Did you know that there are 10,000 puppy mills in this country selling between two and four million puppies yearly?

To combat the problem, three main programs were initially undertaken by the group. First, protests outside local pet stores selling puppies from such mills. Second, investigating and notifying authorities of such operations and closing them down. Third, educating the public on the right way to get a puppy.

They have since added state legislation to their “must-do” list.

Photo credit: Lara Bierner

To salute the efforts of the local group, The Humane Society of the U.S. presented Spotlight Humane benefiting the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign at Union Station Friday night. To do the honors of welcoming the 400 guests, Humane Society of the United States President/CEO Wayne Pacelle (pictured with from the left Kristina Bowman, Catharine Flagg and Holly Forsythe)) was on hand, as were guest speakers Puppy Mills Campaign Senior Director Stephanie Shain and Arthur E. Benjamin, founder and president of American Dog Rescue and vice chairman/CEO of ATI Career Training.

The event itself was a bow-wow feat when you realize event chairs Kristina Bowman, Catharine Flagg, and Holly Forsythe had just five months to pull the whole thing off. BTW, at one point it appeared to be a bit of a pep rally for Lady Photographer Bowman. Any time her name was mentioned on the screen or from the podium, a wave of cheering took place in the Grand Hall.

But prior to all the hoopla in the Grand Hall, a VIP reception was held in the Texas & Pacific Room while the silent auction was being held in the Frisco Room. Interesting. This practice has been seen at other events and one can’t help but wonder if the high rollers might have goosed up the silent auction bidding had they had some time to browse around the hundreds of silent auction items.

Instead this group was having just too much fun chatting it up. (Too bad because the silent auction items looked very tempting.) Jocelyn White (pictured) was receiving best wishes about her engagement to Republic Title Vice Chair Kim Seal. Asked when the big date was, she just smiled that Jocey smile and said sometime in the future.

Having just gotten back from Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, where she enjoyed the red carpet action with Reba McEntire and Muhammad Ali, Nancy Lieberman (pictured) took a night off from putting the finishing touches on her Playbook for Success, which is due to the publishers on April 1. She told a group including Leslie Ann Crozier and Monica Greene (pictured) that the book deals with how women can use sports metaphors to succeed in business and life.

Both Nancy (lizard broach), Monica (earrings), and Jocey (necklace) were wearing jewelry by that animal-loving jeweler Cheryl Wyly (pictured). You couldn’t have had better billboards.

Honorary Co-chair Peggy Sewell was having to do double duty, since her co-chair/daughter Jacquelin was home sick. But Peggy is a pro and had no problemo in the charm department.

Then it was off to the Grand Hall for dinner presented by Wolfgang Puck catering. The good news was that it met the challenge of providing vittles that were animal-lover friendly with nary a piece of beef, chicken, or fish in the mix.

The bad news was that the chair-ladies remembered the final menu from the tasting a bit differently than what appeared tableside. MIA were vegetables in the pasta, which arrived only coated in Wolfie’s marinara sauce. Dessert was excellent if you were on a diet. Instead of a “full bowl of champagne sorbet with strawberries Romanoff and big wafer with dark chocolate drizzle and a chocolate covered strawberries on the side,” it was a “a tablespoon of some fruit medley and then a marble-sized portion of sorbet!” Luckily, no animals were harmed in the fixings.

The hall’s acoustics also provided a bit of a challenge in the tall hall. Guests at some tables found themselves shouting to be heard by the person right next to them as Hunter Sullivan‘s orchestra played. It was a case of too much of a good thing.

Then the speeches took place and once again the acoustics may have explained why the guests at some tables started talking so much that Wayne had to “shhhhh” the crowd into “healing, sitting,” and silencing a couple of times while he made his presentation. Wayne, it wasn’t that you weren’t interesting. It was just hard to hear you with the sound bouncing off the walls and ceiling.

Photo credit: Lara Bierner

But not to worry. The speeches and heartbreaking video of puppy mill rescues got their points across as the live auction got going under the direction of Good Morning Texas‘ Rob McCollum. Jack Knox (pictured) was top dog of the night. Seems Jack not only won the bidding war for the “Luxury Lodge in Tanzania, East Africa, for Four,” he donated it back for a second go around. Rawlins “Word Weaver Extraordinaire” Gilliland was so impressed that he wanted “to floorboard it to his (Jack’s) restaurant (Cafe Pacific) and shout ‘the lobsters are on me.’” We suspect that Rawlins might want to rethink his offer and say “the champagne is on me.” No animals are harmed in the making of the bubbly, you know.

