Perhaps the biggest hoop-la was the eve of her March 9th birthday when Special Care and Career Services held its annual gala,”A Special Evening with the Pointer Sisters.” at the Winspear. The Sisters may have been the headliners, but the spotlight was firmly on the Great Mother of Dallas Residential Real Estate.

But the gala evening was not just to salute the diminutive Ebby. SC&CS ring mistress Cathy Packard (pictured) had a full agenda for the evening and she neatly got each task done beautifully.

For instance, how about a name change? Yup, on the big screen of the Skokos stage, the new name for Special Care and Career Services was presented. . .

“LaunchAbility.” It may seem like a new word to you, but it makes perfect  sense when you realize the purpose of this organization for nearly 50 years has been to enable “clients to become more self-sufficient.”

As if that wasn’t enough, there was the presentation of the Milton P. Levy Jr. Outstanding Volunteer Award to Walgreens Senior VP Randy Lewis, who has been “instrumental in introducing a new concept to Walgreens that would transform the company’s distribution centers and employment opportunities” by integrating a workforce composed of 40% persons with disabilities. Randy has established a goal of employing 1,000 (10% of the workforce) in its distribution centers by the end of 2010.

His involvement in this issue is of a personal nature since he and his wife Kay (pictured) have a son, Austin, who is autistic. But don’t put on the pity towel. There are no prouder parents around.

And speaking of awards and Walgreens, the company was on a real roll. LaunchAbility presented Walgreens with the Alliance Data Corporate Champion Award for its outstanding contributions in empowering children and adults with development disabilities to lead fulfilling lives in their communities.

Then it was time for the official honoring of Ebby. From her balcony seat, she waved to the Winspear-full crowd. Emcee Jody Dean with a ukulele accompanist (pictured) led the thousands of Ebby fans in a birthday sing-along. To return the favor, Ebby with mic in hand smiled mischievously and said, “I’m so excited. . . I just can’t hide it. . . I’m about to lose control and I think I like it” to the delight of the crowd especially the gals across the way in the balcony with the feathered boas.

What many in the crowd didn’t know is that this was the second time during the evening that Ebby had been sung to. Earlier a VIP reception had been held backstage at the Winspear with oodles of Ebby fans including Ruth and Ken Altshuler, Diane and Stuart Bumpas with son Joe (pictured), Ellen Terry, Brandy and Will Taylor, Randall and Myriam Graham, Cody Baker, Dave Perry Miller, and DallasDirt girl Candy Evans in attendance.

Upon being presented with a candle-ladened cake, Ebby (pictured) took a deep breath and blew most of the candles out.

When asked if rumors were true about riding a customized bus with a “dance pole” to the McClung dinner in Terrell, Ebby chuckled saying that fellow bus riders Toni Brinker and Nance Chapman had tied for best performance of the night’s ride.

But enough of these Ebby shenanigans and back to the Winspear, where event chairs Elizabeth (pictured) and Eric Gambrell introduced a video on “Launching into a New Era” for the organization.

After the lights came up, Jody auctioned off “an on-stage performance with The Pointer Sisters and an opportunity to meet” the sisters after the show. With the zeal of a preacher, Jody got the bidding up to $6,000.

Then the lights went down and The Pointer Sisters (okay, so they’re not really sisters anymore. They are related, though) set the Winspear in motion with some guests getting up from their seats and dancing.

Was there any doubt that the occasion deserved a little dancing? Now imagine what’s in store for LaunchAbility? And how Ebby’s going to celebrate the big 1-0-0? Yes, we can can!

Sounds like a Judy Garland/Andy Rooney story line? Think Shakespeare Dallas.

Years ago, Shakespeare Dallas was literally on the edge of financial ruin, when a six-year debt relief campaign was put into place to save the local theatrical company. It worked.

Celebrating the success of the campaign and to thank the SD patrons, supporters, and board members, “The Defining Moment” was held at Diane and Hal Brierley‘s home.

