It’s challenging when your annual luncheon doubles in size and that’s what happened to LaunchAbility‘s “Expanding Worlds 2010” lunch Tuesday at the Fairmont. Last year’s event of 200, mostly gals, at the InterContinental Hotel for an onstage conversation of Elaine Agather, Linda Custard and Tincy Miller, grew dramatically. Instead of being north of LBJ in the intimate Malachite Room, this year’s venue was held straight in the heart of downtown Dallas at the Fairmont’s International Ballroom. In place of three proper ladies chatting, it was guys whom other guys just wish were their best friends — T. Boone Pickens, Emmitt Smith and Roger Staubach (pictured right with, from the left, T. Boone Pickens and Emmitt Smith).
The results — twice as many guests and many, many more men!
The VIP reception starting at 10:45 a.m. in a part of the International Ballroom proved to be a bit of a challenge. It appeared that everyone was a VIP and wanted to have their photos taken with Boone and Roger. Word had spread through the crowd that Emmitt “was running late” and wouldn’t be there til lunch started. Also, someone said that he would not be signing anything.
As the official event photographer hustled people through to have their official “grip and grin” photos taken with Boone and Roger, the two VIP’s cordially and good heartedly posed with one and all. The whole scene reminded one of high school prom photos without corsages.
On the sidelines, Ebby Halliday who came up with the idea of having “the triplets” for the star attraction sat smiling gleefully at the mass that had responded to her suggestion. That gal knows how to create a winning operation.
Former KXAS-CH. 5 anchor Mike Snyder was talking with friends about his involvement with American Airlines and the veterans program.
On the other hand, across the ballroom table hostess Ruth Altshuler was masterminding the arrangement of guests at her table by placing cards at each seat. Smart move on Ruth’s part. Recently luncheon and dinner guests have been complaining that after placing their materials at a certain seat at a table, they return only to find that other table guests have moved them to another seat. It happened at this event — several times at several tables. Gee, you would have thought the guests were preparing to go on a death march instead of to eat.
But all was soon forgotten when lunch began and a video presentation about LaunchAbility was partly shown. Alas, the tape stopped midway, but adlib expert/ emcee Scott Murray picked up the story without missing a beat. Who needs a video when you have Scott?
Also helping in the communications at the luncheon was signer Connie Miller (pictured), whose hands never stopped throughout the event.
Soon it was time for the Big Three to take to the stage. Before they took their seats, Roger got his hands on the two footballs that had been autographed by the three and auctioned off. Emmitt warned the hundreds of guests, “Folks, watch out. He is going to throw it.” And Roger did just that, twice. The first time caught some off guard. The second time set a covey of guests scrambling to catch it. The fellow who caught the ball put it neatly in an empty seat next to him with pride, only to have an event staffer retrieve it for the winning bidder.
Scott quipped, “Come to think of it, the Cowboys are in the market for a quarterback, Roger.” To which Roger responded : “I was trying to get warmed up for the Jacksonville game next week.”
The ball throwing naturally launched the conversation into the sports arena. Here are some highlights from the chat (pictured from the left, Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach and T. Boone Pickens):
On Dallas Cowboys’ Monday loss to the New York Giants –
- Roger: “Adversity reveals genius and prosperity conceals it. You find out the best in people in difficult times. So we’re going to find out, cuz these are difficult times.”
- Emmitt: “The only thing these guys can do is hang together as a team, continue to fight. We’ve gotta support them as much as we possibly can.”
- Boone (remarking about his being with George Strait at the game Monday night): “He’s a nice guy.” How’d George feel about the loss? “Same way I did—we were sick about it.”
On mentors –
Roger (pictured) : “Sister Aloysius. If I didn’t do my homework, she would take me in the back room and beat my head against the wall. Beginning of the concussions, I guess. Seriously: Henry Miller. Tom Landry.”
On Jerry Jones –
- Emmitt: “One of the toughest negotiators I ever met. A guy that would walk across Texas for five cents.”
On leadership –
- Boone: “If [a problem is] well-analyzed, 95% of the leadership is done for you.” It’s the ability to “fire. Not just aim, aim, aim.”
On something that people don’t know about you –
- Roger: “I’ve been e-mailing a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader for awhile.” (Reference to Brett Favre scandal.) Scott Murray to audience: “That’s a joke.”
On philanthropy –
Boone (pictured) : “I’m convinced the Lord put me here to make money and give it away. I used to be so rich, I was looking for places to give it away. Then slowed down the last couple of years. In fact I started saying to [former philanthropy recipients] two years ago, ‘If you could give me about $200,000 back, I could run it up to something great again.’”- Roger: “MY parents had nothing, but would do anything for anybody. We lived in Silverton, Ohio, and African Americans were moving into our neighborhood and getting static and I remember my mother ripping into the [critics]. She talked about putting yourself in the other person’s place. Said, we’re Christians. I was so proud of her.”
- Emmitt: “To whom much is given, much is required. It’s a Christian philosophy. Pat (his wife) and I try to create unique opportunities for kids.”
On favorite place if you could go wherever, what do? –
- Boone: “My Pampa, Texas, ranch. I love it there. It’s just a restful place to be. Causing a family problem now, though, because my wife wants to go to California.”
- Roger: “We have a place near Lake LBJ. But, wife and I took an anniversary trip to Paris a few years ago. Have talked about going back there again … with my wife!” [Not a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader? Scott jokes.] Roger: Marianne (his wife) ran off with her trainer six years ago. I’ve been dating Ebby since then. In fact, she just told me that I’m getting too old for her.”
Emmitt (pictured): “Thanksgiving is one of the best times for me. Every day for a week to be like Thanksgiving. It would make me extremely happy. Because I’d have all my family and friends and everybody around and nobody has nothing else to do. It’s like a long week, a long vacation. There is no stress. Plenty of food to eat. Plenty of games to play. Kids run around my house having a great time. Conversation going on. And that’s a special moment for me.”
Before anyone knew it, the conversation was a done deal and LaunchAbility CEO Cathy Packard (picture
d) was on stage to break two news items.
First she reported that on November 1, LaunchAbility Academy would be officially launched as a groundbreaking training program with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to allow adults with disabilities to have careers in the healthcare industry. She summed up the development as “The group moved a mountain to make this happen.”
Second, she revealed that the group’s annual “A Special Evening” gala would take place on April 26 at the Meyerson with Willie Nelson.
Next on the agenda: Getting Ebby to come up with next year’s “triplets.”
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