What: I Live Here I Give Here’s annual fundraiser, The BIG Give
Where: Hotel Van Zandt
The lowdown: More than 400 philanthropists, nonprofits, and community members gathered at Rainey Street's Hotel Van Zandt on September 7 for an evening of fun — and fundraising. The flagship event for Austin's I Live Here I Give Here, The Big Give featured tunes from DJ Mel;cocktails from Desert Door, Playa Real, and Tito’s; and food truck-inspired fare which turned the glitzy event into a festive Austin affair.
The evening also honored this year's Big Giver, an award bestowed to a person or persons making a "long-lasting and personal impact on the community." The 2018 Big Givers Russell and Kathy Duke were chosen for their ongoing commitment to Austin nonprofit Any Baby Can, a commitment that raised a record-setting $140,500 last year for ABC's community programming.
Another highlight of the evening was the swanky auction, which included prizes like three-night stay at Bunkhouse Group's Hotel San Cristobal in Todos Santos, Mexico; a 10-course dinner for four with wine and sake pairings at Uchi or Uchiko; staycations at Hotel Ella and South Congress Hotel; and a kitchen remodel project package from Messer Design & Construction.
Who: Russell and Kathy Duke, Lindsay Muse, Chikage Windler, Kelsey Kuehn, Noel Bridges, Christina Allen, Haley Thompson, Rudy Metayer, Celeste Metayer, Blake and Christina Absher, Cindy and Greg Abell, Jackie Sekiguchi, Terri Broussard Williams, Kathy Smith-Willman, Catherine Lucchesi, Marisa Secco, Chikage Windler, and Trevor Scott.
Blake and Christina Absher, Cindy and Greg Abell.
