Enjoy these last few weeks of our beautiful “Texas Winter!” As the temps get warmer, the social calendar begins to heat up as well.

With February’s arrival comes one the largest and most premier events of our area, The Montgomery County Heart Ball. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 19 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott. The “Bling for the Heart” –themed event will feature a “Diamond District” of carnival games and fabulous prizes. Carol Garner and Soly Lachterman will serve as co-chairwomen for the gala which will honor Judy and Glenn Smith. The annual gala raises funds to support lifesaving research and educational programs to fight cardiovascular disease and stroke. Grab a tux and the most fabulous dress you own and head to the Marriott to help save lives while you dance the night away! Individual tickets are $300, and event sponsorships are still available ranging from the $1,000 to $40,000 level. For more information about the Heart Ball, contact Megan Crawford, AHA Corporate Market Director, at 713-610-5021 or via e-mail at megan.crawford@heart.org.

A special Preview Party will be held on Wednesday, March 2, from 6-9 p.m. at The Outlets of Conroe for the upcoming “Jazzy Junque (& Other Great Stuff!)” benefiting New Danville.  This annual fundraising event is set for the weekend Friday, March 4, through Sunday, March 6, at The Outlets of Conroe. Tickets are $25 per person and must be purchased in advance by contacting Odette D’Agostino at 936-788-2060, ext. 302 or e-mail Odette@dagostinocompanies.com. One hundred percent of proceeds will benefit the residential program for New Danville, a master-planned community for adults with mild intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Interfaith’s Five Who Share Spring Luncheon – March 4. For more information, view www.woodlandsinterfaith.org.

Want to see your event featured in an upcoming “Scene in The Woodlands?”   Drop me a line with the details, or send me photos of recent, past events at missyherndon@yahoo.com.

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Fleming’s Civil Service Appreciation Luncheon

Civil servants protect the streets and neighborhoods, answer calls for help and most recently, were honored for their hard work and tremendous effort.  Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in The Woodlands hosted its third annual “Civil Servants Appreciation Luncheon” serving more than 130 police officers, dispatchers, firefighters, EMS staff, mounted patro, and other public safety personnel. Operating partner Shelli Mora, and Chef partner Wayne Mason Jr., underwrote the event, which dished up a delicious menu of filet mignon, crab cakes, green beans, mashed potatoes, Fleming’s house salad, and raspberry chocolate mousse cake.

In addition to supporting our local civil servants, Fleming’s is also a long-time supporter of the Montgomery County Women’s Center and The Community Clinic, and is a member of The South Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

1) Det. Brent Akin with Shelli Moran, operating partner of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in The Woodlands.

2) Lt. David Dottei with Shelli Moran.

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Interfaith of The Woodlands

Interfaith of The Woodlands  had an exciting and busy winter, serving more than 2,000 children and 2,000 seniors during the holiday season through its holiday programs including, Adopt-A-Family, Interfaith’s Holiday Toy Drive and Gifts for Seniors. Individuals, families, congregations, organizations and other groups donated funds and gifts to help make the programs special for local children. One local business, Wright’s Printing and Wright’s Media, donated $10,000 to help Interfaith meet these needs.

Interfaith has also added health care to its long list of commitments to the community as it welcomed The Community Clinic to its family of services. Under this new relationship, the Community Clinic and Interfaith will both be able to serve more individuals and provide more services to the community. The Community Clinic provides basic dental care, medical care, counseling and social services to the working poor and uninsured living in our community. For more information about the Community Clinic, go to www.communityclinic.net.

To learn more about Interfaith’s Interfaith programs, call 281-367-1230 or go to www.woodlandsinterfaith.org.

3) Representing Interfaith’s holiday programs are: (l-r) Volunteer Lyndon Powers, Yvette Acevedo (picking out a bicycle for her son), Summer Carper and Dr. Ann Snyder, president and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands.

4) Wright’s Printing and Wright’s Media Donates $10,000. Pictured in front of the staff of Wright’s Printing and Wright’s Media are: (l-r) Richard Wright, president of Wright’s Printing; Dr. Ann Snyder, president and CEO of Interfaith; Mary Jo O’Neal, development director at Interfaith; and Bonni Horan, director of publications and residential services at Interfaith

5) Interfaith welcomes The Community Clinic: (l-r)  Dr. Joel Kerschenbaum, founder of The Community Clinic; Dr. Ann Snyder, president and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands/Interfaith Community Clinic; Tim Welbes, chair of Interfaith of The Woodlands’ board of directors

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HOPE Under the Stars

HOPE was the theme one winter evening as more than more than 650 friends, neighbors and supporters braved the cold temps to attend the second annual Hope Under the Stars event  at The Lodge at Rob Fleming in The Village of Creekside Park. The grassroots event, put on almost entirely by donations and underwriters, benefits The Will Herndon Fund for Juvenile Batten Disease Research and The Beyond Batten Disease Foundation. Guests, decked in their most fabulous Texas Chic, enjoyed activities such as rear sketches by the Original “Butt Sketchers,” a mechanical bull and a cigar bar provided by Rio 24.  Following a dinner of homemade Jambalaya by the Garon Family of Louisiana and dessert by Frost Cupcakes, supporters danced the night away to New Orleans own Buck Town All-Stars Band. Nearly $180,000 was raised to support research to stop the progression of this rare, fatal, degenerative condition affecting my 7-year-old son Will. There is no current cure or treatment, but we have HOPE. For more information on  Batten Disease, check out the website at www.willherndon.org.

6) (L-R) Kathy Croom, Kimberly Fisher and Amy Wetherington

7) Michael and Carey Bell

8) Lauren Hunter and Angie Gibbs

9) Alex and Sharon Sutton with daughter, Holly Anderson

10) (L-R) Alison and Richard Judge with Bobbi Jo Miller

11) Alison and Rich Henderson

12) (L-R) Kyle and Audra Hoegemeyer, Marc and Amy Atnipp, Bill and Darcy Bass and Deborah Coburn

13) Rob and Angela Banzhaf

14) Amy Manning with Shelly and Mike Powell

15) Buck Town All-Stars of New Orleans, La.

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Crush Benefit for Wendy Tynan

A crowd packed the rooftop of the Crush Wine Lounge for a special benefit night for one of The Woodlands own, Wendy Tynan. Wendy, a 1990 graduate of McCullough High School, is battling an aggressive form of cancer. Currently a patient at MD Anderson, she has had tumors removed from both her brain and her lungs. Upon meeting Wendy, I was amazed by her strength, spirit and courageous smile. She is a friend, daughter, mother and obviously a fighter. More than $5,200 was raised to help Wendy and her daughter with medical and living expenses. Interested in helping Wendy fight cancer? Donations can be made at Wells Fargo Bank, Wendy Tynan Benefit Donation Fund, Account No. 9765779146.

16) Crush Wine Lounge owner Blake Boyd, Crush event coordinator Dawn Nobles, Wendy Tynan, Janelle Kirby and Kelly Carpenter

17) Rachel Stari. Janelle Kirby and Paige Hammitt and Missy Thomas

18) (L-R, back row) Crush Wine Lounge General Manager Vance Maldonado, Dawn Nobles and Michelle Tacconi with (front row) Wendy Tynan and Janelle Kirby

19) Bryan Duvall and Laura Russell with John and Suni Smalling