The occasion also provided an opportunity to announced a new advisory board with Dolores Barzune, Carole Brandt, Don Stone, Diane Brierley, and Jim Moroney as founding members.

Photo provided by Shakespeare Dallas

“This is the dawn of a new day for this amazing organization,” said SD artistic/executive director Raphael Parry (pictured right with Roy Turner III, Connie Gold Parry, and Bonnie Strauss, from the left). “Few things are more important to a community than affordable access to the arts, and Shakespeare Dallas will provide that for years and years to come.”

Last Thursday it was announced at a reception that Haynes and Boone will be the museum’s first presenting sponsor of the museum’s Corporate Council, “an advisory board that helps connect local businesses and the community with the museum.”

Photo: Jason Janik

According to the museum’s VP of Development Hal Rose (pictured second from the left with, from the left, Emily Snooks, Sara Vale and Noel Shastid), “Our Corporate Council is comprised of a powerful set of professionals that apply their expertise and connections to further our cause. Haynes and Boone’s support allows us to bring these influential people together and ultimately deliver more STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education opportunities to kids.”

Photo credit: Jason Janik

Speaking of kids, there were a bunch of them at the event. A pre-teen group of Dallas-area kids, XS NRG (pictured), reprised their FIRST LEGO League Competition  robotic performance that won them first place. According to one mom-type who attended the event, “These are the most articulate, sweet, fun kids who just happen to be brilliant to boot. They used words like ‘ultra-capacitor’ and ‘zero-sum’ when describing ‘strategies they considered’ for their various projects.”

The XS-ers had also researched sustainable solutions for reducing jet plane fuel inefficiencies at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and cited their estimated economic-, airline-ticket-price-, and environmental-impact nationwide.

Gee, maybe one of these kiddos could connect our TiVo for us.

How about some factoids about the future museum digs, which will open in late 2012/early 2013? Take a jump and learn some to impress your friends:

• Elevators and wiring will be visible so visitors can see how buildings are made and work.
• All but 20% of the building will be available to the public to see and/or interact with.
• The museum’s rooftops will reclaim rainwater for use in the museum.
• All the water used by the museum except the drinking fountains will come from the rooftop reclaimed water.

Now, don’t you feel so much smarter? Think of all the folks you’ll impress at your next cocktail party.

But let’s not stop there!

Of the 1,151 organizations in the rankings, Komen placed second among the most trusted non-profit organizations in America just behind St. Jude Research Hospital.

“We are enormously humbled to be recognized in this way by the public that we serve,” said Komen founder and CEO, Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker. “This validation redoubles our resolve to our promise to end breast cancer through science, education, advocacy and relevant support programs all around the world.”

Harris Interactive Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Justin Greeves said of the top-performing non-profits: “They are working to solve many of society’s most complex and relevant problems in efficient, new, and innovative ways and have achieved personal relevance in many of our lives – that is why they are at the top.”

Congratulations to the thousands of volunteers and staff members who have made Komen a lifesaver.

Photo provided by Black Tie Dinner

And even more good news! Park Place Motorcars Dallas will once again underwrite the Black Tie Raffle vehicle. This year it will be a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sports Sedan (pictured) equipped with a 3.0-liter, V-6 engine. BTW, the $100-raffle tickets are already available for purchase.

According to EIA Executive Director Jeremy Gregg,”We are asking all of our supporters, members, and more to Tweet, blog, update Facebook/LinkedIn and email their supporters about our anniversary.”

As an anniversary gift, they just received a $500,000 challenge grant from their board to expand their efforts in 2010. As you probably know, this group engages transitioning, senior executives in short-term, high-yield consulting projects with local nonprofit organizations. In its first year, EIA has placed nearly 130 such executives on high-impact projects throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth nonprofit community  – and is on pace to hit 300 later this year.

