If you’re a fan of the Fightin’ Texas Aggies, especially this year’s Heisman-winner known as Johnny Football, the Merriman Park Elementary Auction is the place to be this Saturday night. Johnny Manziel signed a maroon and white football for the occasion, and it’s expected to draw lots of attention from bidders in attendance.
My neighbor, Kristen Harris, says the story of the ball coming to Lake Highlands is as interesting as the freshman phenom himself. She was shopping at Rally House Texas, buying Aggie gear to create a table decoration for the auction dinner, when a man in the store engaged her in conversation. She shared that she graduated from A&M and they enjoyed reliving highlights of the storybook season.
The man said his son is close friends with Johnny and pulled out his cell phone to prove it. Photos of Manziel with the man, his son, and his family abounded.
When Kristen mentioned her Aggie-themed auction centerpiece, the man wanted to help. He called his son right there in the store, who happened to be going to College Station that day to visit Manziel. The man asked his son to get a signed football, and he asked for Kristen’s contact information.
The next day, he texted this photo of Manziel with the football. A few days later, it arrived.
Like any school auction, there’ll be lots of standard items up for bid Saturday night. There’ll also be other one-of-a-kind offerings and a few surprises. Best of all, every dollar raised will be used to improve the education of students at MPE.
The Party Gras auction and dinner will be held February 2 at Eddie Dean’s Ranch in downtown Dallas. A VIP reception begins at 6 p.m. and the event starts promptly at 7. Tickets are $40 each or $125 per couple for VIP access. If you’d like to attend you don’t have much time, so contact Auction Chairs Lana Marker at 214-437-1627 or lmarker@sbcglobal.net or Ann Marie Warwick at 214-912-9299 or warwick01@sbcglobal.net. Gig ‘em, Panthers!
