Houston’s Life Flight Brings Its Rescue Mission to Aspen — Going Where the Money Summers Is Critical Fundraising

Savvy Houston nonprofits know that during peak summer months many of the city’s top influencers and philanthropists can be found escaping the heat in the cool climes of Aspen. Among the Bayou City’s leading nonprofits visiting the chichi Rocky Mountain enclave is Memorial Hermann Foundation, which recently spread its message and particularly that of Life Flight with two Aspen events.

More than 150 long-standing supporters and new friends of the Memorial Hermann Health System gathered at the picturesque ranch retreat of longtime champions of the hospital system for a sunset fête. The views were spectacular, the music by a string quartet from Aspen Music Festival delightful and party food from Corbin-Handley of Aspen scrumptious. These elements punctuated the setting for a most informative evening.

Dr. Jamie McCarthy, executive vice president and chief physician executive of Memorial Hermann, noted that within the past three months, Life Flight has transported 1,100 patients in Houston for an average of a dozen each day. The annual total of Life Flight transport operations runs more than 4,200.

“With Memorial Life Flight, we literally extend the hospital. It’s not just a patient delivery service,” McCarthy notes. “With the well equipped Life Flight helicopters, resuscitation and care begin the moment we encounter the patient, which makes a big difference.”

Joining McCarthy in thanking supporters were Anne Neeson, executive vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Foundation, and Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System.

As Neeson notes, donor support enables “Memorial Hermann to provide Houston’s only truly integrated best-in-class trauma network through pre-hospital care of Memorial Hermann Life Flight, the Red Duke Trauma Institute, TIRR Memorial Hermann and the John S Dunn Burn Center.”

The following morning Melissa Juneau and Leticia Trauber, represented by her daughter Lexi Trauber, hosted an al fresco brunch in The Garden at Hotel Jerome. The patio restaurant was transformed into a Ralph Lauren-inspired living room, enhanced by florals from Indigenous Design. Aspen’s DJ Savy provided the musical stylings.

Applause, applause for the foundation which presented each guest with a commemorative gilded aspen leaf ornament with a note explaining that the foundation had donated aspen trees to be planted at the Aspen School District campus which has recently suffered the loss of many trees.

PC Seen: Aimee and Wynne Snoots, Nancy and Jim Gordon, Walt Mischer, Sheryl and Doug Bech, Amy and Mark Hammer, Leigh Smith, Christine and Bill Gutknecht, Jo Lynn and Gregg Falgout, Felicia and Rafael Stone, Betty and Steve Newton, Rosanna and Myron Blalock, Roslyn and Derrick Mitchell, Denise Monteleone, Kathy and Charlie Lusk, Stephanie and Mark Hamilton, and Audrey and Matthew White.