While the Dallas skyline glowed in France colors just 24 hours after the massacre in Paris, the air of the Perot Museum’s courtyard on Saturday, November 14, was filled with propane as fire-juggling performers welcomed guests to the Night at the Museum fundraiser.
After all it was a night of Illumination with faux jellyfish suspended from the ceiling in the entry hallway and a universe of stars at the VIP reception in the lower level’s auditorium.
Event Co-Chairs Carrie and Steven Becker and Merry and Chad Vose had arranged for a glamorous planetarium with the walls and ceiling sparkling with dazzling stars and Wolfgang Puck food and drinks. Word had it that the goodies had also been served up at the Academy Awards.
The program was delayed because organizers were in a holding pattern for Honorary Co-Chairs Deedie and Rusty Rose. But the show had to go on. After all there are schedules.
Perot Museum Board of Directors Chair John Jaggers and Perot Museum Eugene McDermott CEO Colleen Walker welcomed the crowd and directed the VIP guests to the third floor for the “unveiling” of Ellie Mae.
Taking the express elevators to the third floor, the group was privy to the uncurtaining of the display of Ellie, a female Columbian mammoth.
Unlike the big boy mammoth standing on the fifth floor, Ellie was flat but floating across from the elevator.
While the Dallas Morning News had a story about Ellie Mae, guests learned the behind-the-scene story and the high profiles who were part of the chain that brought her to the big city.
So, what was the story? A friend of Mary McDermott Cook called her about something of interest in Ellis County. Mary in turn called Perot Museum Board Member Carolyn Perot Rathjen, who called Colleen.
At this point Colleen would have had Perot Curator of Earth Sciences Dr. Tony Fiorillo in Ellis Country, but he was in Alaska searching for new acquisitions. So, staff paleontologist Dr. Ron Tykoski was drafted to journey with Colleen on a Saturday to check out the “the supposed discovery.”
Well, sure enough it was the real thing. All thanks to the drought and the property owner’s patience, the Perot team dug, brushed and prepared the skeleton for delivered to Colorado for mounting.
When asked how they knew the mammoth was a female, Tony diplomatically explained that in measuring the pelvis, it was declared to be a lady mammoth.
And why the name? Colleen and Tony gave each other a smile. They were really ready for that one. The bones had been discovered in “Ellis” County in the month of “May.” Oh!
Colleen told the crowd of VIPs that the collection of bones was truly remarkable because it was as if the mammoth had just laid down and died without being ravaged by other animals or swept away by the elements. Why, event her tail curled under her.
And what was the cause of her death? Gee, that was something like a 35,000-year-old CIS. Ron hinted that specks of infection had been spotted in a couple of place in her bones.
As Ellie looked at rest in her new digs, the 1,200 guests partied throughout the entire Perot with activities, music, food and news exchanging. Linda Hart laughed at how Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg kept hugging husband Mitch Hart at the Dallas Opera’s First Night…Elizabeth Robertson told David Nichols that she would not be taking the Perot’s escalator. She was still shaking off the fact that she had returned from Paris and its terrorist attack… Lyda Hill with a glowing ring explained to Ross Perot the layout at one of the food stations…Newlyweds Tierney Kaufman Hutchins and Jared Hutchins just back from their honeymoon were with Rachel and Michael Osburn…Mayor Mike Rawlings in black tie was making the rounds without his First Lady Micki Rawlings, who had other family commitments…Co-Chair Merry Vose told Sharron Hunt that she had spotted her starry dress in Paris and told them it was hers no matter the size. That’s why there are tailors!