Now for the good news. This Saturday’s “Walk for Literacy & Education Fair” will continue on despite rotten weather. It’s going to take place at Fair Park starting at 9. You’ve got that worried look on your face. Relax. There’s a backup plan! It’ll take place in the Coliseum.

Now for the dry activities scheduled throughout the day hosted by Charles Haley, Derrick “DJ” O’Hara Johnson, and Kelvin Edwards:

• 5K Walk
• Karaoke competition with $600 cash prize
• Storytelling
• American Diabetes Association will provide information on children’s and adults’ obesity
• Methodist Hospital will screen for prostate cancer, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar for men
• The Agricultural Extension will provide nutrition and food facts
• Carter Blood Mobile will be accepting blood donations
• Storytelling
• Presentation and book signing of Stoplight Phonics by author Nikisha Jackson, a multi-sensory early reading readiness kit which has been awarded the “2010 Mom’s Choice Gold Award”
• Housing and Urban Development and several mortgage companies will discuss home buying, avoiding foreclosures, and rental assistance
• Deborah Dennis, author of of The Road to Credit Repair, will be signing her book
• Saxophonist Jeff Aycock
• Mini-flea market with vendors selling arts and crafts

“Walk for Literacy” will  benefit the TOY (Teacher of the Year) Foundation, a non-profit organization that commends educators from the southern sector of the Dallas Independent School District; provides students with scholarships to Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and offers grant funding to select teachers to continue to inspire and improve their educational strategies.

Before you even walked into the Dallas Trade Mart for the Limbs For Life’s “Roaring 20′s” gala Saturday night, you realized that these party guests redefined costume parties and the whole stereotype of helpless amputee. There was no valet parking and almost all the handicapped parking spaces were empty. No, this group needs no help with their vehicles or getting from point A to point B. In other words, leave the morose attitude behind because Limbs For Life can “shake a leg” and have a great laugh doing it.

But that was only the beginning. Upon entering the Mart, you truly felt like you had returned to Prohibition, flappers, and Valentino (as in Rudolph). Let’s face it: Costume parties usually are a bust. Typically, one or two innocents don a homemade outfit and feel foolish all night, while everyone else is in street wear. Nope, not with LFL-ers.

Just to enter LFL’s “speakeasy” with its silent auction action, gaming tables, open bars, and vast dining tables, you had to know the password to get by the two bouncer-type doormen. Did we see a twinkle in their eyes when we messed up the password?

But once inside it was a “real class joint.”  We’re not talking no blind pig .

Chances are you didn’t see LFL ringleader Doug Brooks (pictured) before you heard him. Dressed as a Boston policeman, the Brinker International CEO loudly proved there was nothing wrong with his lungs and he blew his whistle throughout the evening. He hustled around the ballroom greeting everyone as an old friend. When asked about his state-of-the-art, $45,000 bionic leg, he pulled up his pant leg and showed it off with a big old smile. In the world of prosthesis, Doug’s leg is a Ferrari. It can do practically everything except cook Old Timers.

But Doug is the first to admit that he is one of the lucky ones. Without hesitation he’ll tell you about the 7,700 amputees who have been provided prostheses by LFL since its establishment in 1995.  Thanks to the $400,000 raised at the night’s gala, Doug reported that 150 people would receive new arms and legs.

Then before it got too serious, Doug blew his whistle and was off to greet and/or arrest others like Weston “Newsie” Bryan (pictured), who had a Dallas Morning News rolled up in his back pocket.

Luckily, Doug didn’t have to handcuff him, but he headed in another direction blowing his whistle.

Then there were Elizabeth Rivas and Yessenia Garcia (pictured right with Elizabeth), who redefined flappers in their outfits that they found in a vintage costume shop in Plano. Who knew that Plano had anything older than yesterday?

