered questions from Anne Gatling Haynes, Chief Transactions Officer of the Austin Economic Development Corporation, and discussed the state of independent theater in Austin and their companies’ histories.

Seen among the guests were Sally Bowman, Gay Gaddis, Dr. Tara Dudley, Ben and Rebecca Foster, Charlie Betts, former Mayor Frank and Lynn Cooksey, Dee Garcia, Jeffrey and Yasmine Dochen, Becky Heiser, Beth Fowler, Gloria Mata Pennington, Meta Butler Hunt, Patricia Morrison, Hannah Terrell, Dan and Clayton Bullock, Rita Kriesle,

Ted and Virginia Eubanks, Nancy and Tom Nesbitt, Candace and John Volz, Karen Sonleitner, Clayton Morgan, James Powell, Marilynn Poole-Webb and Stephen Webb, Trammell and Jen Cooper, Judy Maggio, and Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard.

Peveto said that the AHCA board was pleased with the turnout for the luncheon. “We made all our goals, everyone enjoyed the meal, and we communicated some excellent information

about the vision for the History Center. It’s an exciting time to be in Austin and to revere our heritage.”

The Eberly Luncheon is the main annual fundraising event for the AHCA, the friends group of the Austin History Center. AHCA’s mission is to ensure that the diverse stories of Austin and Travis County are discovered, collected, presented, and preserved through fundraising for AHC operations and by producing history-based programming, supporting the vision and expansion of the Austin History Center Campus in partnership with the Austin Public Library.

Friends of Reed Park Partner with Austin Parks Foundation for It’s My Park Day

Saturday,

“It’s My Park Day.” Nowhere was this civic-minded effort in fuller

The day’s initiative was the first “It’s My Park Day’’ to take place at Reed Park in several

bloom than at Tarrytown’s own Reed Park. Volunteers of all ages–including City Council Member Alison Alter–spent the morning clearing out overgrown fields and hillsides, picking up trash along the creek, spreading ground cover, and placing red Adirondack chairs under shade trees. All so Reed Park’s serene green space could be enjoyed more fully.

years and led by Friends of Reed Park–a group of neighbors who want to preserve and maintain the natural and historic beauty of Reed Park for years to come.

Most recently the FORP group was responsible for the park’s

playscape installation and successfully advocated to have the pool open, which it finally was last summer! The long-standing 501(c)(3) neighborhood group plans to host more community volunteer weekends and they even have “tangible improvement plans in the works,” says member James Page. If you’d like to learn more about Friends of Reed Park and stay up to date on their initiatives, visit www.austinparks.org/support-reed-park/.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA TREVINO

openingexpandingcelebrating Around the Neighborhood:

Multicultural Refugee Coalition is rebranding as The Refugee Collective, and celebrates having connected refugees to agriculture and textile livelihoods since 2017. Both a textile studio, Open Arms, and an organic farm, New Leaf Agriculture, are part of the nonprofit Refugee Collective, training and employing people to sew and farm. CSA shares are available from New Leaf Farm at mrcaustin.org

Old Quarry Library hosts a Collaborative Community Meeting for Northwest Hills seniors and Austin Police Department on Monday, April 1 from 1p.m. to 2 p.m. The meeting will bring together neighborhood seniors and local law enforcement leaders

Around the Neighborhood:

1

Market, held its grand

March 15th. The new

is one of three in the Austin area. The medical spa prides itself on being the ultimate destination for medical aesthetics and skincare. Their highly trained experts offer personalized service and deliver safe, effective, and medically proven treatments for optimal results. Call to reserve a free consultation and receive 15% off your first treatment. Ph: 512-682-9157 or book online at www. skinspirit.com/locations/west-lake-hills.

1

2 Austin Shoe Hospital in Westlake has moved to suite 610 within the Westbank Market, 3300 Bee Caves Road. Founded in 1906, Austin Shoe Hospitals is part of the world-famous Shoe Hospital family of companies that repair shoes, boots, handbags, luggage, horse saddles, jackets, and nearly anything made of leather. It is open 7:30 am-6:00 pm Monday through Friday and 8:00 am-4:00 pm on Saturday. Ph: 512-329-8104.

