Dancing with the Tulsa Stars

San Miguel Middle School Tulsa held its eighth annual Dancing with the Tulsa Stars fundraising event Nov. 5 at the Cox Business Convention Center. In addition to a sit-down dinner, guests enjoyed dancing, a cartoon artist, a DJ and photo booth. But the main event was the dancing competition between six couples — each one made up of a professional local dancer paired with an individual representing San Miguel — who practiced for six weeks prior to the event. The 500 guests in attendance raised over $500,000 to benefit San Miguel.

1. Event Chairs Mark and Allison Lauinger

2. Ana Berry, star and San Miguel ambassador, with professional dancer Ryan McDaniel

3. Isabel Perozo, San Miguel media ambassador, with guest Jeanette Quezada and emcee Gitzel Puente

4. Holland Hall senior Jake Craft, the youngest to ever compete in the event, won the Judges Award and the People’s Award — the night’s top fundraising accolade.

5. Weldon Bowman, star and San Miguel ambassador, with professional dancer Rachel Morris

6. Guests enjoy the event’s photo booth.

World Class Winter Gala

On Dec. 17, 400 guests attended the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s second annual World Class Winter Gala. Held at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Tulsa, the event began with a cocktail hour and was followed by a silent auction, dinner and speaking presentations. An awards ceremony also recognized seven individuals — Clifton L. Taulbert, Marcous Friday, Brenda El Hassan, Pleas A. Thompson, Michaela “Mia” Walter, Emonica “Nekki” Reagan-Neeley and Wendell Franklin — who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the north Tulsa community. The gala raised a total of $15,000 for the restoration and preservation of the Black Wall Street historic buildings on Greenwood Avenue and to assist women- and minority-owned businesses in Tulsa.

1. Freeman Culver, event chair and president of Greenwood Chamber of Commerce of 30