Doug’s son Taylor Brooks in his black and white shirt, white braces and too-cute-to-be-a-gangster attire has attended the annual gala ever since his Dad lost his leg. This time he brought Houstonian fifth-grade teacher Caroline Magruder (pictured with Taylor) in her “sparkly” outfit. When asked if she was a flapper, Taylor chuckled, “She’s flappy.”

Then it was time for the guests to take their seats for dinner. But before that took place a lone man was seen onstage with spotlights focused on him. It was Craig Gavras (pictured), executive director and co-founder of Limbs For Life. Was he going to greet the crowd of 500? He looked so alone and serious on stage with the spotlights bearing down on him. It didn’t fit with the frivolity of the night. He tried to get the crowd’s attention, but they were having too much fun. He tried again and again. Finally he looked down and tried one last time without stopping. The crowd went silent. He told them that years ago he had erred by misleading a few people with a story about being a Dallas police officer and losing his leg at the hands of a mob. This story was not true. However, it took on a life of its own and Craig admitted that he was wrong not to have stopped it. Choking back tears, he apologized to his family, his friends and to the people of Limbs For Life.

Earlier in the evening Doug had admitted that when Dallas Morning News reporter Tanya Eiserer called him just a couple of days before asking about Craig. Doug just thought she was doing a profile perhaps in connection with the gala. Then she asked if Doug knew how Craig had lost his leg. He replied that he didn’t and recommended that she ask Craig herself. She then shared with Doug the story that she had been investigating. Her story broke Saturday morning.

Doug said that he had had an hour-long talk with Craig the afternoon of the gala and had accepted his apology.

So it was for the crowd listening to Craig. They took in his sackcloth address and accepted it with a standing ovation led by Toni Brinker (pictured).

Then Craig left the stage, the spotlights dimmed and dinner was served.

After dinner the parade of merrymaking organizers, with Holly “Flaming Red Flapper” Brooks (pictured) in the lead, strutted down the main aisle with policeman Doug blowing his whistle and hustling them along. Once on stage, he warmed up the crowd with typical Doug Brooks humor. Example: “You have all these illegal activities (here tonight): prostitution, drinking, gambling. Sounds a lot like a Saturday night at Chili’s!”

Then on a more serious note, it was revealed that Limbs For Life would be working with Haiti to help with the multitude of people who lost arms and legs in the recent earthquake.

Interesting fact: When one dies or has their prosthesis replaced, the old prosthesis cannot be “recycled” for use in the U.S. due to health regulations. However, Limbs For Life is able to provide them for use in other countries, making an incredible difference for those in great need.

Then it was on with the show including the keynote speaker motocross racer Chris Ridgway and recognition of adorable Connor Karow.

Last Tuesday at SMU, the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance joined forces with the Memnosyne Foundation Center for Interfaith Inquiry to discuss “History That Moves Texans Forward.” The purpose was to explore the thinking behind the newly-established Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission.

According to organizers,

“the commission is significant because by law, the commission — considered the most important development in Holocaust education in Texas in years — is to help preserve information and experiences of the Holocaust and other genocide events.”

The commission is slated to work with organizations, agencies, museums, survivors, and liberators to preserve and provide information and experiences, as well as coordinate memorial events within the state.

Photo by Steve Foxall

Our own State Sen. Florence Shapiro co-sponsored the commission’s legislation and was part of the panel that included Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission Chairman Peter Berkowitz, Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance Museum Director Elliott Dlin, and University of Dallas Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Amy Fisher-Smith (pictured right with, from the left, Memnosyne Foundation founder Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk, Berkowitz, Rena Pederson, Shapiro, and Dlin.)

Texas Tribune Editor/CEO Evan Smith was originally scheduled to moderator the panel, but that snowstorm that missed Dallas hit Austin and prevented Evan from attending. Luckily, journalist/author/Communications Director for the National Math and Science Initiative Rena Pederson stepped in at the last moment to fill Evan’s shoes.