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Best-selling Gospel Singer CeCe Winans will perform at Austin Ridge Bible Church at 9300 Bee Caves Road. Her concert “The Goodness Tour” is an all-new worship experience featuring her biggest songs, including ‘Believe For It,’ ‘Goodness of God,’ ‘Never Lost’ and more. The theme for her tour aims to acknowledge God’s goodness and ignite expectations of what God has in store for all of us. Tickets are on sale for the April 25th performance at 7:00 p.m. and can be purchased on multiple platforms, including www. austinridge.org/events/cecewinans-the-goodness-tour.

The Magellan International School invites the Austin community to its Makers Fair, which will be held on March 28th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at 7501 North Capital of Texas Hwy. The fair will feature groups from the Austin creative community, such as Austin Tinkering School, Make at Rosie, Austin Creative, Reuse, Asmbly, UTeach Maker, and Austin School for the Driven. The Magellan community will also showcase student-led activities, workshops, and exhibits.

Alejandro Meola will perform live in Austin on March 27th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Carousel Lounge, 1110 E 52nd St., to debut his new album, VIVO. Admission is free, with a $15 suggested donation for the independent touring artist. Meola is an Argentinian-American singer, songwriter, and guitarist with a style rooted in Rock/Blues. The show is part of a tour with three other concerts scheduled in Texas and several dates across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Spain over the coming months. 5

The Austin High Red Jacket Dance Team will present its annual Spring Show on April 18, 19, and 20 at 7:00 PM in the Austin High Performing Arts Center, 1715 West Cesar Chavez Street. The performance entitled POWER will feature the award-winning Red Jackets. The team is directed by Stephanie Braden Wright, who is in her 24th year with the Red Jackets. Team student leadership includes Captains Hardin Hanson, Ava Renspie, Junior Leuitenants Aaliyah Kidman, Kennedy Muhr, and Lila Peris. Social Officers are President Lulu Wittenbraker, Vice President Rachel Yost, Nella Harvey, Zoe Honigblum, and Brooklyn Reaves. Tickets go on sale April 1 and can be purchased using the QR code or at www.showtix4u.com/event-details/82169.

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Christine Albert

IBY FORREST PREECE

wonder how many people who have enjoyed the silken sound of Christine Albert’s singing know that they are watching the founder of a non-profit that provides inspirational music to people in the final stages of their lives.

Or realize that she is the Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the Recording Academy® (the GRAMMYs®).

On a bright morning a few weeks ago, Christine and I talked about her life. Like a lot of people, she started playing musical instruments in grade school – piano and flute — and was in the marching band and orchestra in Rome, New York, her hometown.

When she turned 12, she took up guitar, singing, and songwriting, a common path to a career in the music business. A turning point came when she was 15 and went to Santa Fe to visit her hippie brother, a professional musician and glassblower. “That was it! The musicians! Art! The mountains! Cowboy boots! Everything about it really drew me,” Christine says. It took a while, but she convinced her parents to let her go back and attend a small, progressive high school in Santa Fe.

By the time she was 19, Christine had become a professional musician. One lifelong friend she made in Santa Fe was Eliza Gilkyson, who was in a band with Christine’s

brother in the early 70’s. When Christine was playing in Eliza’s band in 1981, they traveled to the Kerrville Folk Festival and hung out in Austin, which was another revelation. Christine had friends here in the mid-70’s and she had visited Austin and danced to Joe Ely at Soap Creek, which she loved, and she also remembers seeing Marcia Ball on Austin City Limits while still living in Santa Fe. “I thought, “She is so cool! I want to live there!” The more she discovered about Austin, the more she liked it—and Eliza and Christine separately made the decision to move here in the same month – June 1982. Her musical career has blossomed and now she and her husband Chris Gage, performing as Albert and Gage, are one of Austin’s best-liked acts. Some of her favorite concert appearances over the years include dozens of trips to Europe – to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, Slovenia, and Italy.

In Austin she has fond memories of playing at Symphony Square, where she once did her French-themed Valentine’s

concert and then segued to a concert with her Americana band on the same night. Also on her list of enjoyable performance spots — Cactus Café, El Mercado (for Mystery Monday), Donn’s Depot, and Waterloo Ice House. And it was after a concert in that last venue that something happened to set her career off onto another tangent.

