Auctioneer Mike Jones and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert

 

One of the best parties in Dallas took place on April 29, 2008 @ Gilley’s Dallas courtesy of the Episcopal School of Dallas. Donned in their cowboy hats, boots and finest western attire, the parents, teachers and guests of one of the cities premier private schools raised funds for the Parent Teachers Association and danced the night away to the music of country music traditionalist Clint Black.

The room was filled with Dallas notables and celebrity parents including Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, Dallas Cowboys, COO, Executive VP and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones, CBS football color commentator and former Cowboy fullback Daryl “Moose” Johnston and many others.

The evening kicked off with the Silent Auction and moved quickly to the Live Auction with Professional Auctioneer Mike Jones, President of United Country Auction Services presiding. No stranger to ESD, Jones a 30 year veteran of the fundraising scene in Dallas used his rapid fire chant to kick off the auction with a trip to Belize which fetched $5000 quickly followed by “His & Hers” Beretta shotguns that brought in $19,000. As Jones’ professional bid spotters excitedly worked the room, a trip to Puerto Vallarta sold for $17,500, Headmaster for the Day reeled in $22,000, a Ford Mustang autographed by designer and fellow Texan Carroll Shelby brought in $37,500 and a Ford F-250 donated by Rodeo Ford and represented by Dallas actor and Blazing Saddles Star Burton Gilliam sold for $42,000.

The Live Auction closed out with Jones selling $10,000 dollars worth of signature ESD Hot Sauce. The total for the Live Auction brought in well over $200,000 for the ESD Parent Teacher’s Association. Auction Chairman Gina Betts was ecstatic and remarked “the Live Auction went flawless and that’s why if I am chairing an event there is only one auction group working for me and that’s Mike Jones and his team”. Final numbers for the entire event were not available at press time but when asked how they thought things went, event Co-Chairs Kim Konradi and Bonnie Mahoney displayed their pleasure with big smiles and both gave a big thumb’s up.