As the countdown was well underway for the April 11th’s “Adventure in Time” topper at the Dallas Arboretum, the Mad Hatter’s patrons gathered at Dr. Rosemary and Medford McCoy’s stately home on March 6. While Honorary Chair Patty Dedman Nail was on her way to the party, Co-chairs Maggie Kipp and Shay Geyer were thrilled to reveal that Patty had become a $50,000 sponsor. Now, usually that would have automatically shot Patty to presenting sponsor level, but Patty insisted that it was strictly for support, and she didn’t need the klieg lights and titles. Being honorary chair was good enough for her.
Regarding the heady competition that is synonymous with the event, the addition of the “group award” was cheered. Kate Rose Marquez recalled how she and her posse won the Mad Hatter’s group award more than 10 years ago. The night before the event, the gals were gluing little horses, Texas flags and roses on their black cowboy hats.
Not so hat-focused was Rainey Fogiel. She has wedding bells chiming in her head. No, not for her. Rather dotter Natalie is marrying Neal Moon this summer. Don’t worry about holding the date unless you’re going to be in Monaco. That’s where the wedding is taking place. After all Rainey’s family is there, so it makes sense. As for Natalie’s wedding dress, that’s a done deal. Evidently, mom and daughter took Crawford Brock’s invitation to drop by Stanley Korshak after the St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon & Fashion Show. The dress was found!
But the Mad Hatter’s patron pasty wasn’t just gals chatting about fashion. In the living room, Brett Ringle and Medford were talking about Brett’s problem growing up. When he was just a lad living in Los Alamos, N.M., he was asked in class by his teacher what his dad did for a living. Brett said he didn’t know. The children’s answer didn’t pass muster, so his dad was called in to discuss the situation with the principal. Was the father in need of a job? Was the boy truly ignorant of his father’s livelihood?
No, his father didn’t need a job and there was a reason Brett didn’t have a clue as to what it was. His father, who was involved at the Los Alamos National Laboratory there, explained that it was classified information. Not only did his son not know what he did, the principal wasn’t going to find out either.
Interestingly, Brett recalled one of the toughest jobs his father had was to hire the janitorial crews. The sticky requirement was they be totally illiterate in all languages. The reason? That way there was no possibility of classified information thrown in the trash being discovered and leaked.
And, here you thought Mad Hatter types only talked about headwear.
Maggie Kipp says
Thank you, Jeanne – thanks to Patty Dedman Nail and our other amazing sponsors 25th Anniversary Mad Hatter’s Tea is almost sold out and we’re on way to record funds returned to the Dallas Arboretum. Wow!! Rosemary and Medford McCoy were so generous to host us at their lovely home – the bright, whimsical colors were perfect Mad Hatter’s Tea look!