The table discussions were evidently influencing those who had plans for additions to their households. For instance, Eric “Up In The Air” Schake was seriously considering adding a Maine Coon to his household as a reward for his hoped-for completion of the New York Marathon.

German Shepherd loving Joe Pacetti (pictured) was moving unusually slowly. Seems that he took quite a tumble on the first day of his jaunt to Argentina. Here poor Joe was hosting a birthday celebration for a dear friend  and 70 buddies in Buenos Aires and he ends up in the ER. “I was in and out in 40 minutes. That wouldn’t have happened here in the States,” said Joe. But after being back a couple of weeks, he’s still doing rehab to mend his broken parts.

And speaking of mending, gorgeous equestrian Pam Greenberg (pictured) emphasized the relationship that people have with their animals. And she would know. It seems that her chocolate lab is in remission after a major battle with cancer. Pam admitted that the bonding between them through the ordeal was an incredible experience.

It’s interesting to note that when talking with members of the animal-loving world, they whip out their smart phones to show you photos of their pawed pals. Remember the days when it was glossy pictures being pulled out of wallets? Well, those days are pretty much gone and it appears that puppy mills may be headed in the same direction.

But first, let’s review her Dallas visit.

Having just arrived Sunday night (thank heaven, she missed snowy Saturday) after a PA at Lake Austin Spa Resort, Pamela was the main course of the “Feather Your Nest Speakers Series” (FYN) luncheon at the Ritz. Since seating at Dean Fearing’s was limited to 60, Dallas authoress/FYN co-founder Kimberly Schlegel Whitman asked her mom Myrna Schegel if she would host a book signing reception in the evening for T&C‘s legendary editor-in-chief. Despite a nasty twist of the ankle suffered in Toronto last week — and being forced to wear flats — Myrna opened the Schlegel manor with the graciousness and elegance befitting a T&C event.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, aren’t we?

According to Pamela, her stay at Lake Austin was really quite excellent, despite the fact that it meant her missing what was “supposed to be the most perfect weekend of weather” in New York City. But it was well worth it. She was fascinated by the women at the spa just walking around in terry cloth robes and wearing no makeup. . . just being themselves.

Then it was a quick trip to Dallas Sunday and the FYN luncheon, which was “perfection,” according to Pamela, who is a true-blue fan of Chef Dean Fearing. “The fish was prepared just perfectly,” Pamela reported. “Everyone was so very nice. What a simply gorgeous place.”

Ah, but that was just a warm-up of the hospitality in store for the 28-year veteran of the country’s leading media expert on class, style and taste. The Schlegels somehow manage to combine mega-amazing (their mansion, of course) with personal charm and gentility. With Myrna in ballet slipper-like flats at the front door, guests were warmly greeted. If you were lucky enough to get there when the doors opened at 5, you might have missed Pam as she stood in the hallway catching up with old friends like Courtney Sinelli (pictured). It seems that 30 years ago Pamela was Courtney’s babysitter.

FYN co-founder Chris Kleinert (pictured) had to leave co-hosting duties to wife Ashlee and get back to work. By the way, Ashlee and Chris are also the driving force behind Executives in Action.

Yes, this gathering was made up of people who wear out passports with trips to India, Brazil, Europe, and all points in between. Their shopping sprees take place in foreign ports of call as opposed to Sam Moon’s. “You do know that bargains can be had overseas because of the dollar situation?” is heard more than once. They wonder aloud what others only fantasize about — a month-long-rental of a house in Tuscany  this summer, perhaps?

Even the serving staff took note that this crowd was not your typical wine and champagne group. When a waiter placed an order for a “Negroni,” he admitted none of the staff had ever heard of such a concoction. “Only the bartender knew what it was” —  equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Like the guests in attendance, the drink is a classic for the well-traveled set.

Still there was something about Pamela that set her apart from this Black Card set. Was it her diminutive size? Was it her emerald-green jacket? Her necklace of multi-strands of jade? Or, perhaps it was her smile that highlighted each introduction?

But then the hallway started filling with guests, and it was time for Pamela to take her place at a desk in the two-story library with its elegant curtains. To her right were a stack of her books that quickly dwindled as guests queued up for a personal signing. Some wanted a book for themselves. Others wanted them as gifts. Don’t tell anyone, but there is one mother whose Mother’s Day gift is already a done deal.

For those who live for the itty-bittiest of details, Pamela is a southpaw and claims that her “excellent” inscriptions (pictured) are due to “Sharpies.”

