Our luncheon in Austin, Texas on May 29, 2002 at the Four Seasons Hotel with First Lady Laura Bush was a Howling Success!  Texas’ favorite Top Dogs and dignitaries from as far away as Viet Nam attended our benefit! 

At high noon, Kinky unleashed our fun event by barking to the crowd, “Folks, it’s been a financial pleasure.  We raised a hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, but unfortunately we have spent a hundred and twenty-four thousand on the Yogurt Drizzle dessert!” 

The entertainment would have won any ‘Best in Show!’  Little Jewford (Jeff Shelby) serenaded the crowd on the piano as our vegetarian dinners were served.  Steve Fromholtz cracked up the crowd with his vegetarian remark, “If God had meant for us to be vegetarians he wouldn’t have made animals out of meat.”  He was followed by a beautiful solo by Austin’s legendary violinist, Sweet Mary Hattersley.  Turk Pipkin did a reading of ‘Old Yeller’ while escaping from a strait-jacket.  Sandra Brown entertained the crowd with an extremely funny story about a dog and a dixie cup.  Laura’s favorites, Delbert McClinton and Tish Hinojosa sang to everyone’s delight.  Liz Carpenter and Tom Friedman told some funny stories, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed Steve Harrigan’s story about the love-hate relationship with a rabbit.  A tear came to many eyes as Sammy Allred, on mandolin, accompanied Kinky singing, ‘Marilyn and Joe.’ (It wasn’t just their performance--it was because it was a beautiful love song.)  But, Laura brought the house down when she presented her hilarious slide show about her and George’s White House dogs--Barney and Spot!  She had the crowd roaring with laughter including the Secret Service!  Everyone agreed that it was the funniest slide show they had ever seen!

Our ranch salutes First Lady Laura Bush and cannot thank her enough for helping us to raise $125,000.00 for our animals!  We love you Laura! (By the way, Kinky was only kidding about the Yogurt Drizzle.  We hope you enjoyed it!)             

And a very special thanks to Don, Deirdre and Wyatt Imus, Sarah Bird, John McCall, Dr. Tom & Edythe Friedman, Allan C. & Gloria King, Julie & Ben Crenshaw, Beverly Keeton, Katz’s Deli & Bar, Lynda Shanblum, Chouette & Minou Sheshunoff, Robin Rather, Heloise, Angela Topfer, Karol Greene, Jo West & Kim West Dinsdale, Texas Monthly, Lark Phillips, John Kelso, Ginny & Buddy Jones, Terry Gavlik, Ralph Barrera, Cleve Hattersley, Rusty & Tacy Redden, Maribeth Couch, Bud Shrake, Ray & Mary Margaret Farabee, Laurie Shanblum, Robert Godwin, Hondo Mayor Jim & Bebe Barden (Happy Anniversary!), Rona Ebert, Gabrielle Sheshunoff, James & Diana Hutton Persky, Evan Smith, U.S. Representative Lamar Smith, Kimberlin Family Partnership, Angela Shelf Medearis, Francis Kaiser, Kat Sherby/Kat & Dog Studio, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Phillips, ECG Foundation/ Eddie Safady, and Kinky’s dog, Hank!                                                                                                                                                                   
P.S. We also wish to thank Steve Rambam.  Touched by Kinky’s & Sammy’s performance,  he generously donated a house to be built for our six non-partisan pigs!  To be called, “Rambam’s International House of Pigs!”

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