'Space City' Themed Pearl Ball Raises $220,000 For Good Samaritan Foundation

The ‘Space City’ – themed event Good Samaritan Foundation’s Pearl Ball at the River Oaks Country Club drew more than 200 guests, raising over $220,000 in support of the organization’s scholarship program for student nurses.

The gala started with an invocation by Dr. Linda Christians, executive pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, and soon after Good Samaritan Foundation chairman Jason Fertitta provided a brief history of the 66-year-old organization and explained its core goal: to increase the quantity of nurses dedicated to clinical care and to improve the quality of nurse education and training.

“Through the generosity of its donors, Good Samaritan Foundation has become one of the largest private granters of scholarships to Texas nursing students,” said Fertitta.

Event chairs Courtney Toomey, M.D. and Bill Toomey introduced Mark Barr, a charge nurse in the Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Ben Taub General Hospital and the recipient of Good Samaritan’s 2016 Excellence in Nursing Gold Medal.

The guests at 29th Annual enjoyed scrumptious dinner and later danced away the evening to the sounds of the Doppelganger Band.

Spotted at the gala: Courtney and Jason Fertitta; Courtney and Bill Toomey; Mark Barr; Julie and Drew Sudduth; Abigail and Eric Berkman; Lauren and Warren Harris; Ruthie and Adam Miller; Tiffaney and Scott Perhala; Allison and Geoff Leach; Mary Jo and David Andre; Zach Fertitta; Lucas Fertitta; Caroline Finkelstein; Carmen and Butch Mach; Jenny and Chris Johnson; Elizabeth and Charlie Leykum; Kimball and David Moriniere; Shanell and Walker Moody.