December Scene and Heard

“Elf Louise” Locker is a living, breathing symbol of Christmas giving. Since 1969, when Locker, then a Trinity student, delivered Christmas gifts to 13 needy San Antonio families, the Elf Louise Christmas Project has been growing, one small miracle at a time.

Last year, some 4,500 volunteer “elves” delivered Christmas gifts to nearly 6,000 families. This year, director Bill Harrison hopes to reach even more. The project is not just about the gifts. It’s about the spirit of giving; about creating community and caring for others. But not even Santa’s helpers are immune from hard times. In October, our beloved Elf Louise was diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. The news spread like wildfire, moving many to respond with the same spirit of caring that Elf Louise has spread for 40 years. Last month, a cadre of local leaders announced a practical gift for the Elf. Mayor Julian Castro, County Judge Nelson Wolff, D.A. Susan Reed, Red McCombs and Bruce Bugg announced a citywide fund drive to help Locker pay for her costly cancer treatments. Send Locker your love and prayers. Then send a donation to the Help “Elf” Louise Locker Beat Cancer Fund, online at www.thebankofsanantonio.com, by phone at (210)807-5550, or mail a check to 800 E. Sonterra Blvd, Suite 140, San Antonio, TX 78258. What better way to celebrate Christmas than by giving back to a woman who has dedicated her life to small miracles?

McCombs knows more about the miracle of recovery than many imagine, and he shared it openly with the luncheon guests—from his church-going Baptist childhood to his first drink at 16, to business success, spiraling drinking, and praying to quit. “I had never been a falling-down drunk, but I’d been struggling with it from about age 50,” he said. “I was having to take more and more. It was so bad some mornings I had to be sure I had vodka nearby, so when I brushed my teeth I would not get convulsive.” Then came the night of Nov. 12, 1977, when his wife Charline found him unconscious on the floor by their bed. He was airlifted to Houston, where doctors told Charline that after years of heavy drinking, all his systems had shut down. They couldn’t save him, they said. But miraculously, he survived.

“God decided if I couldn’t do it myself he would do it for me,” Red said. He hasn’t had a drink since. His own struggle gave him up-close insight about addiction. “Nobody starts drinking thinking they’re going to be addicted. We don’t know why these chemicals have that effect on some and not on others. But it happens. I’ve seen a lot of alcoholism—in the workplace, in athletics—it’s a dangerous, dangerous chemical. If it could get me, it can get you. And you’re gonna die with it, or you’re going to get sober,” he said. Why would such a prominent leader share such a painful part of his life? “If I can touch one soul with my story, that’s all I need,” Red said. His story, his support, and the stories and support many have contributed to Alpha Home’s life-changing mission have helped thousands of women and their families experience the miracle of recovery, beginning with Alpha Home’s doorway to hope.

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It seems like Red McCombs is everywhere these days. He was even out at the old Kiddie Park on Broadway recently, doing auctioneer duty at a fundraiser for UNICEF’s Project Sprinkles. UNICEF at Kiddie Park? Sprinkles? OK, here’s the scoop: Rad Weaver, McCombs Enterprises smart young VP of Development, and his wife Ashley recently bought the landmark Kiddie Park, cleaned it up and re-opened it in September. Ashley, Houston’s Gloria Holmsten and former First Twin Jenna Bush Hager have been close friends since their UT-Austin days. When Jenna interned with UNICEF in Panama a few years back, Ashley and Gloria came to visit. This year, when Jenna founded the UNICEF Next Generation (UNG) Committee, they came on board to help. Project Sprinkles, the committee’s first campaign, is raising money for packets of nutrient-rich “Sprinkles” supplements to combat malnutrition in Guatemala. To help the cause, the Weavers offered a party at Kiddie Park. The theme was “Flight 10/28 for UNICEF,” so the hosts dressed in flight-themed gear; pilot garb for guys, “flight attendant” day-glo pink-and-orange creations from Braniff’s glory days for Ashley and Gloria. Jenna, who flew in from her home in Baltimore, channeled Amelia Earhart in a vintage fly-girl ensemble. The other guests came in all kinds of costumes, giving the event a Halloween party feel. (Check out the pics in Scene People.) Gladiators, a Sasquatch, firemen, Spanish ladies and a pregnant nun were among the characters grazing on Don Strange fare, trading gossip and bidding on the high-dollar items Red auctioned off—including “naming” rights for a plane on one of Kiddie Park’s refurbished rides. When police and ambulance sirens wailing up and down Broadway kept interrupting the auction, Jenna joked “I feel right at home—this sounds just like Baltimore.”

