Who would stay put when fire alarms are going off and a voice over the PA announces there has been a fire reported within the building? A load of lawyers and friends who had come to honor Haynes and Boone’s Mike Boone.
While the hundreds attending the Bishop Dunne event in another part of the Hilton Anatole Tuesday night heeded the flashing lights and warnings, the Robert S. Folsom Award Dinner guests
like Allie Beth and Pierce Allman, Doris and Jack Jacobs, Debbie and Jim Francis, Steve and Marilyn Mansfield, Nancy Ann and Ray Hunt, Gale and Jerry Sliger, and former mayor/award namesake Robert Folsom‘s clan led by Steve Folsom, didn’t budge. Heck, they didn’t even look concerned.
Instead they talked about Hurricane Sandy hitting the northeast coast, the presidential election and tried to guess who the “surprise emcee of the night” would be.
Thanks to Methodist Health System Foundation President April Box Chamberlain, the eight-year-old fundraiser has gotten to be a surprise package for the honoree and the guests.
A couple of years ago Mark Cuban emerged from the back of the ballroom in shades and a baseball cap to emcee Pat and Emmitt Smith. Last year it was Karl Rove for Trevor Rees-Jones.
This year it was an intro by former first couple Laura and George W. Bush, who announced that Karen Hughes would be mistress of ceremonies.
But before Karen’s name was even mentioned, it was obvious that Mike’s longtime ties to Dallas were a centerpiece for the night. From the bagpipers and kilted dancer on the drum to mammoth photos of Highland Park High School and SMU, Mike’s roots were definitely showing.
Perhaps this was because his old SMU buddy, Fred Hegi, was the man responsible for the night that set a record-breaking amount of $1.45 million raised for Methodist’s neurology department.
Mike and Fred go back to their days at SMU and have had a running joke about who is taller. Let’s just say that neither were ever recruited for professional basketball.
And speaking of sports, Mike’s golf game was ripe for poking. From the well-done video to the in-person comments at the podium, it became apparent that Mike’s talents are better placed in the courtroom than on the golf course.
The Perry Mason-style video in a faux courtroom pitted Mike’s law partner George Bramblett defending Mike against Texas State Representative/Winstead’s Dan Branch (aka Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala honorary chair, father of the Idlewild Club president, big-time underwriter of the Blondes vs. Brunettes, and many other things), who could only find Mike guilty of being dangerous with a driver and driving a golf cart.
Despite all the ribbing and a couple of songs by a faux Buddy Holly, Mike rose to the occasion, spreading appreciation to all. First on the list was wife, Marla, then his kids, his friends and all present.
Then telling the group that he still had two minutes allotted to him, the respected attorney who has never known less than a 24-hour day, eloquently said that any of his achievements were the result of his parents. Then he announced that he was accepting the award on their behalf.
What else would one expect from a Robert S. Folsom awardee?
Jan says
Nobody is more deserving than Mike Boone!