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Parks and Recreation Green fiends gather for Buffalo Bayou, Memorial and Hermann parks. Andrea White at Hermann Park Phoebe Tudor at Hermann Park Gerald Smith at Hermann Park Anita Smith at Hermann Park Chairman Heidi Smith at Hermann Park Chairman Marcus Smith at Hermann Park BY ANNA SCHUSTER. PHOTOS BY KATYA HORNER, JENNY ANTILL, PRISCILLA DICKSON PHOTOGRAPHY T o steal a line from the mega-funny and smart Parks and Recreation TV show, "Parks don't grow on trees." So true, as we see from three recent ambitious parties, each raising needed funds, Chairman because sadly, money doesn't grow on trees either. Melissa Mark First up, Buffalo Bayou was the hero of the Buffalo Bayou Mithoff at Sullivan at Chairman Hermann Hermann Michael Partnership's annual gala, now in its eighth year, which kicked Park Park Mithoff at off the public-spaces celebrations. The Partnership's largest Hermann Park gala ever, with its Sense-Sational theme, drew some 650 guests Diane for cocktails amidst the Sabine Promenade and dinner, care of Lokey Farb Swift + Co, atop the Sabine Street Bridge. Dashing chairman at Hermann Park George Lancaster and co-chair Marley Lott raised half a mil to further along our bayou adornments. Bravo! The bayou brigade also honored Hines' southwest division CEO Mark Cover. Having a ball on the bayou: Mayor Annise Parker, partnership founder Gerald Hines and wife Barbara, city councilman James Rodriguez, John Daugherty, Betsy Phillips, and Brady Carruth. Next up, Memorial Park Conservancy Garrett hosted a festive dinner, Have a Heart for Memorial Winder at Memorial Park, to support restoration and preservation efforts. Honorary Park Megan Pruitt Chairman Memorial Park Conservancy board chairman Jim Winder Shafik at Memorial Porter, with vice-chairman Bryan Jordan, welcomed Rifaat at Park Honorary Hermann guests to an adjacent private club for an elegant fourChairman Park Shelby course meal accompanied by vintage wine selections. Hodge at Keith Cunningham received this year's Ima Hogg Hermann Park volunteer service award, and a raffle and live music from David Caceres Trio rounded out the night. Park preserving: Janet Dantone, Jeanie and Jim Connell, Margaret and Ben Morris, Kelli and Eddy Blanton, Nan and Mike Duhon, Ellen Cohen, Roger Plank, and Joe Turner. Finally, Hermann Park Conservancy's Evening in the Park Ed Wulfe at Buffalo drew 500 greenskeepers, including Tammy Bayou Jenkins at chairmen Melissa and Michael Memorial Ellyn Wulfe Steve Mithoff and Heidi and Marcus Park at Buffalo Lorraine Jenkins at Bayou Wulfe Smith, along with honorary Memorial at Buffalo Park chairs Shelby Hodge and Shafik Bayou Rifaat, all in spring whites per this year's theme: Havana: A Night in White Linen. A Cuban-inspired dinner from A Fare Extraordinaire, served beneath a tent over looking McGovern Lake, added requisite spice to the night. Campaign co-chairs Phoebe Tudor and Sanford Criner announced that Shannon park enthusiast Jim Flores was Robinson Greg surprising his wife, Cherie, with at Memorial Harper Park Dan Piette at Buffalo a gracious $5 million donation to Justin Lisa at Hermann Bayou Robinson Foronda the Centennial Gardens in her name, Park at Memorial at Buffalo as well as naming privileges for what Park Bayou will now be the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion. The impressive donation was given in conjunction with the park's centennial birthday, approaching in 2014. Then things got hazy as park proponents hit the dance floor Doreen Stoller at waving hand-rolled stogies from Hermann Lucho Cigars. A walk in the park: Park Margaret board chair Ann Kennedy, Pierce at Brigitt Van Wijck, Y. Ping Sun Memorial Park and David Leebron, Cynthia Petrello, Ginni and Richard Michael Mithoff, and HPC executive Pierce at Memorial director Doreen Stoller with Park Kelli husband Dan Piette. Eddy Blanton at Memorial Park Blanton at Memorial Park Jacquelyn Cox at Buffalo Bayou Collin Cox at Buffalo Bayou Annise Parker at Memorial Park Gordon Strobeck at Buffalo Bayou Jeanie Connell at Memorial Park Carolyn Farb at Buffalo Bayou Sanford Criner at Hermann Park Honoree Mark Cover at Buffalo Bayou Chairman Marley Lott at Buffalo Bayou Anne Olson at Buffalo Bayou Chairman George Lancaster at Buffalo Bayou John Daugherty at Buffalo Bayou Betsy Phillips at Buffalo Bayou Justin Segal at Hermann Park Jennifer Segal at Hermann Park Roger Park at Memorial Park Wendy Hines at Memorial Park Connie Park at Memorial Park Jeff Hines at Memorial Park Honoree Keith Cunningham at Memorial Park Jim Porter at Memorial Park Party Query: Your earth-friendly act of choice? Barbara Hines at Buffalo Bayou "My two Nest thermostats are the pinnacle of my personal sustainability program." – George Lancaster Becca Cason Thrash at Hermann Park Sheila Jackson Lee at Buffalo Bayou Y. Ping Sun at Hermann Park "As a preservationist, renovating and repurposing old buildings." – Phoebe Tudor Susie Criner at Hermann Park SEPTEMBER | PAGE 45 | 2013 "Recycling, and using Klean Kanteen reusable aluminum water bottles." – Melissa Mithoff