Saint Louis Crisis Nursery's Celebrity Waitresses' & Waiters' Night Event

Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s                                             Celebrity Waitresses’ & Waiters’ Night

Celebrities earn tips to save babies’ lives and keep kids safe

A fun evening filled with nearly TOO many STARS!

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – Plaza Frontenac will be filled with local celebrities on Thursday, August 18th, when the always popular Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s annual “Celebrity Waitresses’ & Waiters’ Night” returns and brings its own brand of merriment and festivities there for the third year in a row. The event, which is in its 21st year, features upscale dining at both Cardwell’s at the Plaza and Canyon Café, on-going lively entertainment throughout the evening, a wonderful raffle, a silent auction featuring a limited number of exciting celebrity autographed items and other items exclusively from the shops at Plaza Frontenac! Plus, new this year, for those who like their fun to begin early and last til late into the night, the event will include  a Happy Hour at Brio’s Tuscan Grille and an After-Party at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse. The celebrities will encourage folks to give generous, tax-deductible tips since only the tips, not the meal purchase, benefit Crisis Nursery.

More than 100 St. Louis celebrities from the varied worlds of media, sports, business, and politics will join other civic and community leaders to “work” as waitresses and waiters that evening and donate ALL of the tips that they earn to the Crisis Nursery, to support its five area locations and 4 outreach centers. The nurseries are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide care for over 7200 children each year whose families are dealing with emergencies. The Nursery’s mission is child abuse prevention. 

Celebrities will be working at both Cardwell’s and Canyon Cafe restaurants and starting to earn their tips from diners from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Celebrities also will collect tips for the Crisis Nursery during the Happy Hour, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Brio’s Tuscan Grille, and at the After-Party, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse. 

David Kowach of Wells Fargo Advisors, who raised $8,250 and was named Celebrity Server of the Year in 2010, will return as one of the Honorary Corporate Chairs to challenge other celebrities to raise as much money as they can for the Nursery. His Celebrity Honorary Co-Chair is Brook Dubman of Carol House Furniture. Political celebrities include St. Louis City Mayor Francis G. Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley who are the events official Celebrity Honorary Chairs. In addition,  St. Louis Police Department Chief Daniel Isom, City of Frontenac Mayor Keith Krieg, City of Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi, St. Louis City Department of Human Services Director Bill Siedhoff, St. Louis City Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett, State Representative Chris Carter, State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal, St. Louis City License Collector Michael McMillan and retired City of St. Louis Fire Chief Sherman George will all be there, lending a hand and picking up tips!

Media celebrities will include KMOV-TV news anchors Larry Conners, Jasmine Huda, Claire Kellet, John Knicely and Robin Smith; KSDK-TV news anchors and reporters Kelly Jackson, Ryan Dean and Heidi Glaus; KTRS Frank Opinion Show Host Joe Hipperson; ESPN Sportscaster Randy Karraker; KPLR-TV Anchor Melanie Moon; KMOX-AM Home Improvement Show Host Scott Mosby of Mosby Building Arts; St. Louis Post-Dispatch Columnist, Deb Peterson; St. Louis Jewish Light Editor-in-Chief, Ellen Futterman; and Ladue News Editor-in-Chief Trish Muyco-Tobin. Celebrities from sports and business will include St. Louis Cardinals Alumnus, John Costello; St. Louis Blues Alumnus, Tony Twist; AT&T Missouri President, John Sondag; Stray Rescue Founder, Randy Grim and many others. 

Guests are reminded that only the tips, not the meal purchase, benefit the Crisis Nursery. There is no entry fee or minimum purchase that night so people are encouraged to give from their hearts. Sponsors include Carney’s Kids Foundation, Hardee’s Food Systems Inc., Ladue News, Cynthia Doria, KMOV-TV, and the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s Young Professionals Board. 

The event includes a raffle for Southwest Airlines tickets, a St. Louis Cardinals Game Day Suite and Premium tickets, and a Stan Musial autographed jersey and other wonderful items. The silent auction feature an exciting, limited number of celebrity-autographed items. Entertainment will be provided by Alvin Jett & The Phat noiZ Band, DJ Bret with Absolute Entertainment, Jonathan McCammon, Retro Rockits from the Smash Companies, Robin Chambers-Moore, Sammy J Balloon Creations, Cynde Meyer and My Hungry Dog Productions. The St. Louis Cardinals’ Fredbird, the St. Louis Blues’ Louie and the St. Louis Rams’ Rampage sports mascots will make appearances. 

Last year, the celebrities served more than 800 guests and raised $75,000. Dinner reservations are required at Cardwell’s and Canyon Café and can be made now. For reservations, call Cardwell’s at (314) 997-8885 and Canyon Café at 314-872-3443. For free admission to Brio's Happy Hour or the Fleming’s After Party or for more information, please RSVP with Ebonee Shaw at (314) 292-5770 or ebonee@crisisnurserykids.org.

The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, celebrating its 25th year, is committed to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The Crisis Nursery is an independent, not-for-profit agency that provides a short-term, safe haven for more than 7,200 children a year, birth through age 12, whose families are faced with an emergency or crisis. The Crisis Nursery provides care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at five sites, serving families throughout the greater St. Louis, St. Charles, Southern Illinois and surrounding regions. Over the past 25 years, the Crisis Nursery has cared for more than 65,000 children, and provided support and counseling to more than 82,000 families. For details, call (314) 292-5770 or visit www.crisisnurserykids.org. For the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery 24-hour helpline, call (314) 768-3201 or (314) 953-8030 (North St. Louis). For the Crisis Nursery St. Charles 24-hour helpline, call (636) 947-0600 or (636) 887-3070 (Wentzville).