Tux for results

Celebrity waiters serve up scholarships

More than $100,000 was raised during "A Night of Glitz and Glam" Celebrity Waiter Gala Nov. 1 at John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers.

The gala is presented by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Phi Alpha Omega chapter, and the Tea Rose Foundation of Northwest Arkansas, a nonprofit created by the chapter in 2008. Cora B. Davis, president of the Tea Rose Foundation of Northwest Arkansas, said the money raised will go toward the Phi Alpha Omega Memorial Scholarship Fund supporting scholarships for deserving high school, undergraduate and graduate students, along with health, poverty and other initiatives of the nonprofit.

At A Glance

Celebrity Waiter Gala

When: Nov. 1

Where: John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers

Amount raised: More than $100,000

Information: Email [email protected]

Fast Facts

Celebrity Waiters

• Raven Nicole Barnes, Heaven 107 FM

• Brad Carl, KHBS/KHOG-TV 40/29

• Debbi Cohagan, NW Bentonville Life - N2 Publishing

• Ifesinachi Egbosimba, KNWA/KFTA-TV

• Wyley Elliott, Celebrate Arkansas

• Larry Foley, University of Arkansas

• Chris Frye, KNWA-TV

• Sonya Gafsi-Oblisk, Sam’s Club

• Jacques Hagopian, Procter and Gamble

• Kandi Arrington, Saatchi & Saatchi X

• Mark Henneberger, Walmart Stores Inc.

• Tressa Horton, CitiScapes Magazine

• Laura Jacobs, University of Arkansas

• Zipporah Mondy, KJIW 94.5 FM

• Andy Murray, Walmart Stores Inc.

• John Paul, KHBS/KHOG-TV 40/29

• Jay Plyburn, KFSM-TV 5/KXNW-TV 34

• Chris Rayner, MediaVest

• Rob Rivenburgh, the Mars Agency

• Alexis Rogers, KATV-7

• Angela Taylor, KHBS/KHOG-TV 40/29

• Angela E. Thomas, Vowell Inc.

• Jacqueline Wolven, Do Good Work

• Wanda Young, Walmart Stores Inc.

Celebrity waiters not in attendance included Lucy M. Brown, Bjorn “BK” Simmons and Jaid “Hollywood” Taylor.

Source: Cora B. Davis, president of the Tea Rose Foundation of Northwest Arkansas

The theme of this year's event was highlighting the Best in Media, and the honorees were Michelle Ebanks, president of Essence Communications Inc. and president of People en Espanol, and Cathy Hughes, founder and chairwoman of Radio One Inc.

Scholarship recipients were Alize Boatright, Brendan Cook, Dana Francis, Whitney Frierson, Winona Gbedey, Deadrian Gore, Whitley Hall, Alexa Howard, Antonio Igbokidi, Mary-Joy Marsh, Yvonne Ngome, Kathryn O'Guinn, Jazlyn Purnell, Angel Sigears, Xavier Smith, Reginald Thurman, Myles Tucker, Jye Wesley and Maxine Williams.

The evening included dinner, live and silent auctions, introduction of celebrity waiters and scholarship recipients, music by Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Eric Benet and dance music by Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers. The 24 celebrity waiters in attendance also work in media.

The silent auction raised $6,260, Davis said. A live auction raised $12,800, and items included a dinner party for six people hosted by Coach Mike and Marcheita Anderson, a diamond pendant, "Little Rock Nine-50 Years" original artwork, and a trip to Martha's Vineyard.

NAN Profiles on 11/16/2014

Upcoming Events