Pour Les Enfants, Casa del Sol benefits area children

Port Arthur references were everywhere at Pour Les Enfants Gala. The Casa del Sol theme greeted guests from the street with music from Bob Hope High School’s mariachi band on Nov. 20. They played attendees into a silent auction coveted goodies from donors including Snooper’s Paradise, Debbie’s Delights, Fred Millers, Buckstin Brewery and Texas Coffee Company. This is for The Garth House.

Funds help the Mickey Mehaffy Children’s Advocacy Program, Inc. interview about 800 children a year. That’s an outstanding figure, and I double-checked. For years this group has given a safe place for children tell their story of abuse and take the  steps to aid their situation.

"Abuse happens everywhere. Sometimes next door. You don't have to prove it. You just have to report it,” said Marion Tanner, executive director.

This group serves children from 6 counties and offers free counseling for the children.

A lighted tent again covered diners at adorned tables who enjoyed beef tenderloin with chimichurri sauce, paella, and/or seared chicken with roasted poblano cream sauce. Ironic to serve Mexican Street Corn Casserole, because parts of this affair are literally in the street.

So many familiar area personalities support this cause. Many of the people I chatted with work law enforcement or support in various capacities. It’s a cause they understand. Tanner says The Garth House group has interviewed more than 18,000 victims during the past 34 years.

As guests filled bid sheets, Tanner repeated that abuse can happen “next door” to any of us and should be reported. Call a hotline at 1-800-800 252-5400

Amy Pyburn, this year’s event chair, included a program note with this message from Matthew:516

“Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.”

Women behind the Lens – Go back in time. Imagine learning from experts when the field of photography was rather a new novelty. “The California Camera Club: Collective Visions in the Making of the American West” is both a picture and a history book. It’s remarkable that so many women were involved in trekking mountain sides and redwood forests in corsets, layered skirts and heeled boots to have a go at this camera thing. We’re talking about the late 1800s, where huge groups made excursions into the wilderness to frame, pose and study the land. Many pages note the large numbers of women in the group. They appear in photos holding banners proclaiming the club’s name. They were present as trees were felled, the earth quaked and architecture rose and fell. Carolyn Gorgen presents this University of Oklahoma Press publication.

Darragh Castillo is a Port Arthur area foodie wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons. Reach her via panews@panews.com