Category: We Saw You

We Recommend We Saw You

WE SAW YOU: Youth Villages Soup Sunday

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date March 12, 2025

Andrew and Emily Adams, Colleen Kohl, and Blake Murray (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Soup was on for the 36th time at Soup Sunday, which was held February 23rd at The Kent.

A total of 32 restaurant and catering vendors participated.

More than 500 people attended, which was a record in attendance since the event started being held at The Kent. The Youth Villages Soup Sunday has been held at The Kent four times. The event began at the old Captain Bilbo’s restaurant before moving to FedExForum.

Proceeds go to LifeSet, a program to help young people who are aging out of foster care.

“We had a great turnout at our 36th annual Soup Sunday, a fundraising event that has grown so much since we first started it in 1990,” says Youth Villages CEO Patrick Lawler. “It was a huge success, raising more than $100,000 for the LifeSet program.”

You could say Soup Sunday has been “souped-up.”

Tags LifeSet, The Kent, Youth Villages Soup Sunday

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Tennessee Equality Project Gumbo Contest

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date March 5, 2025

Deedee Johnson, Meetesh Patel, Brie Griffith, Cory Redwine, and Marisa Griffith (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Whether they were talking about it or eating it, “gumbo” was on everybody’s lips at the Tennessee Equality Project Gumbo Contest, held February 16th at the Memphis Sports and Events Center.

**Arnold Medal, Savannah Jeffrey, and**
**Kristie Jeffrey**

**Alex Jamerson, Anthony Perez, and Michael Pohlman**

More than 200 people turned out for the event, which featured 11 teams, says Dabney Ring, an event committee member.

It was the project’s 12th gumbo contest, Ring says. “It went well,” she says. “We had a bigger crowd and raised more money than last year. It’s important because the money raised goes for state and local advocacy for the LGBTQ community.”

**Tammy Ackers, Trinita Williams, Khalil Carey, and Crystal Turn**er

And, she says, “Not only do we talk with our state reps and senators, but we also do outreach and education all over the state, including — and probably most importantly — the rural areas that don’t really have a lot of resources. So, we try and provide everything that we can.”

**Sister Squeegee Jubilee of Blue Suede Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence**

As for how much money they raised, Ring says, “We raised above expectations.”

AD and the Vibe played music to eat gumbo by.

Tags LGBTQ Community, Tennessee Equality Project, Tennessee Equality Project Gumbo Contest, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Bluff City Fire & Ice Chili Cook-Off & Polar Bear Plunge

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date February 26, 2025

Perla Kirkpatrick, Kathy and John Lyons, Ben Bolden, Michelle Bolden, and Jonas Bolden (Photos: Michael Donahue)

A rainy day is a good day to soak up some chili and jump into a tank of water. Special Olympics Greater Memphis obliged with its annual Bluff City Fire & Ice Chili Cook-Off & Polar Bear Plunge.

**Eleanor Massey, Troy Ramsey, and**
**Gloria Ramsey**

The event, held on February 16th at the Pipkin Building, featured 56 chili contestants, says Lisa M. Taylor, executive director of Special Olympics Greater Memphis.

**Tim Griffin, Michael Thomas, Lonnie Hurt,**
**Spencer Owens, Don Taylor, and**
**Courtney Bradley**

More than 500 people attended, Taylor says. “It was not our biggest one, crowd-wise, due to the weather,” she says.

But, she says, “With the weather being like it was, I think we did excellent.”

Then there were those people who wanted to get wet. They participated in the Polar Bear Plunge. “We were very lucky to have a break in the weather. They plunged into a pool we set up. We had around 85 people, including the U of M football players and three U of M volleyball players.”

**Bryan Crow, Gray Clawson, and Emi Payne**

**Henry Boggs, Alex Boggs, Reagan Boggs, Jenay Boggs, Lisa Farrah, and Thomas Boggs**

But again, she says, “Weather cut the numbers.”

Knuckleheads Chili came in first place in the chili contest, which celebrated its 18th anniversary. This was the 29th Polar Bear Plunge.

Tags Bluff City Fire & Ice Chili Cook-Off & Polar Bear Plunge, Knuckleheads Chili, Pipkin Building, Special Olympics Greater Memphis

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WE SAW YOU: Works of Heart

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date February 19, 2025

Richard Ross, John and Suzanne Scharff, and Deborah Ross (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Guests were all heart at Works of Heart, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center fundraiser presented by Stern Cardiovascular. The art auction and party was held Saturday, February 8th, at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

**Virginia Stallworth, Richard Wood,**
**James Hay, and Kevin Scott**

“Works of Heart was a record-breaking success,” says Beryl Wight, the center’s communications and grants manager. “We had 122 artists — a record — and raised over $139,000 [also a record].”