That is where a question must be raised. The Dallas Morning News revealed Saturday morning that Craig simply made up the story to impress a fellow amputee in 1996. As Craig helped grow LFL, he made public appearances and the media picked up on the “mob” incident via research. Craig did not deny it. Over the years, people were advised that Craig preferred not to discuss the incident. This “preference” only added to the mystique of Craig’s loss. One cannot help but wonder if doors and budgets weren’t opened to him because of his “silent courage” regarding his victimization at the hands of a mob. (What mob? The only mob in Dallas is the crush of people trying to get into Best Buy on Black Friday.)

But perhaps even greater than Craig’s lost limb is the shadow cast on the actual good that has been achieved since his co-founding Limbs For Life. There are thousands of men, women, and children who have been provided with prostheses thanks to Limbs For Life since its founding in 1995. These great accomplishments are still in place. However, the pristine reputation of the organization has been tainted, not destroyed.

Lessons Learned From This Situation

1. Don’t give life to a lie. Craig’s embellishment of the truth years ago took on a life of its own through his silence.
2. If a lie is birthed, kill it immediately by owning up to the truth and apologizing to those affected by it. Craig admits that his silence over the years let the lie continue and appear to be the truth.
3. Don’t compound the original lie with follow-up lies. There is a reason for Sir Walter Scott‘s “Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise (sic) to deceive!”
4. Don’t complain about the media’s behavior. While it may be true that the media tends to get into a frenzy mode, it’s only feeding on what you’ve provided. Plus, you’ll make an even greater foe that will continue to hound you.
5. As painful as it was for Craig to admit publicly and to be showcased in a newspaper article that will live forever, he must be greatly relieved that his dirty little secret is finally out in the open.

When Craig started his life of a fib, it was a different world. Today in this day and age of Internet accessibility to information, lies can easily be uncovered. If you have lied, correct it immediately without being “caught.” Yes, your lie will color your reputation, but Americans are a very forgiving people. If you immediately admit your mistake and walk the straight and narrow, they will eventually embrace you and give you a second chance. If you allow the lie to live and deny it’s being a lie, your betrayal will never be forgiven nor forgotten.

Finally, there are those who have described the source of Saturday’s DMN article as a disgruntled former Dallas police officer. Let’s take a deep breath and admit something. If you were a member of the force and heard that someone was claiming to have been one of the brotherhood who had suffered loss in an act of duty, you’d probably be pretty disgruntled, too. There are unfortunately too many officers who have truly suffered harm and death honorably to have someone weasel their way into this group. This officer did what Craig should have done years ago — kill a lie and let the truth live.

Perhaps Craig might consider apologizing to the Dallas Police Department, too.

“We created Thursday ‘Neighborhood Night’ as a way to treat Uptowners with ZaZa style and offer them an intimate and relaxed atmosphere where friends can meet; enjoy excellent food and service; creative entertainment and the best of company,” said Noel Rodriguez, Hotel ZaZa general manager.

And how does this reduce the January guilt factor? The staff has arranged for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to host the debut night on January 14. Proceeds from a silent auction and raffle will benefit CF.

So, what’s with all this Kansas stuff? Well, that’s where Sally and Forrest were attending college when Sally’s sister set her up on a blind date with Forrest “Punky” Hoglund (pictured), who also played on KU’s baseball team among other things. The date evidently was successful despite Forrest arriving an hour early, for they were married the summer following graduation in 1956. Like many struggling young couples in the 50′s and 60′s, they knew life in garage apartments and making many moves (Refugio, Dallas, Houston, Connecticut, New York City, etc.) per orders from “the company.” In this case, the company was Humble (today’s ExxonMobil). But the efforts paid off with friends made throughout the country, Forrest’s being named the company’s youngest VP in its history, and the Hoglunds having three gorgeous daughters (Kelly, Shelly, and Kristy). Eventually, Forrest became president of Texas Oil and Gas, chairman of EOG Resources, Chairman of the Board of Forest Oil Corporation and SeaOne Maritime Corporation.