What you soon learned about Pamela was her ease at making others feel comfortable. She was fascinated in all who approached her. With amazing eye contact, she made you feel as if there was no one else in the room. How she did it time after time is a wonder. But then again it was a pretty heady crowd. For instance,

• Former Crystal Charity Ball Chair Sara Martineau (pictured) with her daughter Maria Plankinton discussed Swiss fashion house of Akris’s Albert Kriemler‘s being the featured designer at this fall’s Best Dressed Luncheon with Pamela. “You’ll love him. He’s adorable,” Pamela smiled.
• Fashionista First Lady Heidi Dillon in a softer-than-legal white leather jacket exchanged business cards with Pamela with the latter saying, “Everyone loves to talk about fashion.”
• While waiting her turn to chat with Pamela, Barbara Daseke in luscious black lamb leather jacket admitted that she had been so impressed with the Lauren Bacall talk recently at the Nasher that she had bought Lauren’s book and was amazed at her diverse life.
• Barbara Buzzell complimented Pamela on one of her staff with whom BB had just worked with on a story. Without hesitation, Pamela knew the staffer and noted that she was a Dallas gal and very good.
• Shelle Sills (pictured right hugging Billie Leigh Rippey) got a big hug from Pamela saying, “I’m here because it’s you!” Then Shelle reported that  husband Michael was on his way just to see Pamela, too. In a flash, Michael not only showed up but presented Pamela with a drink refresher. That man knows just what the doctor orders. By the way, don’t think that NM Downtown Non-stop Head Lady Shelle spends her life entirely in four-inch stilettos. “When I’m home, it’s strictly flip flops.” Why, oh why, do we suspect that hers are so much classier than the rest of ours?

But it wasn’t all pleasantries among the book-buying guests. Pamela also shared some thoughts on the publishing industry and the various rumors swirling about.

• Shelter magazines — “The entire shelter industry went . . . (she motioned with her hand hitting the desk).”
• Print vs. online — ” So many women tell me how they like holding paper in their hands when they read.”
• Advertising — “Advertisers are so eager to think they can cut costs by advertising on the web. But a little ad online just cannot compare to a wonderfully produced ad in a magazine.”
• Social media trends — “We going through a period when people are flirting with things like Facebook.”
• Publications adjusting their standards to survive — “I’ve told them (her staff and publisher) that we’re not going to do that.”
• Blogging — “Someone just recently told about blogging and that it can be fun.”
• The Devil Wears Prada: “My doorman said, ‘Ms. Fiori, you’re not like that woman in The Devil Wears Prada.’ I sure hope I’m not.”
• Her publisher Jim Taylor — “I have the world’s best publisher. We don’t always agree but we respect each other.”
• Her next book — “It’s on St. Bart’s.”

And that rumor that’s been making the rounds. Well, it seems the NY Post’s Keith Kelly reported this past Friday that HEARST Magazines President Cathie Black has quietly been searching for Pamela’s replacement. When confronted with the Post‘s latest item, in typical T&C style, Pamela just smiled and said, “There are always rumors about Anna Wintour, me and all of us. If it happens, it happens. I have a life. . .  my husband (Colt Givner) of 28 years, my relatives, my friends. You truly realize their importance when times get difficult.”

In parting, someone asked, “Will you be back in September for the Best Dressed luncheon?”

“I hope so,” Pamela replied.

Last Thursday she held court at the Nasher Sculpture Center as part of the Nasher Salon Series. Arriving for a lunch with a full room of guests, she surprisingly was upstaged by her companion — Sophie, (pictured with, from the left, Lauren Bacall, Jeremy Strick, and Michael Cain) an adorable and extremely well-manned Papillion. But, no fear of female jealousies. Bacall actually enjoyed the attention that Sophie received. Once seated at Table #1 with Nasher Director Jeremy Strick and old friends Karla and Liener Temerlin (pictured with Nancy Nasher Haemisegger in center),  Sophie sat in her owner’s lap and never raised her nose above the table. Obviously, this wasn’t Dakota-living Sophie’s first rodeo. However, later as Bacall talked to the room of guests, Sophie (pictured) decided that Jeremy was her lap of choice and sat patiently. That Jeremy just has a way about him.

Leave it to the Nasher folks to set the luncheon up perfectly. With B&W movies from Bacall’s past on two of the walls and framed pictures of the lady on each table, it almost made you wish you had brought your autograph book. One table of enthusiastic fans insisted on having their group photographed around the picture centerpiece.

But once she arrived and sat down, everyone controlled their enthusiasm and made it through lunch waiting for her discussion with Dallas Film Society Chairman of the Board Michael Cain.