The organization’s executives have been placed at nearly 50 nonprofits over the past year including the American Red Cross, Central Dallas Ministries, and the Samaritan House of Fort Worth.

EIA is the brainchild of Ashlee and Chris Kleinert along with Jeremy, Pam Gerber, Cynthia Nunn, and Brent Christopher.

Happy anniversary to EIA and congratulations to the nonprofits that benefit from its efforts.

To thank and recognize the numerous sponsors and supporters of this amazing group, SCCS CEO Cathy Packard (pictured) had oodles of news.

• Yes, there was soon to be a name change.
• Yes, major patron and underwriting sales for the March 8 benefit at the Winspear with the Pointer Sisters were ahead of schedule.
• Yes, there were still individual tickets available.
• Yes, Ebby Halliday was still honorary chair and Elizabeth and Eric Gambrell were doing the heavy lifting.
• Yes, Walgreens was making a clean sweep of the honors this year with Walgreen Senior VP Randy Lewis receiving the Milton P. Levy Jr. Award and Walgreens picking up the Alliance Data Corporate Champion Award.

Hmm, does it seem that Walgreens is a dominant name in all of this? You darn right! Not only did Randy (pictured) and his marvelously never-met-a-stranger-wife Kay fly in from Chicago for the evening, he told an amazing story about their personal involvement with people who have what some call a “disability.” Hopefully, Randy will tell the story at the gala when he receives his award.

As Cathy put it, “Randy is an example of one man making a difference for many by implementing Walgreens’ corporate-wide initiative to hire 100 people with developmental disabilities at their distribution centers.

And then there’s Walgreens. Thanks to Randy, the Scotts, and the Walgreens’ mindset, the company is planting seeds at its Waxahachie operation to hire 3,000 people of disabilities by 2015.

It started in the South Carolina operation when the company decided to try utilizing one out of three employees with a severe disorder. Today they’re now at 40% of the SC facility. Randy was most proud of the fact that within the facility is a large sign with “Them” marked through it with a line.

“It gives people an opportunity, but it has changed us,” he said. “Once it works in Dallas-Fort Worth, we’re going to go across the country.”

The program has been such a success that even companies like Target, Sears, and Walmart are seeking input from Walgreens on how to put such a program into place.

Did anyone have any question why Cathy had a big, old smile on her face?

Now, of course, you want to know about the Cook’s house. The 1999-built house still has all the earmarks of a modern home of tomorrow. With windows that magically become opaque instead of having curtains, the glass elevator and stairway scream clean and lean. Of course, there’s just the right amount of talk-to-me art (pictured) including a majestic horse peering down from the second floor.

But  the word upon entering the house is “downstairs. You’ve got to see it.” Venturing down to the lowest level of the house is a museum of dolls. . . about 350 of ‘em give or take a dozen. No, not high-tech figurines nor Barbies nor Madame Alexander dolls. No, these are dolls of all shapes, sizes, and colors, that have gingerly been nursed back to restoration under the oh-so-caring supervision of Gail in her adjacent workshop.

When asked her favorite, Gail without hesitation responds, “The one I’m working on at the moment.”

On the other hand, living dolls at the party were Jay Fox just back from NYC and “glad not to be there now” with Lindsey Wofford (pictured with Jay), who had just returned from Oklahoma on family business. Escorted by Randall Graham and Cody Baker, honorary chair Ebby Halliday (pictured left with Gail and Dan Cook) was holding court in the back of the living room with host Dan, and Bobbie Sue and Phil Williams. . .  Karen Wald was encouraging folks to tour the house. . .  Elizabeth Gambrell somehow managed to stay cool, calm, and collected talking to the crowd about the March 8 plans, while knowing that she was due at the Junior League patron party across town. . . Chris “Mr. Blue Eyes” Packard was right at home as Mr. Husband for Cathy. His day job has him masterminding the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Dallas. For a moment, his mind drifted to parking strategy for this year’s run in October.