It was in 1989 that Sally (pictured with past Spirit recipient Linus Wright) and Forrest made a decision that Forrest claims brought the “family closer together” — the creation of the Hoglund Foundation. Through the foundation, this multi-generation family effort set out to promote interests and entities in education, health science and services, social services, and children’s health and development in Dallas and Houston. Perhaps that’s why Dallas and Houston bicker about claiming rights to the Hoglunds.

But that’s not to say they’ve ignored KU by a long stretch.  In fact KU baseball coach Rich Pricealong with the Jayhawks mascot Big Jay showed up at the luncheon to update the audience on the Hoglunds’ support of the school (i.e. Hoglund Brain Imaging Center, Hoglund Ballpark, KU First Capital Campaign, University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, etc.). Rich also added, “I was not the coach at KU when Forrest was there.”

Then George regained control of the mike and turn the attention to Sally, who was born on the same day at Elvis Presley. May not seem like a big deal when it was mentioned, but it signaled  a cloned Elvis singing on stage with rock ‘n rollers dancing up a storm. At this point, the entire head table including Baylor Health Care System’s head man Joel Allison, Senior Source Chairman of the Board Becky Bright, Rev. Dr. Kevin D. Huddleston, Luncheon Chair Anne Motsenbocker, and Corporate Chair Larry Wilson were all smiles.

Then it came time to get down to business. Anne and Larry took over for George and reviewed the numerous accomplishments and philanthropic efforts that the couple had supported together and as individuals — The Family Place, Dallas Institute for Humanitities and Culture, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Alzheimer’s Association, The Chiapas Project, Community Partners of Dallas, Dallas Heritage Village, Easter Seals, The Family Place and its Partners Card program, The Women’s Home, Casa de Esperanza,Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Nature & Science in Dallas, Reasoning Minds, and many more.

And true to form, Sally and Forrest kept their remarks brief and mixed with humor:

Sally — “As John Adams (the local one) said, ‘A senior is anyone who is five years older than you.’”

Forrest as he brushed away a tear — “I’m a crier. Yup, me and George H.W. Bush are criers.”

Before checking on the crowd at the luncheon, here are some interesting notes about the condition of seniors:

• 50% of seniors living in senior care facilities are never visited by anyone.
• The Senior Source serves over 30,000 individuals each year.
• The number of seniors and their needs is growing as the baby boomers approach their 60′s and 70′s.
• The Senior Source provides: Elder Support Program, Guardianship and Money Management Program, Nursing Home Ombudsman Program, Advocacy Group for Elders, Senior Companion Program, Foster Grandparent Program and RSVP, the clearinghouse for volunteer activities for older adults.

Around the room the following scenes were taking place: Anne Motsenbocker (pictured) reminded the audience that one way to be “sold on old” was to make a $100-donation to The Senior Source, which ”is less than one Botox treatment.” This gal knows how to play hardball. What a lovely way of nudging! . . .Randi Halsell swore this fundraising luncheon would be her last for the season. Why, oh, why, do we doubt her?. . . Bundle of energy Barbara Sypult was getting congratulated on her successful individual underwriting efforts for the luncheon. . . .Mary Poss was having a one-on-one table-top conversation with past Spirit of Generations recipient Ebby Halliday. . .Lydia Novakov had her hands full herding the senior generation of Haggars to their table including Isabell and Joe Haggar, Rosemary Haggar Vaughan (pictured with her brother Joe), and Patti Haggar. . . .Mary Ann Fitzpatrick was describing plans for Thanksgiving dinner for a mere 18 at her home. Husband Bob was debating the war of words — Kindle or a Sony Reader or wait until Apple comes out with an electronic reader? Bob, make up your mind. Santa is taking orders now! . . . Joyce and Linus Wright were making the rounds at the reception, as were Lindalyn Adams and Caroline Rose Hunt.