**Alexandra Eastburn, George Williford, Donna Williford, and Juston Williford**

This was the third year at the Memphis Botanic Garden, Wight says. Between 300 and 350 people attended the event.

**Sonal Mehr, Sujit Mehr,**
**Swati Chokshi, and Saurin Chokshi**

Now in its 33rd year, Works of Heart’s first beneficiary was the Mental Health Association. After it closed, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center became the beneficiary.

Longtime Works of Heart supporter Murray Riss was at this year’s event with his wife Karen and daughter Shanna. “Murray was part of the planning committee that brought the event to us,” Wight says, adding, “He certainly is a very important contributor, serving as chair and co-chair for many years. And, of course, he still is a contributing artist.”

Tags Memphis Child Advocacy Center, Stern Cardiovascular, We Saw You, Works of Heart

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WE SAW YOU: Healthier Memphis Gala

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date February 12, 2025

David Krog, Ben Vaughn, and Erling Jensen (Photos by Michael Donahue)

A total of $231,000 was raised at this year’s Healthier Memphis Gala presented by Lifedoc Health.

And $48,000 of that was raised at the live auction.

**Gary and Barb Meloni, Kert and Abbey Kaise**

The event, held January 31st at the old Summit Club space at the top of Clark Tower, provided a tasty way for guests to support Lifedoc Health’s work. Fifteen Memphis chefs provided the fare for guests, many of whom wore Gatsby-like attire — flapper dresses and tuxedos — from that other Twenties decade. “Our Roaring 20th: A Speakeasy Soirée” was the event theme.

**John Adamstown, Tom Hughes, and**
**Jaksen Pounders**

**Kelly English, Fatou and Bala Tounkara**

According to its website, the mission of Lifedoc Health is “to build healthier communities by preventing diabetes through healthcare and research.”

As the invitation reads, “All proceeds will support Lifedoc’s investment in research and policy to transform healthcare for Memphis’s most underserved communities.”

Tags Healthier Memphis Gala, Lifedoc Health, Memphis chefs, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Mike McCarthy’s El-Bow Party

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date February 5, 2025

Anneliese Jones and Mike McCarthy (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Memphis filmmaker/sculptor Mike McCarthy threw his annual El-Bow party, in homage to the shared birthdays of Elvis Presley and David Bowie, on January 25th at McCarthy’s Midtown home.

Each icon got his own cake made by Kasey Dees.

The party, McCarthy says, “was for people who I worked with and sort of a payback to people I’ve been collaborating with.”

This year, the party was part of a longer series of events dealing with the history of rock-and-roll in Memphis. The Marcialyns with Marcia Clifton, Tim Prudhomme, Rev. Neil Down, and Memphis Flyer reporter Chris McCoy performed.

McCarthy kicked everything off with his Glam Rock Picnic last June, where he unveiled his 10-foot papier-mâché work-in-progress sculpture of Bowie, who performed in Memphis.

**Eldorado Del Rey, Tricia Parker, and Elliott Bexley**

McCarthy will tentatively hold his “next Bowie sculpture awareness event”on February 25th. The four Bowie faces have been cast into bronze by the Lugar Foundry. The statue, which portrays Bowie in the “Tokyo Pop” jumpsuit by Kansai Yamamoto, has four heads, which represent Bowie’s predilection for taking on different identities, McCarthy says.

Tags David Bowie, David Bowie sculpture, Elvis Presley, Glam Rock Picnic, Mike McCarthy

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WE SAW YOU: Science of Beer

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date January 29, 2025

Keith Hoffmeister, Catherine Prabish, Lauren Boughter, and Sam Lippe (Photos: Michael Donahue)

After they got wet outside, guests wet their whistles inside at Science of Beer.

The annual event was held January 17th at Pink Palace Museum and Mansion. About 550 turned out on a rainy evening for beer from local breweries and cuisine from local food purveyors.

What’s different about this beer tasting is that guests also learn about what they’re drinking. As Pink Palace special events coordinator John Wesley Mullikin said in a Memphis Flyer interview in 2024, “I’ve got the education component, where people are actually learning things. I try to get everybody to talk about what’s different about your beer. What makes your beer special.”

Science of Beer is “not just come and drink beer and eat food,” he says.

