10-year-old Julia Brown with Amy Vanderoef.16-year-old Averi Moya with Mitch Gaylord.7-year-old Jordan McDowell with Miss Texas America.11-year-old Juan Lopez with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and Rowdy.9-year-old Julissa Garcia with Jocelyn White.10-year-old Brady Pampilonia with Kliff Kingsbury.9-year-old Laura Beth Rote with Brianna Kiesel.6-year-old Rina Cantrell with Jane McGarry.6-year-old Jackson Houser with Morris Claiborne.

16-year-old Sabeen Wazir with Jake Pavelka.13-year-old Andrew Russell with Kaitlyn Wade.In his stead, Dallas Fire Department #19’s Jerry Hooker, Michael Wolfe, Derrick Brouhard and John Keeler walked the runway holding his photo.Īt this point, Scott introduced KDFW’s Clarice Tinsley to introduce the other cancer-surviving children and their celebrity escorts, including: Unfortunately, 5-year-old Flick Blevins was under the weather and couldn’t make the event. 8-year-old Trip Rowley with Brandon Carr.11-year-old Keamus Bryant with Medieval Times Red Knight.11-year-old Maxwell Matlock with members of the Dallas SWAT.5-year-old Kamryn Rakestraw with Jim Stroud.7-year-old Corbin Glasscock with Terrance Williams.13-year-old Carsyn Sapp with Sunny Malouf.9-year-old Myles Allison with Jason Garrett.12-year-old Mercedes Howdeshell with Tara Pavlock and Ashleigh Panelli.As Rog, Troy et al left the stage, emcee Scott Murray arrived at the podium to introduce the Children’s Cancer Fund artists and their celebrity escorts including Under the direction of special events producer Rhonda Sargent Chambers, not a moment was lost for the fashion show of Dillard’s kiddo clothes. (Quipped Roger afterward: “I’d trade my Heisman for a voice like that.”) Roger Staubach and Troy Aikmanįollowing Lisa’s and Giora’s personal testimonials about each of their reasons for undertaking the fundraiser, Tom Gilchrist sang a capella the Lord’s Prayer. The exchange between Rog (this was his 28th CCF appearance) and Troy (it was his 20th) proved their ongoing commitment to battling children’s cancer as well as their mutual respect and friendship for each other. Serving as background for the stage were mega scenes straight from “The Wizard of Oz,” including the yellow brick road leading through the field of poppies to the city of Oz.įirst on stage were Roger and Troy, joined by Lisa with Emme Nees and Giora with son Jack Barker. All around were tables with folks like presenting sponsor Anne Davidson, Cindy Turner, Suzy Gekiere, Patti Flowers, Tanya and Pete Foster, Mary Meier, Betty Turner and Mary Poss. Inside the ballroom, it appeared as if the Emerald City of Oz had indeed taken up residence, with a stage for the Emerald City band at one end and the presentation stage with runway at the other. The mention of Benihana set off a memory for Clay, who remembered how in the early days, Chase’s birthdays were celebrated there.Īll too soon the VIPs adjourned to join the hundreds of others checking out the silent auction in the Chantilly Ballroom reception area just as the ballroom doors were opened. And speaking of mustaches, Cooley dad Clay recalled that when he and wife Lisa met, he also had a mustache and long hair.Īnother dad in the crowd was Ben Lange, sans son/T-shirt entrepreneur Luke Lange, who was at Benihana for a birthday. Has a date been set? Nothing definite yet, but April 2017 is looking good. In another part of the room Bela Pjetrovic and mustachioed Chase Cooley were being congratulated on their recent engagement. She admitted that after making the rounds of the park with the grand-kids, the adults were worn out. Over to the side, Marianne Staubach reported that they had just returned from Disneyland with daughter Amy Mentgen and her kids. Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Dorothy and Tin Man In the meantime, the older high-paying kids were in the Peacock Room for the VIP meet-and-greet with Honorary Co-Chairs Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach. As the girl from Kansas and her pals welcomed more than 900 guests at the Anatole, the munchkin artists and models were hunkered down in the Wedgwood Room with makeup being applied, hair curled and partying. Still word has it that it was a record breaker.īut from the beginning of the night, it was obvious that more than Dorothy’s red slippers had been clicking for wishes to come true. And the only thing missing was the horse of a different color! And the decision to move it worked, because the evening’s net … oops, can’t reveal it because the board is keeping that number under wraps. Instead of a luncheon, Event Co-Chairs Giora Barker and Lisa Cooley moved it to nighttime with “An Evening In Oz” as the theme. Unlike years past, this year’s Children’s Cancer Fund annual fundraiser for Children’s Health took on a different spin on Friday, April 22.

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