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Among the guests at the Kiddie Park bash were newlyweds Miguel and Gloria Dilley, just back from their storybook wedding in Paris. As it turned out, quite a few of the other party guests (and the hosts) had been there, too, so the party was abuzz with stories of what sounds like the wedding of the year, if not the decade, with 15 bridesmaids, a glorious ceremony and as much elegance and glamour as you’d find in the Order of the Alamo’s Fiesta Coronations. (The bride, the former Gloria Galt Steves, was the Order’s Queen in ’06.) D.A. Susan Reed was among the many family friends who flew over for the happy event. She had a special role at the start of the romance, since Gloria and Miguel first met at one of Reed’s campaign fund-raisers, at the home of Gloria’s parents, Edward and Nancy Steves. Gloria was there for the party, and S.A. attorney Doug Dilley happened to bring along his son Miguel. Their meeting was the start of something big. And Reed couldn’t be more proud to be part of the story. Our Lady D.A. may be tough on crime, but she’s still a romantic at heart. Congrats to the happy couple!

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Most folks consider popular D.A. Reed, whose widespread support has earned her a whopping three terms in the job so far, to be virtually unbeatable. But attorney and Democrat Nico LaHood is giving it a shot. Last month LaHood’s campaign rolled out some star power to bolster his bid for the job. Sherry Boyles, who has been working with Mayor Castro’s fundraising, also helped organize LaHood’s first big fall fundraiser—a casino night at James Lifshutz’s El Tropicano Hotel that broke out some big celeb supporters as party hosts: Spurs superstar Tim Duncan, who’s one of LaHood’s bosom buddies, former Spurs faves Malik Rose and Bruce Bowen, and “Desperate Housewives” star Ricardo Chavira. Chavira couldn’t make the scene at the last minute, but he had an impressive stand-in – Tony Parker. We hear Tony and Eva are big LaHood backers, too, and they’re planning their own event for Nico’s campaign. This is going to be a race worth watching for sheer star-power alone.

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Superstar songstress Linda Ronstadt brought her wildly popular Canciones de Mi Padre show to town last month to benefit S.A.’s National Alliance of Craftsmen Associations (NACA), and its non-profit Community Sustainability Partnership. The concert at Municipal Auditorium was the spectacular dessert course for the group’s annual William C. Velasquez Community Empowerment Dinner and Awards. The honorees were Bill Sinkin, Rolando Rios and the young Hispanic labor legend Emma Tenayuca, whose niece, attorney Sharyll Teneyuca, accepted on her late aunt’s behalf. Brandon Olmos, son of actor Edward James Olmos and a friend of NACA chair Ralph Velasquez, brought his documentary film on the power of hope. First-time concert producer Diana Arevalos, with S.A. songstress Patsy Torres, presented Ronstadt and Mariachi Camperos di Nati Cano with Hidalgo proclamations and gifts, while Linda Noltemeir, Stella Cortez and Annette Avina kept the dinner running smoothly. Fox News -29’s Sylvia Rincon and Michael Valdez emceed the awards, and we spotted Lanny Sinkin, Sylvia Romo, Texas A&M –S.A. interim prez Maria Ferrier, Palo Alto College prez Cha Guzman and hubby Gilbert Ocanas, author Carmen Tafolla, Delicia Herrera, Lukin Gilliland and Paul Castelas, Richard and Sherri Gambitta and many more around the tables. After the ceremony they all headed upstairs for the show, along with scores of traditionally-dressed mariachi students from the Phoenix School, Harlandale, Edgewood and Brackenridge, who came as NACA’s guests for a night of inspiration. Their excitement brought to mind Ronstadt’s much-quoted testimony to a Congressional committee last March in support of the National Endowment for the Arts: "In the United States we spend millions of dollars on sports because it promotes teamwork, discipline, and the experience of learning to make great progress in small increments. Learning to play music together does all this and more." Ole!

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Mayor Julian goes to plenty of heart-warming awards events. But last month’s 70th birthday bash for the West Side’s historic Madonna Center was something special. His mom, longtime community-builder Rosie Castro, was one of the honorees, with former City Councilwoman Maria Antoinetta Berriozabal and UTSA jefe Ricardo Romo. Founded as the Girls’ Club of S.A. by the Sisters of Divine Providence, and supported strongly by the Worden School of Social Service at Our Lady of the Lake for years, the center has evolved to help entire families with food, clothing, counseling, day care and emergency assistance. Today they’re doing more than ever. Next up—a $2.3 million capital campaign for the Madonna Neighborhood Center. Stay tuned for success.

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S.A.’s Patricia Diaz-Dennis was in stellar company last month at the National Hispana Leadership Institute’s annual conference. Diaz-Dennis is pretty stellar herself. The S.A. attorney and former Senior VP of AT&T was honored with the Institute’s prestigious National Mujer Award. Actress Rosie Perez and CNN’s Soledad O’Brien were also presented awards at the conference, which drew rising stars and powerful leaders in business, government, the arts and science from across the nation. These days, the dynamic Diaz-Dennis, who served as chair of the national board of the Girl Scouts of America from 2005-08, wields corporate clout on the board of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and the World Bank Sanctions Board. And just to keep things interesting, she’s writing a book that will share some of the finely-honed philosophy of ethical living she calls “the cowgirl way.” Yee-haw!

Have a hot tip, cool comment or outrageous opinion? E-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call (210) 828-4209, ext. 401. Cheers!