Poor Michael was just a tad bit apprehensive about the chat. Seems that he had gone a couple of rounds with the sharp as a tack lady when she was in town a couple of years ago for the AFI Dallas International Film Fest. Like Harriet Hubbard, the lady suffers no fools.

The lunch bunch including Dallas Film Society‘s Tanya Foster at one table and Carmelita Whiteley with Barbara Daseke (pictured right with Carmelita Whiteley) at another was thrilled to have such a icon of the great days of movies among them. She didn’t let them down. Her talk was filled with nuggets from the golden days of Hollywood with personal feelings interjected throughout.

Then it was back to her hotel with Sophie to rest up for the evening’s talk.

Just past 7 it was a return to the Nasher. With red carpet once again waiting at the curb, the black limousine pulled up and out came the girls. Sophie in her finest fur and Bacall with little if any makeup in black. No, she isn’t the teenage “Slim” from To Have and Have Not, but darn it if she doesn’t still have “The Look.” Graciously, she and Sophie posed for pictures with the VIP guests (pictured right Dr. Joanne Stroud with Lauren Bacall) and chatted with each of them.

Then it was time to go downstairs for the talk. As she entered the room, the sellout crowd gave her a standing ovation. Or, rather, gave her and Sophie a standing O.

Michael once again girded his loins to interview Bacall. With cards in hand, his plan was to go through the questions in chronological order. That evidently didn’t fit Bacall’s plan. He had to reshuffle his cards. Then he asked about her romantic relationship with Bogart that started during the filming of To Have and Have Not.

Whoa!

The Look was not a happy one. She corrected Michael that she and Bogie did not have any type of romantic relationship during the filming of the movie: “He was married.”

Michael looked nervous.

He asked if it was true that for her first movie, Howard Hawks gave her a choice of either Cary Grant or Humphrey Bogart as her leading man.

She looked a bit shocked instructing Michael that she was not in a position to choose anything. . . “I was too scared.” Looking at Bacall now, it was hard to believe that she’d ever had a nervous Nellie moment.

Michael then asked about a string of her various “leading men” including Woody Harrelson. Mistake. . . big mistake!

“Take him out of that list! Woody Harrelson? That is a lulu,” she demanded. Later she diplomatically said she liked him (Woody), but …

At this point in the cat-and-mouse game, Michael was on the verge of tossing the cards and just letting nature takes its course. Instead he decided to simply forgo the chronological order and just chat. Wise decision. That is until he asked if it was true that Bette Davis was her role model.

Screech of brakes.

She questioned his use of the expression “role model.” After getting the definition of role model clear in her mind, she concluded, “I wanted to be Bette Davis (as an actress), but not live her life!. . . No one had what Better Davis had. She was surprising.”

In passing, Michael mentioned that guests might like to read her “book.” Like a schoolmarm correcting a student in front of class, she let him know the word should have been “books.”

At this point, Michael wisely decided to let the lady have her head and answer questions from the audience:

• On her recent Lifetime Achievement Oscar: “There’s so many awards. There are awards for breathing. But I figure, what the hell. If it’s for me, it can’t be that bad.”
• “Did she have a song with Humphrey Bogart? Bogie’s song was That Old Black Magic, but “he had no taste when it came to music.”
• On George W. Bush and current trends in art/writing/etc.: “I think people are affected by events and government. For eight years, we had a government that couldn’t even spell the word ‘art.’ There was no appreciation of the arts in those eight years. George W: one of the great brains of our age.”
• Is there somebody she would love to work with? “Unfortunately, most of them are dead.”
• She momentarily reflected on the days of the big studios. “It was the best time for quality movies. Solid, wonderful projects. … The standards were higher in those days. … Today stars run it, with the big salaries.”
• On the Australian actors: “The Australians have taken over. Cate Blanchett. Nicole. Hugh Jackman. I’m a groupie for Hugh Jackman.”  Like talking with old friends, she looked into the audience and asked if they had seen him in the The Boy From Oz. . . “You’ve got to see him in it!”
• She was astounded that no in the room knew who Louis Bromfield was.
• “I was once told, ‘Always be with people who know more than you.’ So what am I doing here?”

Then just as Michael was getting ready to close the evening’s program, one more question arose from the audience: “Next time you’re in Dallas, will you talk about Frank Sinatra?”

“The Look” froze. OMG, did the person not know the history behind Bacall and Sinatra? Well-read Photoplay and Walter Winchell devotees of the 50′s raised eyebrows and prepared for a Bacall bashing. Would Bacall order Sophie to tear the questioner’s throat out?

