WFAA’s Ron Corning was having a busy lunch week. On Tuesday, September 22, he emceed KidneyTexas Inc.’s Runway Report at Brook Hollow. With guests being greeted at the front door by event producer Jan Strimple starting at 10:30, they discovered the silent auction in the reception area.
When the guests took their places, Ron introduced Luncheon Co-Chairs Donna Arp Weitzman and Mary Lee Cox, who introduced the honorary co-chairs (Robin and Norm Bagwell, Liz Minyard Lokey, Gretchen Minyard Williams and Vinette and Michael Montgomery), the honorees (Dr. Michel Baum, Dr. Jim Brugarolas, Dr. Richard Dicerman, Rabbi William Gershon, Dr. Goran Lintmalm, Mark Leman and Dr. Henry Quinones) and Sue Goodnight Service Awardees Isabell Haggar, Patty Jo Turner and Rosemary Haggar Vaughan.
Congregation Shearith Israel Rabbi William Gershon, who received a kidney in April 2014, told of the life-changing/saving experience that others in the audience could relate to.
It was then time for a fashion show of clothes from St. John, Tootsie’s, Carla Martinengo and Vintage Martini. One of the more revealing outfits raised the chatter level, whereupon Ron spontaneously commented that guest/car dealer Clay Cooley was so uncomfortable that he reached down to tie his shoes…only he was wearing cowboy boots.
On the other hand, he was unable to prevent KidneyTexas President Therese Rourk‘s daughter Courtney Rourk from falling backstage from the steps. Luckily she wasn’t hurt and bounced back up.
As the last of the parade of models left the stage, auctioneer Louis Murad conducted the live auction of six items, two of which Louis was able to sell twice. No wonder it made Donna and Mary Lee smile as trips to the Masters Golf Tournament, a dinner for 25 at Mesero Restaurant and a Bachendorf diamond-and-gold bracelet brought in the ca-ching.
Ron brought back Rabbi Gershon to the stage, at which time he told of the need for funding kidney programs. He backed his comments reeling out the numbers of people dying each day waiting on a kidney transplant and the lack of dialysis machines.
By 1 p.m., the guests like Jan Osborn, Yvonne Crum, Lisa Cooley, Doris Jacobs, Kay Hammond, Katy and Lawrence Bock, Marj Waters and Lynn Dealey were in need of food as they moved to their assigned seating.
For Ron, this luncheon was a snap. A greater challenge lay a couple of days ahead. More about that later.
* Photo credit: Jan Osborn