But the hometown honey of the day was that rodeoing banking lady of Chase, Elaine Agather. Looking like a homecoming queen and having the marvelously good taste to walk into the overly-crowded room of media and city alpha dogs with publishing magnate Wick Allison, Elaine actually seemed to blush as accolades kept coming and coming and coming.

And rightly deserved. In this day and age when money is especially tough to come by and banks are under scrutiny, Elaine managed to be a driving force for the donation that will result in a marvelous promenade for The Park.

Yet did anyone notice her fingers? Yup, despite holding up a billboard-size check for the multi-million $$ amount, hardly a soul saw the bandages wrapped around her fingers. Had she cut them while cutting the check? Nope. She slammed them in a door. But no harm. As she said, “I can still write and ride.”

Elaine, honey, let’s take better care of those digits.

Besides some excellent behind-the-scenes stories of NM marketing in Mr. Stanley’s days, the crowd promises to look like an NM reunion. No telling who just might show up thanks to the coordination of Dallas Historical Society Chair Diane “I Love Breakfast Meetings” Bumpas, Exec Director Jack Bunning, and a legion of Neiman’s grads. The reception following the program should be fraught with additional tales of life in the good old days.

Oh, and since the program starts at 4, you’ll be home in plenty of time for the Pro Bowl.

After TREC Vice Chairman Melissa Eastman handled “the housekeeping issues” like reminding guests of the May 6th “Fight Night” at the Anatole and that TREC’s new website was up and running, she introduced a well-done video showcasing the many community projects in which TREC has been involved.

Then Melissa got to the featured act — Terdema Ussery (pictured above). The guy’s credentials not only go on for a week, but each one is a showstopper. Ivy Leaguer, lawyer, president/CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Dallas Housing Authority.

Still the audience was hardly prepared for the talk. If you thought the group was in overdrive before, they took off in warp speed thanks to Terdema. Not only did everyone stay throughout the entire talk, hardly a soul checked their Blackberry or iPhone.

To get things going he had a brief video shown of the Dallas Mavericks. Smart move. There’s nothing like basketball players, cheering fans, and adorable cheerleaders to perk up a crowd of real estate pros. This guy knew how to please the crowd.

While the video was being shown on two screens, Terdema was standing on the stage with a cool aura that hasn’t been seen since the last snowfall. But this was only a warm up.

After the video ended, Terdema took the guests on a verbal ride. He talked about his childhood in Watts, teachers who influenced him, studying at Princeton and Harvard, his father’s being shot, and his journey to Dallas thanks to Ross Perot Jr. Using no teleprompters, he constantly looked into his audience making them feel as if they were having a personal conversation. He interjected humor just at the right spots like a chef knowing when and how much spice to add.

But he never let it interfere with his message –”I was the child that was looked through. I was the guy in the back of the pickup with the others that no one noticed.”

Yet Terdema admitted that in his case, someone. . . no, make that several someones did notice him and did make a difference. Teachers, relatives, and other adults made him aware that his future was not limited to life in Watts. “Someone said ‘I see greatness in you.’”

Terdema went on to admit that every morning he wakes up living a life that many envy but acknowledging, “I don’t have a choice. I am acutely aware people interceded in my life.”

Perhaps it was with this in mind that he became involved with the Dallas Housing Authority.  “If I had read The Dallas Morning News, I wouldn’t have taken it on because of all the political mess. . . . But one day the Dallas Housing Authority is going to be a kind of group that people will greet, not dread.”

Turning the talk to real estate, he gently admonished the group, “We can’t just build big buildings. Let’s make sure that the least are take care of.”

Finally, his concluded his talk with Haiti and how “there is beauty out of tragedy.” Despite the devastation and loss of life, he pointed out how within 24 hours of the Haitian earthquakes, countries throughout the world were on the spot rendering aid.

Unlike other speakers who motivate, Terdema managed to take on Dallas’ most industrious professionals and “to see greatness in” them.