“Why would I want to talk about him?” she said with feathers obviously ruffled. Then she settled back in her chair and the “Look” changed to be like a Persian cat appearing to have just swallowed a very plump canary. “He was very good when he sang,” she purred.

Only problem of the night was the staging of the event. Unlike 79-year-old Robert Duvall‘s recent appearance in which he sat in a high chair on stage, 86-year-old Bacall sat in a low chair. This change of staging was probably due to the staff’s concern for her comfort and safety. However, guests in the back of the room found it a bit challenging to see her on the stage, with some resorting to standing along the sides of the room for a better view.

That situation should be easily remedied for the next Nasher guest — Gladys Knight, who will be interviewed by KLUV’s Jody Dean on June 17. Tickets go on sale May 2 at 8 a.m. and remember Nasher Sculpture Center Patron Members get a nice discount on tickets.

Happy Days’

Henry Winkler (pictured), who portrayed “Fonzie,” is the son of Jewish immigrants who left Nazi Germany in 1939 just before the Holocaust.  He earned a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama and has been happily married since 1978.

So, what does the fictional character of the 50′s and the man who portrayed him have in common? Both have the ability and sincerity to influence others for their own betterment through life lessons. And that’s exactly what Henry did last Thursday when he came to town for the 10th annual Destiny Luncheon benefiting the St. Philip’s School & Community Center.

Known within the entertainment industry for being down to earth and having a genuine interest in others, Henry with Fredye Factor as his escort started of the day with a rise-and-shine appearance at St. Philip’s. (No problem for Henry since his Labradoodle and Great Dane usually are climbing all over him first thing in the morning back home in California) With parents lining the walls of the gym and uniformed munchkins (pictured) filling every seat in the bleachers, Henry had his work cut out for him. Within minutes of watching the interaction between St. Philip’s headmaster Terry Flowers and the youngsters, Henry looked right at home. You couldn’t help but wonder if Henry sorta wished he’d had a St. Philip’s in his life growing up.

One of the things that you learn from a St. Philip’s experience is the magic of Terry.

With a combination of Benjamin Franklin wisdom, Morgan Freeman cool and Dr. Huxtable charm, he shows respect for the students and expects it in return. With statements like, “If we were both alike, one of us would not be necessary,” he gets his message across that the students are there for more than adding and subtracting. Self-esteem and preparation for adulthood are just as important. St. Philip’s students have an air of confidence, not cockiness about them, that is rooted in their pride of achievement thanks to Terry, his staff, and the parents who are so involved with the school.

Then Henry spoke to the hundreds of students. While the parents may have remembered him from his leather-jack days as Fonzie, the kids recognized him from his series of children’s novels about Hank Zipzer: The World’s Most Amazing Under-Achiever and more recent television shows and movies.  It didn’t matter which character they recalled because Thursday they got to know Henry. Masterfully talking to the entire gym full of students and adults, he made them feel like an old friend admitting that life had not been a snap of the fingers for him.

• His parents had called him “dumb dog” because he didn’t seem all that bright in school.
• The only thing that he was good at in school was lunch.
• Test scores placed him the bottom percentile as a youngster.
• His father, who owned a lumber company, had been disappointed in his son for not taking over the family business which he had brought over from Germany. “You mean it didn’t have anything to do with the Nazis?” Henry asked his father.
• He discovered that he was dyslexic at the age of 31.

When he discovered he suffered from dyslexia, he admitted that at first he was very angry. It all made sense. Because of the condition he had been made to feel dumb and lack self confidence throughout his childhood and early adulthood. Then he realized that if it hadn’t been for the dyslexia, his life might have been entirely different.  He might have not gone into acting, gotten the role, met his wife, had his kids, etc.

But he also knew that no child needed to carry the burden of poor self-esteem. To carry on a campaign to counter this situation, he started his Hank the Zipzer series, became a major supporter of various children’s charities (United Friends of the Children, Children’s Action Network, Cerebral Palsy Telethon, Toys for Tots, the Special Olympics, and the Los Angeles Music Center’s Very Special Arts Festival for Children), and motivated youngsters and adults to communicate.

That last one is very important to Henry. As he told the graduating class of Austin College in 2002, “Thank you for listening to me. . . my parents never did.”

After he got a standing ovation from the students, it was picture time and he settled right in with the multitude of kids surrounding him (pictured).

Then it was on to Belo Mansion for The Destiny Award Luncheon, where once again he was on time, extremely at home with one and all, and championing the cause for children.