Sponsors of the event were:

• Premier Underwriters ($50,000) — Baylor Health Care System, David B. Miller Family Foundation, and Carolyn and David Miller
• Platinum Underwriter ($25,000) — Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Gold Underwriters ($15,000) — Susan and Laurence Hirsch (The Hirsch Family Foundation) and The Hoglund Foundation
• Silver Underwriters ($10,000) — Susie & John L. Adams, Atmos Energy, Ben E. Keith Company, Eagle Materials Inc. and American Gypsum Co., J.P. Morgan and Chase, Neiman Marcus, and The Rosewood Corporation
• Bronze Underwriters ($5,000) — Anonymous,  Liz and Ken Allen, Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Altshuler, EmyLou and Jerry Baldridge/Mimi and Ward Huey, The Beck Group, Mrs. Trammell Crow, Darr Equipment Co., Martha and T.D. Dickey Jr., ExxonMobil, First Southwest/PlainsCapital Bank, Frost, Suzy and Larry Gekiere, Glazer’s Distributors, Mr. and Mrs. William J. Goodwin, Haynes and Boone LLP, Gail and Bill Plummer, Candy and Max Post, Annette and Harold Simmons, Texas Instruments, Trinity Industries Inc., and Nancy and Larry Wilson
• Benefactors ($3,500) — Baker Botts L.L.P., Bank of Texas, Kay & Elliot Cattarulla, Classic Residence by Hyatt in Dallas, Comerica Bank-Texas, Ebby Halliday Realtors, Margie and Ray Francis, Judy and Jim Gibbs, J.M. Haggar Jr. Family Foundation, Hunt Consolidated Inc./ Hunt Oil Company, Dorothy Kennington, KPMG LLP, Mike A. Myers Foundation, Solana and Associates P.C., Mary and Mike Terry, and WRR Classical 101.1 FM.

So, she pulled a rabbit out of her hat, or make that the Erma Bombeck of Texas — Louise Bayless Parsley. Haven’t heard of her? Well, check with the 1,000+ that attended the Monday night event. By the time this never-had-a journalism-course author had had her way with the Dallas book lovers, Mary’s absence was totally forgotten.

But let’s start at the beginning of the evening.

First on hand were too-adorable-for-words and too-good- looking-to-be-real Mandi and George P. Bush (pictured) who warmed up the crowd with the earlier day’s activities and introduced former President George W. Bush.

 As he entered the stage, the audience gave him a SO. He said that he had just left his job as a greeter at Elliot’s and had nothing to do, so his mom invited him over. Evidently former First Lady Laura Bush was out of town, so the poor guy really was looking for something to do. He then introduced Barbara and former President “Big George” Bush(pictured), who with the assistance of a cane ambled on in and the crowd leapt to their feet again. Barbara then revealed that the event had earned $900,000 for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. This figure joins the $34M that over 700 organizations have received to help literacy in this country. Read it and weep with happiness!

(BTW, if anyone is keeping score, there were three George Bushes in the room. So to make things easier, we’ll describe them as Big George, W, and P. If you need further assistance, grab a grownup.)

Then Barbara introduced one of the thousand beneficiaries of the Foundation’s efforts — Johanna Betancourt, who eloquently told of her growing up in Columbia, a child of activists. Her family came to the U.S. in 2005 with nothing. Unable to speak English or get a job, the family started volunteering. Through this relationship, Johanna learned of a local family service group (one of the organizations supported through the BBFFL) and “My life changed.”

Today she reads to her 2 1/2-year old son, Santiago, and admitted that when he sits in his rocking chair reading a book, he “looks like a little old man.”

Quite frankly if that had been the whole program — three generations of Bushes and Johanna — everyone would have gone home thrilled.

But those were only the warm up acts. The authors were in the bull pen getting ready to razzle dazzle the crowd.

