Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2008 > October > 16 > Entry
The Rise School Benefit with Donna Stockton-Hicks
“Which shoe store do you represent?” asked the doe-eyed young woman at the door. Excuse me? She explained that almost all the revelers at the stately Pemberton home that night were ladies, and most of the attendant men were shoe salesmen. Huh.
Donna Stockton-Hicks, Kristin Armstrong, Venus Strawn
The estate in question was none other than the home of radio magnate Steve Hicks and busy philanthropist Donna Stockton-Hicks. A 1920s Renaissance Revival creekside mansion has been adroitly renovated by Stockton-Hicks, who exposed the glowing wood and tiles and let the masterpiece speak for itself. (It far outstrips its better-known sibling, Laguna Gloria.) Everything, including the garden’s belvedere, has been rendered in the utmost taste. The Hicks plan to reconfigure the sumptuous gardens and expand the south lawn for even more social space.
Kathy Taylor, Mike Genug (the close friends swear they didn’t coordinate outfits. And yes, her name is Mike.)
Stockton-Hicks, looking supremely comfortable in this Old World atmosphere, explained why the Rise School of Austin has attracted so many influential friends. Designed for children with Down syndrome, it has quickly become a savior for parents unsure of where to find the appropriate early childhood education. Sally Brown, wife to everybody’s hero — this week — UT coach Mack Brown, is a prime force behind the school, which is expected to expand to all the Big 12 campuses.
Garden’s Patty Hoffpauir with Vicki Howard, Nikki Mackenzie
Stockton-Hicks is a generous hostess, but she sticks to causes in which the Hicks family participates personally. This week’s event was immaculately organized (save the valet parking snafus) and climaxed with a shoe-related performance by Austin Cabaret Theatre’s Stuart Moulton doing his best Cher drag. You just never know when and where Cher will turn up.
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