But the luncheon wasn’t just to see Fonzie/Henry, though. It was also to present awards to outstanding members of the community who have time and time again been role models and gone the extra mile for the community. This year’s Destiny Awards were presented to:

• Jewish Family Services – Organization
• Annette Simmons - Leadership
  
• AT&T – Corporation
• Linda Walker - Unsung Hero
  

In the crowd was Shannon Skokos (pictured), who had a pencil and tablet for conversing. Seems that between spring allergies and hollering for the Mavericks, she had lost her voice. . .  Barbara and Stan Levenson arrived looking ever fashionable and wonderful. Barbara looked especially relieved reporting that Stan’s recovery from cancer had been highly successful. Stan, with a twinkle in those bluer-than-blue eyes, smiled that Barbara had been doing all the heavy lifting at their agency during his recovery. . Ever gracious and articulate Pat Smith (pictured) handled emcee duties with ease despite wearing the highest of platform heels. To the delight of the crowd, she confided that she and husband Emmitt were expecting a baby in October. . . Laura “First Lady of Dallas” Leppert (pictured) admitted that she and husband Tom had to miss the Faith Hill concert in Fort Worth due to a prior commitment. That’s one problem Mayor T just can’t solve. How to be in two places at the same time. . . Liz Minyard-Lokey (pictured) kept getting pats on the back for chairing the flawless event. . . Alas, Annette Simmons was out of town and had to send a sub to accept her award.

And let’s not forget the sponsors, who made the event happen like:

Title Sponsor – Citi

Magna cum laude – Balfour Beatty

Dean’s list sponsors – AT&T, Liz and Tom Halsey, Liz Minyard-Lokey, and Southwest Securities

Honor roll sponsors – Bridge Lacrosse Dallas, Dr. and Mrs. Bob Kramer, Mayor and Mrs. Tom Leppert, and Mona and David Munson

A true scholar sponsors – Bank of America, Steve Becker, Center Operating Group, Claude Connelly, David Cowling/Amy Youngquist, DART, Mike Davis, Episcopal School of Dallas, Susan and Hollye Fiske, Jewish Family Services, The Hockaday School, Diana and Todd Maclin, Martineau Petroleum, Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger, Northern Trust Bank, Parish Episcopal School, Raymond Construction, Andrew Sinwell, Bonnie and Peter Smith, St. Mark’s School of Texas, St. Philip’s Foundation, Strong AV, and Weber Shandwick

Table sponsors — Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, Anne and Wes Goyer, Suki Jarzemsky, Schatzie and George Lee, Seabridge, Dan Stansbury Jr., T. Howard and Associate, Texas Instruments, and Weber Shandwick

Friends — The Adolphus, Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House, Chocolate Secrets, Kelly and Norman Green, and Neiman Marcus

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!

Photo credit: Holt Haynsworth

CBB Chair Kristi Sherill Hoyl (pictured with from the left True North Advisors founders Scott Wood and Mark Gehlbach) revealed Thursday night that this year’s theme will be “Great State Fair.” The headliner for the annual gala will be Alan Jackson with 2008 Academy of Country Music “Best New Male Vocalist” Jack Ingram appearing on the the Live Auction Stage.

The Thursday announcement was made at a party sponsored by True North Advisors in the Legends Room at Cowboys Stadium.

“We are returning to Southfork Ranch where we will have access to several structures and hard surfaces to ensure a great experience for our guests, rain or shine!” said Kristi.

Wonder if they’ll have a Big Texanna instead of Big Tex to greet guests.

Since it was a private event with series tickets going for a whopping $1500, it had all the frills and spit-and-polish that a high-spending crowd deserves. Starting with a VIP party at McDavid Studio across the street from the Bass, it became apparent that not all Dallasites agreed on the Fort Worth  dress code for special events.

Usually it’s the ladies who are all in a tizzy about what to wear. Not on this night! The gents were really in a quandary about what is appropriate at the Bass for a Faith Hill concert. Some came in their best bib-and-tucker dark suits like Troy Aikman (pictured, he had an excuse since he was co-hosting the reception); Drew Pearson in a bold-striped suit with brown/black striped shirt and goldfinger metallic tie and handkerchief; George Riba (pictured) in a very sportscaster flash-and-dash orange tie, blue shirt, and camel-colored suit; and Bill Lively (pictured) in CEO-styled uniform with a natty orange tie and his ever-present dazzling smile.

On the other hand, those who have probably frequented Joe T’s knew that dress-down is thumbs up in FW and opted for the open shirt with the windowpane sports jacket look. The fashion question of this group was, “Do you unbutton the top one or two buttons on your shirt?”