One night in 1992, Christine had finished a concert at Waterloo Ice House, and she noticed a married couple, two of her regulars, walking out. The husband was stumbling and that made Christine worry, because she knew that he was not a heavy drinker. Sure enough, the wife called a few days later, saying that her husband had an inoperable brain aneurysm, and he didn’t have long to live. She asked Christine if she would come to their house and sing for them one last time. Christine agreed immediately and lined up two of her bandmates, Mitch Watkins and Paul Glasse, to come with her. When they arrived, there was a houseful of people – the couple had invited friends and work colleagues. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

When she left there, Christine had an aha! moment and realized that there needed to be a way for music lovers in the final stages of their lives to experience a few minutes of the music that they love. Soon after that, a friend of hers, local psychotherapist Gaea Logan, said that she had a friend dying at Christopher House and together they decided to find a way to bring music directly to hospice patients. It didn’t take long to create a list of local musicians who would be willing to provide these concerts.

also realized that the concert in 1992 was for John Swann and knew that she had found the name!

Her creative juices really

management. “Budgets, strategic planning, financial best practices, human resources – I’ve learned so much. And of course, going to Los Angeles to be a part of the GRAMMY® Awards week of events is always a thrill.”

type of music. With a database of more than 700 musicians, that means they can handle just about every genre — from reggae to blues to Irish music. Also, Christine has used her show business experience to make the annual Swan Songs Serenade gala one of Austin’s most enjoyable fundraising events.

That was the beginning of MusicAid. (Christine never loved that name.) Gaea talked to the hospice management, and they started doing some concerts on an informal basis. She began testing the waters for making this idea workable and Craig Hella Johnson’s organization at the time, New Texas Festival, pitched in and nurtured it.

Christine kept singing in clubs, at festivals and in nursing homes and the impetus to provide structure for delivering these concerts was burning inside her. One day in 1998 she was out walking, and the light bulb clicked: “a final song –Swan Songs!” With that name and inspiration, she researched it and found that in many cultures, swans are the symbol for transformation. Christine

started flowing then and she realized that in order to raise the money to do it right – to pay the musicians and have enough administrative staff to organize the concerts — she would have to start a non-profit. It was a trying time in her life, and she kept dodging the issue until finally, in 2005, she filed the Swan Songs name with the Secretary of State. Gaea offered her office for meetings, and they started in earnest.

During this time, Chris had a serious back problem and MusiCares, the affiliate of the Recording Academy that helps musicians through times when they cannot work, came to their aid. Wanting to give back, Christine became interested in being part of their leadership. She decided to run for a place on the local board and after a few years, with Terry Lickona’s urging, she ran for a Trustee position on the national board, then rose to Vice Chair and eventually Chair of the organization. Christine says that working with the Recording Academy has been a master class in nonprofit

As for Swan Songs, they now have four staff members in Austin and handled 391 requests last year. They have the technology for people to make requests on their tablet, iPhone, or computers, and have a tracking system which lets social workers and volunteers easily submit post-concert reports while sitting in their car. They can offer specific performers, but often requests are simply for a

Swan Songs staff and board are actively developing a model for the rest of the country to establish local affiliates, sharing the mission and creating this opportunity for more music lovers nearing the end of life. Legal agreements, a Brand Guide, training curriculum, and integrated technology have all been created. The first local affiliate in Portland, Oregon is actively establishing their infrastructure, and the project managers are coming to Austin for training in April. They hope to be up and running by mid-2024. “This beta test is a big moment for us,” Christine says. With all of this on her plate, plus having to undergo back surgery recently, Christine’s own musical career has taken something of a back seat. But she has started booking more performances and is determined to find time for her first love - singing. As she says, “Music is what it’s all about!”

CASA of Travis County’s annual CASAblanca Gala, presented by The Andresen Foundation, took place at the JW Marriott with 940 attendees coming together to raise $1,725,000 for children in Travis County who have experienced abuse or neglect.

CASAblanca Committee Co-Chairs were Courtney Groves and Sharon Morgan, and committee members were Natalie Adams, Katie Agness, Fallon Allison, Erika Bulow, Tim Donohue, Amy Gilmore, Dana Harris, Claire Harrison, Chandler Hatchett, Jen Holt, Chrissie Horn, Amy Hurt, Kelly Kopecky, Nicole Kuhn, Jim Moore, Lura Moore, William Morse, Julia Ott, Carrie Pettengill, Rachel Pry, Kate Rash, Kate Rhodes, Audrey Romano, Derek Romano, Meghan Romere, Catherine Sansbury, Angie Scholzen, Amanda Schott, Natalie Sheridan, Allyson Shutt, Lindsay Sims, Lisa Smith, Kristin Tavrides, Anna Thompson, and Jennifer Williams.