First up was the delicious Julia The House on First Street Reed (pictured), that Mississippi gal who cut her teeth with such publications as U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek Magazine. After covering former Gov. Edwin Edwards re-election, she decided to buy a house and moved to New Orleans just in time for a lady named Katrina to take over the Crescent City. With a true-blue southern accent the former Vogue writer managed to take this catastrophic event and make a sitcom out of it. Hearing Julia talk almost made you want to pack up the family and move to NO just to have her as a neighbor. For instance, her story about her friend “Bob” who weathered the entire storm. Wanna hear about it? You’ll have to get the book.

Next was Jeff  The China Diary Engel who admitted to the crowd that he and Big George had had an ongoing change of minds about his role in the Bush’s journal during his tenure in China. The former president insisted that Jeff was the author and Jeff claimed that he was simply editor. He went on to explain how presidents’ journals are fairly commonplace while they’re in office. However, it is a rare find to have a diary of a president before he took over the Oval Office. The Bush diary was not  just kept during his assignment in China and before he was president, but also at a time when the U.S.’s place in the international theater was on the front row — the fall of Vietnam, the opening of China to the rest of the world, etc. At one point with Big G sitting on the front row, you sorta felt like you were observing a conversation between Jeff and his diarist writer.

Then Bar stepped up to the mike and notified the assembled group of Mary TM’s not being able to attend the event. Her delivery was to the point and her audience didn’t quiver. There was not an “aw, shucks” heard anywhere. Perhaps a couple of raised eyebrows, but this group was too gracious to let their hosts know of any disappointment. Then the white-haired Bush matriarch explained that she had been fortunate to get a writer from Houston to sub in for MTM. “That was nice,” thought the Dallas gathering — a Houstonian writer. Hmm, wonder if she’s going to go on about how great Houston is and how the city was named the #1 Texan a couple of years ago by a Dallas paper? The audience prepared itself to be polite with this Houstonian chattering to them.

Well, that line of thinking lasted a big old 15 seconds. They almost gave the keys to the city to Louise Bayless Parsley, author of Revelations in the Rearview Mirror: One Mother’s Hard-won and Hilarious Epiphanies on the Road to the Empty Nest. The woman is the 21st century Erma reincarnated. Quick example: She said that the problem with her marriage to “The Bob” (another Bob) was due to a breakdown in communication which started at the wedding when he said, “I do.”  Just as she prepared to walk off the stage, she pulled out a hat and tossed in the air as well as Mary would have done it.  Could someone tell Mayor Tom Leppert that instead of getting major corporations to move to Dallas, he needs to hop on Southwest down to Houston and cajole the Parsleys to relocate up here?

Next on the agenda was David True Blue Baldacci, who realized that he had a tough act to follow, but he mustered up the courage and endeared himself by telling about his fear of talking to another group — his five-year old daughter’s class. The tale resulted in his having a five-year old describe in uncomfortable detail a very personal story about her mother. Then the author of Absolute Power shifted the evening gears to a more serious note — the importance of literacy in this country. “We’re losing the battle against illiteracy.”  The Washington-based attorney-turned-author went on to say that ignorance and intolerance go hand in hand. It was a telling point in the evening and the whole reason for the event.

The final featured author was A.J. The Year of Living Biblically Jacobs who delivered a knock-out punch to the audience with stories about outsourcing his entire life for a month, a month of being radically honest (“The worst month of my life.”), following the 100 rules of life by George Washington (#2 on the list brought down the house), and a year of living according to biblical teachings. He admitted this last one was a bit of a challenge since, “I’m Jewish in  the same way that the Olive Garden is Italian.”  The audience was nearly falling out of their chairs at this point. They were already so sucker punched by the earlier authors, there just was no way to fend off the hilarious Jacobs.  He described his walking around NYC in biblical garb complete with walking staff and untrimmed beard for a year. A.J. advised them that there were certain parts of the Bible’s instructions that weren’t too bad. For instance, to be fruitful and multiply. With a grin, he confided that during that year he did just that and the Jacobs had twin boys. Then he admitted that he couldn’t figure out why the Bible instructed people not to wear mixed-fiber clothes. The final story was about his meeting an admitted adulterer in the park and providing him with an opportunity to follow the Bible’s teaching of stoning.

