Special events have been vital to Houston Area Parkinson Society fundraising since it was founded in 1974 and began raising funds to develop and implement programs and services and support families living with Parkinson’s disease.

Friends and family gather each year for an evening of entertainment, dinner, great enthusiasm, and a shared mission to eat, drink & be charitable. The annual gala is our largest fundraising event of the year, providing essential funds that allow HAPS to offer free services and programs to the local Parkinson’s community. Everyone is invited to join the fun.

This year’s gala theme UNMASKING HOPE, is to look beyond what is visible – to honor the full story of those living with Parkinson’s, not only the part the worlds sees. It is a call to bring the unseen into the light, and to find within it the strength, support, and community that rise to meet it. 

Contact LaCresha Lamb at 713.806.9292 or lamb@haps.org for more information on how you can be an underwriter of this meaningful event.  

A message from our chairs…

We invite you to join us for the 2026 Houston Area Parkinson Society Annual Gala – an unforgettable evening of purpose and celebration. The event will take place on Sunday, October 18th at 6:00 p.m. at The Revaire, featuring dinner, cocktails, a live auction, and meaningful moments you won’t want to miss.

Our connection to HAPS is deeply personal. Our husband and father, Grant Buce, lived with Parkinson’s for 18 years. Through that journey, we came to know the Houston Area Parkinson Society not only for its exceptional programs, but for the hope, dignity, and community it brings to those facing this disease. Inspired by its impact, Melissa has proudly served on the Board of Directors for the last six years.

Parkinson’s has touched our family in profound ways—and we know we are not alone. Today, it is the fastest-growing neurological disorder in the world, with 90,000 Americans diagnosed each year. Here in our community, HAPS stands as a lifeline—offering education, exercise programs, support groups, and critical services at no cost to those affected. Their mission is simple but powerful: to ensure that no one faces a Parkinson’s diagnoses alone.

We are proud to chair this year’s Gala as we honor Grant’s memory and invite you to share in this experience by giving back to a community that means so much to so many. We are grateful for the support we have received over the years, and, through HAPS, we hope to support others in living life to its fullest.

Together, we can raise awareness, expand access to care, and make a lasting difference in the lives of those living with Parkinson’s.

We look forward to seeing you on October 18th!

2026 Gala Chairs,

Cinda Buce
Melissa Buce
Natalie and Will Oliver

Event Chairs

Cinda Buce
Melissa Buce
Natalie & Will Oliver

 

 

Host Committee

Carolyn & Ron Bernell
Jane & Ron Brownlee
Laura & John Chapman
Ellen & Frank Donnelly
Annie & Campbell Eifler
Jessica Locheed & Thomas Frank
Jo & Jim Furr
Jerry Jeanmard & Cliff Helmcamp
Gail & Mike Hendryx
Mindy & Jeff Hildebrand
Aileen Hogan
Dr. James Hoyle
Linda & Bob Ittner
Laura Laux
Caroline Kerr & Andy Lusk
Carol & Jere Overdyke
Erin Pikoff
Julie Grayum & Gordon Rentzsch
Don Robinson
Dr. Erin Furr Stimming & Chris Stimming
Laurie & Doug Vander Ploeg
Stephanie Lionberger Zamora & Gabriel Zamora

Thank You To Our Underwriters

the Crown of Venice

Kyle & John Kirksey

the Gilded vanguard

AZA Law
Gerry Pugil

the Venetian mask

Buce & Oliver Families
Karen & Gus Comiskey, Jr.
Founders Capital Management, Inc.
Jerry Jeanmard & Cliff Helmcamp
Laura Marsh, MD
Shirley & Pervis Thomas

the Silver mask

Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 
Anonymous 
Lee Blask 
Brewster, Donnelly, & Hendryx Families 
Chord Energy 
Anne & Stuart Coco 
Houston Methodist 
Dr. James C. Hoyle 
Linda & Robert Ittner 
Dr. Asha & Renju Jose Kuruvila 
Drs. Mya Schiess & Don Molony for UTMOVE 
NOV 
Ellen & Charles Sheedy 
James Cowan & William Taylor 
Laurie & Doug Vander Ploeg 
Michael W. Dale & Robert G. Wolff 

the Pearl mask

Chapman, Eifler, & Hogan Families
Jessica Locheed & Thomas Frank
Chris & Erin Furr Stimming and Jim & Jo Furr
Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Jankovic
Caroline Kerr & Andy Lusk
Medtronic DBS
Lisa & David Padget
Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine
Erin Pikoff
Andi & John Roberts
Alyssa Rodriguez
Corey Smith
Jane & Joe Vara
Shelby & Thomas Verity
Erla G. Zuber

the Velvet mask

Barbara & Fritz Beich
Carolyn & Ron Bernell
Elizabeth Cookson
Kathy & Doug Dalton
Cissy & Bob Lehman
Kimberly & Michael Murphy
Precedent Wealth Partners LLC
Julie Grayum & Gordon Rentzsch