The Day I Met Dave Holloway

I did get to meet Dave finally - here's a brief account of the event for anyone who is curious.

The event was the first annual Movers and Shankers golf tournament for Texas Equusearch, held at Longwood Golf Club in Cypress, Texas (northwest of Houston). I got there at the golf course around 7:15 A.M. and helped set up the silent auction display table. While I was busy doing that Dave showed up around 7:45 and dropped off some Natalee books for the silent auction and live auction (a note about that: the personalized, signed copy Dave put on live auction brought in $350. Dave wasn't lying when he said he could keep looking for 40 more years, Jacobs). Anyway, he was only there briefly and then he was off to get ready to play some golf (Dave and his partner and Tim Miller and his partner were in the first foursome). So I helped set the refreshment carts up and then me and a partner took off on a golf cart for a few hours delivering drinks and selling raffle tickets and mulligan tickets. We ran into Dave and Tim later on the course- Dave bought four raffle tickets and Tim bought two raffles and two mulligans. Funny thing about that- Tim actually won one of the raffle items but of course declined it so someone else could win.

I ran a few errands after we came in to the clubhouse to switch off, and after I got back I helped set up the banquet room, got changed into more presentable clothes, and right after that Dave and Tim came in. I introduced myself to Dave but didn't have time to say much before they were off again. When the golfers all came in we had the luncheon (box lunches- subs and chips and cookies). My architectural services only netted $100 (which means somebody got a STEAL) but I think the auctioneer didn't chat it up enough and people didn't really know what they were bidding on. It might do better on a long-term silent auction through the TES website, I'm thinking. Tim and Dave spoke only very briefly but I know Dave had more TV interviews to do and Tim and some others were going to Oklahoma to look for missing 9 year old Colt Clark today (05/24).

While I was waiting for the golfers to arrive for the banquet I talked to Meghan Palmer, the woman who came up with the idea of Water With a Mission- the idea of putting missing persons' photos straight off the Missing and Exploited Children website onto water bottles. Her company is Aqua Prima ( http://www.acquaprima.com/ or http://www.acquaprima.com/katy_courier.htm). She told me she thinks her idea was subliminal but I think it was Divine- it sure sounds like an angel whispered that into her ear!

I did get to talk to Dave for maybe 5 minutes, just said hi again, told him several times how glad I was to finally meet him, listened to him and a couple of TES guys talk about Guido's release (none of them seemed the least bit surprised), and he was kind enough to sign my Natalee book (I'll start reading it tonight) and my Purpose Driven Life. One thing I did learn about Dave- given his composure during the banquet and speech and talking about G.W.'s expected release he is one incredibly strong man. Funny how Aruba was worried about Beth and thought Dave was a pushover they could 'divide and conquer' but I do believe Dave is at least as determined as Bethy. Robin and the girls weren't there- Dave told me one of Robin's friends was getting married so she was at the wedding and another friend of hers lives in Houston as well so the girls went to visit her too.

Karen Martin, the lady in charge of the fundraiser, said that TES made between 15 and 20 thousand dollars between the entry fees, sponsors, ticket sales, and donations- several people dropped by just to drop off checks. I would say it was a big success for a first-time major fundraiser though- and they are planning another fundraiser in the fall and the second annual next year. And yes ALL the money went to TES, not a penny to Dave...let's quash ugly, hatemongering rumors before they start.