He concluded his talk with a gentle reminder that one of the most important Bible lessons that he took away from that year was the importance of giving back to the community.

Bar was back at the podium to introduce a surprise author — W. Like a dutiful son, he took to the stage and explained that his “memoirs” were still a work in progress and his publishers did not take kindly to his sharing them with the public at this point even if his mother wanted him to. So he read a brief tale of being born to college sophomore and a college dropout. Bar’s eyebrow raised. He went on to tell how he hadn’t been raised in a log cabin but rather a double wide complete with pink flamingos in the front yard. Bar was now looking around the room as if she didn’t know who the character on stage was. Certainly, no son of hers. He completed the segment with revealing that as a child his mother’s book reading to him had gotten rather slurred and her breath no longer smelled of Pepsodent but rather bourbon. . . straight from the bottle. Looking up from his notes, he looked at Bar and said, “Gotcha!” Mother Bear Bar nearly took her husband’s cane to thrash her son.

Gathering her composure after delivering a verbal slap on the wrist to W, Bar thanked the audience and invited them to a “light supper” in the lobby. Now, light in our household is half an apple, a wedge of cheese, and some saltines. But we’re talking the hospitable Bushes. It was a delicious salad of sliced steak and a jumbo shrimp and veggie but no broccoli!

As the 1000+ left the Meyerson, bookworms and book browsers felt like they had celebrated Thanksgiving just a wee bit early with Barbara Bush setting a feast for the mind, heart, and soul.

Now, go out and read a book!

Pop music icon Smokey Robinson sang in Dallas Saturday because of Marilyn Augur. A local philanthropist whose foundation benefits causes in DFW as well as in Africa, Augur (pictured) is a close friend of Florida-based Angie McNamara. McNamara, in turn, is tight with Russell Simmons, the hip-hop mogul who in 2007 founded a nonprofit called the Diamond Empowerment Fund, which supports education for poor people in African countries where diamonds are a natural resource.

So, when Augur attended a Simmons event in Florida awhile back, she and McNamara cooked up a plot to bring his big annual fundraiser for DEF to “philanthropy-minded” North Texas. The result: Saturday night’s Dallas Rocks 2009 Diamond Dinner and Pavé 009 Afterparty at Dallas’ historic Union Station. Attracting a crowd of around 550—and befitting a guy like Simmons (pictured), who must need to rent a storage unit for his Rolodex—the DEF bash had more star power than most.

There was Russell’s buddy Smokey (pictured), who wowed the crowd with classic tunes like “Tears of a Clown” and “Going to a Go-Go.” There were the Dallas-reared twin daughters of Laura and George W. Bush, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush (pictured, with Jenna at right and her husband Henry Hager). The 27-year-old sisters, who have both been active with UNICEF, were honored with the DEF’s Rising Star Empowerment Award. There was the evening’s Humanitarian Empowerment Award honoree Dikembe Mutombo, a former NBA star and native of the Congo whose foundation benefits that African nation. And there was Simmons’ pal actor Anthony Anderson (Detective Kevin Bernard on NBC’s Law & Order), who served as the evening’s emcee. Anderson (pictured, on the left with Mutombo) told the crowd: “Rest assured, nobody here tonight is under investigation! Tonight is about empowerment.”