Leading the charge for the undone-one-button was legend of legends Roger Staubach (pictured) in blue jeans, blazer and open shirt. Doug Brooks looked right at home in his red-white-yellow-blue striped shirt and gray/white jacket. Jerry Jones Jr. (pictured) must have been thinking along the same lines as Doug, since he wore a gray/white jacket but opted for the windowpane design with a pink shirt. Rich Dalrymple (pictured) played it safe in a navy and light striped blue shirt with blazer.

The most daring look of the night belonged to Shy “Cleavage” Anderson (pictured) with his top-two-unbuttoned shirt. Oh, my, what would mother say! But Shy’s so charming, he can get away with anything.

Exception to the male fashion either-or breakdown was party co-host Joe Buck (pictured), who walked the fashion line by not wearing at tie at the reception but putting one on for his on-stage emcee duties.

Alas, have no idea which category Mayor Tom Leppert would have fit in, because he and wife Laura couldn’t attend due to a prior commitment in Dallas. Bet that won’t be the case on May 22 when concert #2 takes place with Sting at the Winspear.

But let’s not discard the ladies thinking they were in hoop skirts and bonnets. Why these gals have been playing dress up since their mamas taught them the phone number for Neiman’s at NorthPark. There was nary a Daisy Duke in the crowd. Still, it wasn’t the traditional cocktail fluff either. Event co-chair Marianne Staubach (pictured) rejected the safe black look for a remind-me-of-Santa-Fe turquoise outfit that dazzled with her blonde hair and multi-strand pearl necklace. Another color standout was Andrea Alcorn (pictured) in hottest pink leather jacket over a black beaded dressed with floral appliqués. How cute that she managed to find matching pink and buff boots to top things off. Speaking of leather, Barbara Daseke (pictured) must have compared notes with Andrea with a black dress overlaid with a belted leather jacket, but Barbara went the reddish brown route.

Then there were the gal pals. For instance, Linda “First Lady of Arlington” Cluck, Charlotte “First Daughter of Cowboys Stadium” Anderson, and Kathy “First Daughter of Arlington” Beatty (pictured from the left) interpreting the ever-popular black. However, that Charlotte in the skin-tight black leather pants gave a whole new meaning to chaps.

And then there were the showstoppers Sonia Black in her faux fur collar and black boots with Lori Jones (pictured right with Sonia), who must have checked with sis-in-law Charlotte about the pro’s and con’s of wearing black leather slacks. Or perhaps it’s just a Jones family uniform.

Joni McCoy (pictured) didn’t bother with all that boot and leather stuff. She went for the simple, classic look of “Wow!” in her beige oh-so cling, past the knee dress, bouquet of blonde curls, and a “Thank God for Texas” smile. Hey, this gal’s an oldtimer when it comes to Super Bowl who-ha. She and her husband Mike attended all three of  Troy’s Super Bowls conquests (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX, if you’re counting).

But enough of the fashions. Let’s do a quick check of the activity:

One minute the very notables were at the McDavid reception and then they all seemed to disappear. Not to worry. They were led to the tunnel connecting the McDavid facility to the Bass, put in an elevator to the ground level, and into a meet-and-greet with Faith herself.

You didn’t know there was a tunnel? Yup. Even Mayor Mike Moncrief admitted that this was his first time to walk under Calhoun Street. It was really cute watching him stroll the tunnel handholding with the love of his life/wife, Rosie.

Then it was on to the concert with segments of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington blending into one big melting pot. Before Faith even hit the stage, the two warm up acts were enough to leave the room talking.

FOX football commentators Joe Buck and Troy Aikman had their timing just right even when they missed cues. From walking on stage with a couple of bags of presenting sponsor Frito-Lay chips to Troy’s wearing a sign (“emcee sponsors Diane and Hal Brierley“) on his back, these totally different personalities won over the audience with their style and humor. They gave Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin a run for their emcee money.

With the mood set, the boys introduced the infamous debut of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV version of Faith Hill’s “Kiss” with area notables (Roger Staubach, Tony Romo, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Jones, Clarice Tinsley, Tom Leppert, Mike Moncrief, Arlington Mayor Dr. Robert Cluck, Dirk Nowitzki, Emmitt Smith, and many others who might not want their names mentioned) sacrificing their reputations singing like a two-for-one night karaoke bar. Tony Romo captured the “Most Painful Looking and Sounding Award” of the off-key singing luminaries. With sounds as pleasing to the ear as nails across a chalkboard, there are serious doubts that a Christmas album is in the makings.

