Chaired by Dan and Eleanor Gilbane

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the 2010 Inprint Poets and Writers Ball was a spectacular success. The Ball, chaired by Dan and Eleanor Gilbane, took place on Saturday, February 20th, at the Houston Country Club. With over 380 guests in attendance, the ball was a delight to lovers of the written word. The featured speaker for the evening was National Book Award winning poet Mark Doty.

The evening began at 6:30 pm with guests mingling over cocktails and touring the ballroom. Led by Decorations Chair Mary S Dawson, all of the tables in the ballroom were decorated on a literary theme by gala committee members and volunteers. At 7 pm, in intimate reading rooms, guests enjoyed salon style readings by three exceptional local authors: UH Creative Writing Program faculty member Alexander Parsons, YA novelist and UH Creative Writing Program alum Coert Voorhees, and Houston novelist and blogger Gwendolyn Zepeda. Each writer gave short readings from his or her work, entertaining the guests with thoughtful and humorous pieces. Click here to learn more about the readers.

Guests then reconvened in the ballroom and had a scrumptious dinner, with the menu designed by Elouise “Ouisie” Jones. Dinner was accompanied by the live music from the Brazilian band Latin Carnival.

Over dessert and coffee, the featured speaker, Mark Doty, gave an insightful talk about the culture of poetry, his experiences, and poetic voice. Guests raved about Doty’s talk and were happy to have Doty, a former faculty member of the University of Houston Creative Writing Program, visiting Houston for the occasion. As a thank you gift, each guest received a handcrafted book entitled fellow Creatures created by book artists/designers Cathy Hunt and Fiona McGettigan. This chapbook, each one signed by the author, was published in a limited edition of 300 and was only available to ball attendees. Doty read poems from the chapbook during his talk.

Among others, guests at the Ball included: Gala Chairs Danand Eleanor Gilbane, Dean Burkhardt and Alison Smith, Franci Crane, Peter and Anne Brown, Mary S and Jack Dawson, Consuelo Duroc Danner, Jerry and Nanette Finger, Richard Finger, Jeff Fort and Marion Barthelme, Matt Henneman and Carolyn Roch, Sis and Hasty Johnson, Josef Helfenstein and Dorothee Sauter, Terry Lohrenz and Katie Sammons, Sultana and Moez Mangalji, Brad Morris and Marilyn Jones, Nancy Powell Moore, Trey Peacock and Chris Bryan, Lillie Robertson, Miles Smith and Robin Angly, Mark Wawro and Melanie Gray, and Andrea White.

The 2010 Inprint Poets and Writers surpassed its goal, raising more than $300,000. All proceeds from the evening help Inprint to serve the community through its literary education and outreach activities—including one of the nation’s top reading series, free memoir writing workshops forsenior citizens, free writers’ workshops for school teachers, a free after-school writing workshop for at-risk youth, a nationally renowned free reading series featuring children’s authors, community readings, and much more. Ball proceeds also help fund fellowships and other assistance for graduate students at the prestigious University of Houston Creative Writing Program.

IBRS