The museum also needs to raise money. The profits they raise support its STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) educational fund, which “provides low-cost experiences for underserved students in this area.”

This year’s event was “a huge success,” Mullikin says.

Note: The museum’s “Science of Wine” fundraiser will be April 25th.

Tags Memphis Museum of Science and History, Pink Palace Museum, science of beer

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WE SAW YOU: Graceland’s ‘90 For 90 Exhibit’

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date January 15, 2025

Anthony Pacheco, Sam Barlow, and David Hamilton of Sam Barlow & His True Blue Band (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Elvis fans turned out in chilly weather to pay homage to their King.

Though it was the day after Elvis’ 90th birthday on January 8th, out-of-town fans remained in Memphis and visited the various exhibits, including the new “90 for 90 Exhibit,” which features Elvis clothing and other memorabilia and artifacts.

**Kala Morris, Logan Morris,**
**and Tori Hutson**

**Lauren, Samuel, and**
**Steven Calmas**

The birthday celebration, which ran through January 11th, included a birthday cake, a Proclamation Day Ceremony, live concerts at the Graceland Soundstage, dance parties, special tours, and panel discussions.

**Jessica Herring and**
**William Hill**

A threat of snow, which became a reality January 10th, apparently didn’t deter the loyal fans. The only snow the truly avid fans probably had on their minds was — according to Google — “When the Snow Is on the Roses,” which Elvis sang in a live concert in 1970; “Snowbird,” which he covered in 1970; and “On a Snowy Christmas Night,” which the King recorded in 1971.

Tags 90 For 90 Exhibit, Elvis Presley's Graceland, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Truist Zoo Lights

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date January 8, 2025

Sophia, Charlotte, and Drake Newman with Hunter, McNeilly, and Miller Cowan (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Memphis Zoo was aglow for the holidays with its annual Truist Zoo Lights.

Attire was heavy coats on chilly nights for visitors who drank hot chocolate and took photos standing in front of festive light displays. They kept their coats on, but removed their shoes to don skates at the ice-skating rink.

**David and** **Debbie McAnally, Chris Buckley,**
**Cindy Buckley,** **and Carolyn Jackson**

**Kristyn Martin and**
**Keiyoma Dabney**

Zoo Lights has been going on “at least 20 years,” says Memphis Zoo communications specialist Rebecca Winchester.

“This year’s event was successful. It is always wonderful welcoming the community back to Memphis Zoo.”

**Veronica Chacin and**
**Diego Sanchez**

And, she says, “We look forward to providing the Memphis community with this holiday tradition every year.”

Asked how many lights were displayed, Winchester says. “I do not know the exact number of lights. However, it does take an entire month to set up.”

**Zoe, Portia, Enzo, and Ashton Jeffries**

Winchester did know how many people viewed those lights. “From my understanding, we have seen over 45,000 guests so far this season.”

Tags Memphis Zoo, Truist, We Saw You, Zoo Lights

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Holiday Wonders at the Garden

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date December 25, 2024

(top left) CJ Berretta, (top right) Chad Getchel, (bottom left) Sydney Lewellyn, Albert, Oscar, and Leah Getchel (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Sipping hot chocolate or hot chocolate with something in it is always a delight at Holiday Wonders at the Garden, which continues to enchant children and adults at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

**(left to right) Sarah Strong, Kole Turner,**
**Cathy Strong, and Anthony Strong**

Olivia Wall, director of marketing and communications, describes the attraction as “an outdoor seasonal exhibition. It includes acres of light displays, photo ops.”

**Nada Dryn, Tamara Dryn,**
**Igor Bosim, and Kirill Dryn**

It also includes concessions and fire tables, Wall says. “We have costumed characters every night we’re open. Snow queens, gingerbread men, elves.”

**Brandi Ray, Denny Stanley,**
**Katherine Johnson, and Jarrod Bivens**

Wonders, which closes December 28th, traditionally opens the day after Thanksgiving. “We’ve been doing it for 12 or 13 years. It was originally much smaller. In a very small area garden. And it expanded from there.”

Wonders originally was called “Snowy Nights” and took place at Memphis Botanic Garden’s “My Big Backyard,” notes Wall.

Some dates during this season’s event could have been dubbed “Rainy Nights.” But, with the exception of some of the wet stuff, Wall says “Holiday Wonders at the Garden” 2024 will go down as successful.

Tags Holiday Wonders at the Garden, Memphis Botanic Garden, We Saw You