With this year’s theme, Planting Seeds of Hope, CASA hosted a vibrant evening that

entailed a special performance by jazz musician Sarah Covey at a VIP Party, an exquisite menu, powerful stories of CASA’s advocacy, and more.

The evening also entailed a live and silent auction and an After Party, which featured custom cocktails and ice luge by Tito’s Vodka, a casino, DJ Wizard, and arcade games from Game Plan Entertainment. Also featured throughout the night was a Secret Garden game, where attendees chose a mystery bag full of goodies donated by local businesses; two lucky game winners went home with a set of diamond earrings from Korman Fine Jewelers. One lucky guest also won a $5,000 shopping spree from Korman Fine Jewelers through their Break the Safe game. The CASAblanca Gala would not have been possible without numerous community partnerships including Vandergrift High School’s Floral Program, which provided lavish ballroom centerpiece creations and podium florals. For more information about CASA of Travis County, visit www.casatravis.org.

PHOTOS

2024 CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

Dell

Children’s Ball Raises More Than $3M for Austin’s Children’s Hospital

This year’s Circuit of the America’s Dell Children’s Ball Presented by Nyle Maxwell Family of Dealerships was a smashing success. Dell Children’s Foundation gathered roughly 430 guests at the Four Seasons, incredibly raising more than $3,000,000 for Austin’s children’s hospital. The event theme was “UP!” and along with beautiful colors, clouds, and cotton candy, the inspiring message invited guests to, “Look up like a child. Look up to the people you admire. Find inspiration. Notice the shapes in the clouds. Lift your head in hard times and witness every bit of wonder. This February, join us to dress up, look up, and lift up the lives of children and families.”

Just as they always do, the Austin community showed UP in a big way to support kids and families. The Rosetta String Quartet serenaded guests as they entered the ballroom to witness a powerful program, which opened by celebrating the opening of Dell Children’s North last spring. Guests were welcomed by Dell Children’s new President, Michael Wiggins, followed by a stun-

ning performance of the song, Rainbow Connection, by Velora Hall, Board Certified Music Therapist. Dell Children’s Board of Trustees Chair, Matt Flake, along with his wife, Lina, took the stage to share the mission of the evening and introduce the Thompson family.

Holtin Thompson has had multiple heart surgeries in his short little life of less than 1 year. The family bravely shared their story of how baby Holtin’s life saving care would not have been possible here in Austin, just a short time ago. Before the opening of Dell Children’s Maternal Fetal Medicine program and Special Delivery Unit coupled with the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease, the Thompson’s story would have had a very different ending. Baby Holtin in his tiny tuxedo was the star of the show!

The incredible total of more than $3,000,000 was celebrated with a cotton candy dessert reception and guests dancing the night away in the Ciclo after party. For more information about the Dell Children’s Foundation, visit www.supportdellchildrens.org.

BALLET AUSTIN'S ANNUAL FÊTE GALA

Event Returns with New Theme Centered on Upcoming World Premiere

Hailed as Austin’s “Best Black Tie,” Ballet Austin’s Fête is one of the most anticipated annual fundraiser galas in Austin. Synonymous with elegance, excitement, and innovation, each year Fête welcomes Austin’s most respected arts patrons and community leaders to mix, mingle, dine, dance, and celebrate the arts in Austin. Themed this year around the March 2024 World Premiere of Stephen Mills’ POE / A Tale of Madness, Fête / A Night of Madness helped raise $600,000 benefitting Ballet Austin’s mission to involve and strengthen the community through the creation and experience of dance and the encouragement of health and well-being.

Attendees spent the evening mingling with Ballet Austin’s Company dancers, board members, and leaders. The evening began with a cocktail reception, followed by a multicourse dinner provided by the Austin Marriott Downtown. Guests had the opportunity to purchase luxury items through both live and silent auctions. The evening concluded with dancing, celebrating, and a surprise around every corner!

As distinctive and dynamic as the city it calls home, Ballet Austin welcomes audiences near and far to participate in its “classically innovative” vision for the creation of original artworks, classical ballet instruction, and life-long health and wellness through dance and fitness. With a rich history spanning six decades, acclaimed productions, a commitment to creating access to programs, and a large, classical ballet academy, the organization is poised for an even greater future. From their home at the Butler Dance Education Center in downtown Austin, Ballet Austin and Stephen Mills, Ballet Austin’s Sarah & Ernest Butler Family Fund artistic director, actively engage the community, dancers, and audiences alike. For additional information, visit www.balletaustin.org.

