Texas Children’s Hospital Supporters Get Into the Swing of Things With Cooking and Houston Open Fun

Orbit and Cute Pooches Crash the Party to Everyone's Delight

BY Shelby Hodge // 02.20.24

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Texas Children's Hospital president Debbie Sukin with Pawsitive Play pooch Cohen. (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Julia TenHoeve, Debbie Sukin, Brian White with Pawsitive Play “caddie,” Cohen at Texas Children's Hospital 'Glow in the Park' event (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital

Claudia & David Walkup at Texas Children's Hospital 'Glow in the Park' event (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Orbit opening the Texas Children's Hospital 'Glow in the Park' putt-putt course (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Chairs Mike & Kristi Oldham, Sang & Thuy Tran, Mary Rebecca & Cody Dick at the Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Shreya Seth, Chef Marcia Smart, Melissa Garlington at Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Lisa Helfman & Lee Haverman at Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Emily Banks, Lindsey Harris Massengale, Mary Rebecca Dick, Frani Broussard Denenburg at Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Kate Bialas, Rebecca Lucs at Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Jen Fink, Bari Fishel, Shreya Seth at Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Ostia Chef Travis McShane and staff at Texas Children's Hospital 'Cooking Up a Cure' event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

Texas Children's Hospital president Debbie Sukin with Pawsitive Play pooch Cohen. (Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital)

It was a busy couple of weeks for Texas Children’s Hospital supporters with two lively events that demonstrated the benefits of being patrons on various levels.

The partying began at The Revaire with the sixth annual “Cooking Up a Cure” during which more than 280 hospital supporters grazed through a field of food stations from some of Houston’s leading chefs. The event raised $200,000 for Texas Children’s Hospital’s Food Allergy Program. In keeping with the healthful theme, each dish was labeled with the allergens it contained.

Texas Children’s Hospital – Cooking Up a Cure event at The Revaire — Shreya Seth, Chef Marcia Smart, Melissa Garlington at Texas Children’s Hospital ‘Cooking Up a Cure’ event at The Revaire (Photo courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital)

Chairing the event that kicked off on guest arrival with a glass of Madame Zero champagne were Mary Rebecca and Cody Dick, Kristi and Mike Oldham, and Thuy and Sang Tran. This was no idle selection of chairs as several of their children — Catherine Dick, Oliver Oldham, and Autumn and Austin Tran — were presented in touching videos in which they related how the Food Allergy Program changed their lives.

Later in the month, the festivities moved over to the Memorial Park Golf Course where more than 200 Ambassadors received insider information on the upcoming Texas Children’s Houston Open. They met key tournament executives, learned more about the new multi-year partnership between Texas Children’s and the Houston Open, and went home with tournament logo shirts, caps and cups.

Claudia and David Walkup; Photo courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital — Claudie & David Walkup at Texas Children’s Hospital ‘Glow in the Park’ event (Photo courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital)

Sharing insights on the tournament were Debbie Sukin, Texas Children’s Hospital president and Lifetime Ambassador, and Brian White, vice president of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. Orbit, the Astros’ beloved mascot, served as the host. Orbit posed for selfies with attendees, and made the initial putt on the putt-putt golf course, illuminated golf balls helping the golfers.

Special guests included the Pawsitive Play dogs Pluto, Cohen and Crosby, decked out in caddy uniforms, who also happily posed for selfies and welcomed friendly petting. Proceeds from the auction of children’s golf carts, branded with the Texas Children’s Houston Open logo, supported the Pawsitive Play program.