Perhaps it was the tone of the evening, but the video was rewarded with an exuberant round of hooting, hollering, and applauding. . . much better than the following week’s Internet/media critical reviews. Let’s face it. Some things just take on a different feel in the light of day.

Finally, it was time for Faith to perform. For the intimate setting. . .  well, it was intimate compared to the likes of Gilley’s or Billy Bob’s. . . she wisely chose to use only a handful of musicians and three backup singers for the concert hall. During the first few songs, even this small coterie of musicians seemed to overwhelm Faith’s voice, but the group juggled a couple of knobs allowing her voice to take the lead.

In between sets, her interaction with the crowd seemed a little tentative. Perhaps it was the fact that she was due to walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards the next night with hubby Tim (The Blind Side) McGraw. Just like any wife trying to pick out the right outfit for her husband’s big company party, she admitted that she was still trying to figure out which dress to wear — The Louis Vuitton or the Roberto Cavalli. The crowd leaned toward the Vuitton. (She decided to go with the black lace Cavalli, which garnered reviews from “a little bit red-light district” to “easy and sexy.” Interesting for a gal who prefers sweats.)

Irritating moment: Four people insisted on standing up and swaying throughout the concert. While it’s perfectly understandable because of the music and their exuberance, it was downright irritating to the folks seated behind them, who were forced to stand just to see the stage.

Growing issue facing performers: At least one person in the audience was seen recording the entire concert on her iPhone, while scattered throughout the hall phone cameras were shooting Faith. Don’t think Faith’s agent would have taken very kindly to all this activity, but what’s a guy to do?

Following an encore and a SO, the VIP’s strolled back to McDavid Studio for a dessert party and the rest headed home.

Orchestrating all these concerts and parties were the five Action Team Honorary Co-chairs — Linda Cluck, Gene Jones, Laura Leppert, Rosie Moncrief, and Marianne Staubach along with their team of 111 female volunteers from North Texas.

Can’t wait to see what the fashion theme will be in May!

Co-hosts for the soirée include CW 33′s Roni Proctor, Dallas Morning News style master Jason Sheeler, and Kraddick Foundation – Kidd’s Kids and board chair Beaux Wellborn.

What can you expect? According to Resource Center’s Rafael McDonnell, how about –

Hosted by master of ceremonies Paul J. Williams and honorary event chair Hector Garcia, attendees will enjoy a night of fun, games, laughs and memories from the best movies of the year. Williams is an award-winning actor/comedian who has made his mark on scores of theater, cabaret and stand-up comedy stages across Texas, as well as New York City, Provincetown, Aspen, Key West and other cities. Garcia, a well-known Dallas restaurateur, also held a series of legendary Academy Award ©-watching parties in the 1980s and 1990s. They were held first at his home, then in Fair Park and finally the Lakewood Theater. At times, the parties also gathered food and donations for the Center’s food pantry. Garcia held the last of these parties in 2002.

By mid-February after DIFFA’s silent auction at Reunion Station, an uneasy rumor started making the rounds that the Queen would not be appearing after all. Surely not!

Before you could slam that rumormonger’s mouth shut, the rumor became reality . . . the Queen had to “cancel all March engagements.”

This “development” is a nightmare for any organization. Do you proceed with a Winspear full of people and no “big name” entertainment? or do you postpone? The DIFFA leadership evidently opted for the latter.

Checking with Queen L’s schedule, it seems that she didn’t cancel all of her March engagements.

Photo provided by GALT

Most of them are athletes whose best days and tracks are behind them. Despite their racy past, greyhounds are notorious for their loving and intelligent nature. Unfortunately, once their racing days are at an end, they are abandoned by handlers. Bob (pictured) is just three of the 55 greyhounds that is being cared for by the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.

While they wait for their “forever homes,” their caregivers are hosting The Greyt Gala Mardi Gras Dinner and Silent Auction this Saturday at Hackberry Creek Country Club.

Besides all the typical human frivolity, there’s going to be the naming of the king and queen of Greyt Mardi Gras. The voting is online, so why not pick out your idea of a grey royal?

Event co–chairs Debi Joynt and Shannon Forrest have arranged for humans of note to help raise funds for the GALT including MC/Emmy Award-winning sportscaster  John Rhadigan, actor Burton Gilliam, voice of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Followill, and former baseball greats Jose Guzman, Jack Lazorko and Mike Phillips.

Tickets are still available, but you better move like a greyhound to get on track.

BTW, if you can’t make it to the gala, think about adopting one former tracksters.