Ballet Austin’s Fête joins community leaders with philanthropists to benefit Ballet Austin’s mission and community efforts. Inspired by the French word for party, Ballet Austin hosted the first Fête gala in 2003. Last season’s event, hosted in April 2023, raised over $500,000 to benefit Ballet Austin’s nonprofit mission.

Magellan International School Holds Gala

On February 10, 2024, the Magellan International School (MIS)} held its Noche de Gala event at the Marriot Downtown. Each spring, the celebratory evening brings Magellan parents, faculty, and supporters together for a common goal: to strengthen the community and generate additional funding for the school’s continued growth.

This year’s gala raised $500,000 for the school and celebrated a momentous occasion. The 2024 spring semester marks the first time Kindergarten through 8th grade students share a common campus. The newly renovated site is located on 14 acres near Bull Creek at 7501 North Capital of Texas Hwy.

The gala committee’s hard work provided a glamorous event that included a cocktail hour, the Heads or Tails game, and a live auction. Those gathered enjoyed the festivities, which included an afterparty with dancing and a live DJ.

The Women’s Symphony League Hosts 13th Annual Red Haute Luncheon

The Women’s Symphony League of Austin hosted the 13th Annual Red Haute Luncheon and Children’s Style Show at the Four Seasons in downtown Austin. This beloved event presented the season’s hottest fashion trends for children of all ages, and even some adults, too! Sponsorships, underwriting opportunities, and individual tickets all contributed to financial support for the Austin Symphony Orchestra and its music education programs across the community.

Event attendees enjoyed a musical presentation of “Moon River” by WSL members Susan Roth on piano and Austin Symphony Orchestra violinist Robin Burwell and shopping at the curated marketplace. Other entertainment included a raffle, the beloved Hugs and Kisses game, a spectacular children’s fashion show produced by Sue Webber Productions, a live auction, an Audrey Hepburn look-alike contest, a Fancy Fluff Cotton Candy Bar, and spirit tastings by Desert Door and Still Austin Whiskey. All proceeds raised will support the Austin Symphony Orchestra’s Children’s Programs.

A final highlight was a reveal of the WSL’s 2024 Jewel

Ball Theme announcements:

Soirée Dansante – September 15 - “Twilight Masquerade,” Fashion Luncheon – Friday, September 20 - “Enchanté Couture” at Palmer Events Center, and the 69th Jewel Ball – Saturday, September 21“Night of Illusions” at Palmer Events Center.

“Decades after she shined on the silver screen, Audrey Hepburn’s grace and appeal endured,” said Alexis Simon Moore and Natalie Hudson, co-chairs of the 13th Annual Red Haute Luncheon and Children’s Show. “She was the inspiration for this year’s Valentine’s-themed event, which included fashion, elegance, fun, and a few little blue Tiffany & Co. boxes, too.”

For 70 years, the members of the Women’s Symphony League of Austin have dedicated energy, talent, and volunteer hours to provide service and financial support to the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

The Women’s Symphony League is the Symphony’s largest annual financial supporter. More than 50,000 children benefit from the innovative educational programs of the Austin Symphony Orchestra each year. For more information, visit www.wslaustin.org.

April Fool’s Jokes

— Compiled by Forrest Preece

It’s about that time of the year, so we asked three West Austinites for April Fool’s stories.

“OnApril Fool’s Day, the year after I left a well-known Austin restaurant, I showed up there in full uniform, walked in the front door, and started ‘running food’ from the line. I’m not sure how long it went on, but it was a while before anyone noticed. By the time the prank became apparent, laughs were had by all, even the manager. Then he graciously sat me at the bar and gave me a complimentary dinner.”

— Jason Fletcher, Food Industry Professional

“When I served as the director of an Institute at UT, I had the pleasure of collaborating with a professor whom I greatly admired—a truly brilliant individual. As is often the case with such remarkable minds, he exuded an air of infallibility.

“M any years back, I was working in Los Angeles on my album Shortstop with the great producer David Kershenbaum (Tracy Chapman, Joe Jackson, Duran Duran, Supertramp, Cat Stevens, etc.). There was a receptionist’s desk near the front of the studio, and one day, I noticed there was a place to put notes of phone calls for David to return. I took one of the slips of paper and wrote:

‘David, Cher called — please return her call’ and included the phone number for the apartment where I was staying. About two weeks later, on April Fool’s Day, I got a phone call with ‘Cher? David Kershenbaum here!’ Oh, I laughed and laughed! David had to roll his eyes and being the good natured guy he is, laughed too on the other end of the line.”