So which bold-faced names helped do all the empowering, and what were they up to Saturday night? Neal L. Goldberg, CEO of Zale Corp., one of Dallas Rocks’ top sponsors, had fun referring to Russell Simmons as Richard Simmons. In “retaliation,” Anderson called the Zale honcho Neal Katzenberg. …Event co-chairs Heidi and Bill Dillon (she founded the Fashionistas fashion-education group) were last-minute no-shows, but for good reason. Heidi was summoned to Hollywood for a long-awaited meeting with the Bravo network, which is considering a reality-TV show about her group. But her table was well-represented Saturday with Fashionista types including Bri and Mike Crum (Bri is head of Heidi’s F2 group) and Mexico City-born beauty Bianca Fillio with Kirby Allison, the head of Dillon’s LimeLight group. Allison, by the way, told us that Fashionistas is about to move into a new, 2,000-square-foot space at South Side on Lamar. … Marilyn Augur, who was honored with the event’s Lone Star Empowerment Award, told us about how she persuaded the daughter of event co-chairs Angie and James McNamara to attend SMU’s Dedman School of Law, where Marilyn serves on the executive board. … Angie Barrett was also in the house. Her daughters Alana King and Whitney King were co-chairs of the afterparty, where big-deal DJ Cassidy was scheduled to spin. … Jenna Bush Hager revealed herself to be a reporter (well, a special correspondent for NBC’s Today show) who doesn’t believe in answering questions. We’d heard the twins had foregone another special event Saturday to attend Dallas Rocks, so we asked what the other event was. “I’m not going to get into that,” Jenna said curtly. Then we asked, jokingly, whether the twins’ dad had considered attending the Union Station bash. “Thank you very much,” Jenna chirped, walking away. “Bye-bye.”

The Bush daughters proved themselves good sports, though, by wearing two of the featured items for the evening’s live auction. Barbara modeled a pair of 2-carat Diamond Solitaire studs from Zales, valued at $11,995, which went at auction for $7,000. And Jenna had on the Africa’s Hope earrings by designer Evelyn Huang, valued at $19,000. They were snapped up for $7,500—by Russell Simmons himself. All the money raised Saturday went to two beneficiary organizations: CIDA City Campus, a virtually free college in Johannesburg, South Africa; and the African Leadership Academy, a two-year college prep school in South Africa with a student population drawn from 54 African nations.  

 The Dallas Rocks sponsors were: Zales (Gold Sponsor); Modern Luxury Dallas (Media Sponsor); Palomar Dallas (Hotel Sponsor); Grey Goose (Spirits Sponsor); W.J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd. (Wine Sponsor); American Airlines (Airline Sponsor); Hakim Sons Films (Video Sponsor); Wolfgang Puck Catering and Union Station (Venue Sponsor); Sutka Productions International Inc. (Event Design); Rebecca Hackel Events (Event Producer); Brown Partners (Print Producer); and The Richards Group (Graphic Design).

According to the Thanks-Giving Foundation, “By rededicating America to the great tradition of gratitude instituted by George Washington and restored during the darkest hours of the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln, President Gerald R. Ford brought healing and unity to our Nation out of the pain and divisiveness of the 60′s and early 70′s.

“President Ford’s commitment to national gratitude, in close collaboration with Thanks-Giving Square, was evidenced by his annual emphasis on the Presidential Proclamation of Thanksgiving and his declaration of the Chapel at Thanks-Giving Square as a ‘Major National Shrine.’

“Following his presidency, he served with enthusiasm, grace and dignity as the first Honorary President of the National Thanksgiving Commission at Thanks-Giving Square.”

Host committee for the event include:

Centennial Circle– The Peter P. Stewart Family

Circle of Gratitude– The Thomas W. and Lillian Kangerga Sowell Charitable Trust

Platinum– The Sam Wyly Family and the Charles Wyly Family

Gold– Ebby Halliday Acers, Louise Gartner, and Carol and Don Glendenning

Silver– Harriet Miers/Locke Lord Bissell & Lidell LLP and Susan and Alan Steelman

Past recipients have included Dr. Ken Cooper, Norman Brinker, Dee and Charles Wyly, Ebby Halliday Acers, Harriet Miers, Ambassador Anne Legendre Armstrong, and Louise Gartner.