— Sara

Hickman, Official Texas State Musician, Recording Artist/Songwriter

“On one April Fool’s Day, I persuaded a friend residing in DC, equipped with a 202 area code, to call the professor’s mobile phone while he was teaching a class—I knew he wouldn’t answer, allowing my friend to leave a voicemail in his authoritative radio broadcaster voice. Crafting the script myself, I meticulously detailed the message. My friend informed the professor that President Obama desired his presence as the keynote speaker for the annual National Lab Day celebration, specifying the topic, theme,

and timing of his speech. Given that a National Lab Day indeed existed, I did research to infuse the message with credible details, anticipating the professor’s penchant for verifying facts upon hearing the voicemail.

“Subsequently, my friend left the message, and my staff and I eagerly awaited the conclusion of the professor’s class. Approximately ten minutes later, he burst into our office, visibly exhilarated. He had completely fallen for the ruse, genuinely believing that President Obama had singled him out for such an esteemed honor. The entire office erupted in laughter. To his credit, he took the jest in stride. It remains one of the most memorable pranks I’ve ever orchestrated.”

— Tracy LaQuey Parker, Civic Leader and Member, Internet Hall of Fame

WHERE I’M COMING FROM

Rebecca Campbell

BY FORREST PREECE CEO, Austin Film Society

1. What’s something about you that not many people know? I skipped kindergarten and went straight to first grade.

2. What was your first job?

Line cook, Fass Bros. Fish House on Route 1 in Alexandria, Va.

3. If you could have dinner with three people – dead or alive, at any time in history— who would they be?

I think this dinner party would provide an elevated conversation with no effort from me. It would zing between hilarity, acerbity, and high-mindedness:

• Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus

• Author E. Jean Carroll

• Architect Louis Kahn

4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be?

I’ve been more into podcasts lately: This Jungian Life, and for falling asleep to, Nothing Much Happens. According to the bot DJ, the artist I streamed most last year was classical guitarist Miloš Karadaglić. Clearly, one wanted to be soothed.

5. Favorite book and TV show?

As a child, I loved Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry.  Recently, I couldn’t get enough of Slow Horses, although there are some good Australian comedies out there like Colin from Accounts and Fisk.

6. Most powerful movie you have seen.

Human Flow was really something. AFS did a co-pre-

sentation with The Contemporary Austin and there was a full house – I’ve never heard a louder silence than in that audience.

7. Favorite place in Austin? The walk around the lake at Mueller.

8. Favorite restaurant and watering hole Picnik for casual lunches. Foreign & Domestic for a dinner we can walk to. AFS Cinema for a pre-show drink where everybody knows my name.

9. What did you want to be

when you were growing up?

A world traveler.

10. Which living person do you most admire?

Michelle Obama.

11. What makes you happy?

Getting to be a part of a high-functioning team and leading an organization that combines two of my favorite things: civic engagement and the arts.

12. Best advice you ever received?

“You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

The Central Texas Food Bank hosted their annual Hunger Heroes dinner on Wednesday, March 6 at their warehouse at 6500 Metropolis Drive. The event honored six Food Bank partners who have gone above and beyond in supporting the organization’s mission to end hunger – Foundation Communities, Helping Center Marble Falls, Hari Jayaram, Vicki Matustik, PIMCO, and Methodist Healthcare Ministries.

Hunger Heroes was attended by 120 Food Bank enthusiasts who enjoyed the exclusive, locally sourced menu prepared by Chef Colter Peck of Elementary ATX, a newly opened restaurant on South Lamar. The program was hosted by Trevor Scott of CBS’s We Are Austin.

The Hunger Heroes Dinner is Central Texas Food Bank’s “un-gala” – an intimate gathering for their closest friends and supporters in their temporarily transformed sorting warehouse. In keeping with the group’s mission to make every contribution count, the tables were set with minimal, tasteful decorations and CTFB staffers provided table service themselves.

Sari Vatske, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CTFB, said, “We were thrilled

with the enthusiastic turnout and how much our guests enjoyed the dinner. The funds raised from this event will go a long way towards our goal of eliminating barriers so there are compassionate solutions to helping anyone in our community who is facing hunger.”