I can just hear the rumors now…”if you retire from GRACE, they give you a car.”

Right….

For those of you who don’t know it, Snopes.com is where you check out the truth to certain urban legends. But because I am a full-service blogger, I will save you the trouble. GRACE, the non-profit agency otherwise known as Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange, hosted its sixth annual black-tie gala Saturday night at The Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.

Lovely affair…men in tuxedos…floral centerpieces…all the bells and whistles, you know…and a raffle. For a car. Anyone could buy a raffle ticket, including a certain former executive director. Even the founding director.

So when the winning ticket was pulled out of the hopper Saturday night…drum roll, please…it belonged to Tricia Wood, now the retired founding executive of GRACE. How nice of her to be wearing a red dress to match the red of her new Chevy Camaro.

For those not lucky enough to win the car raffle, there was plenty of entertainment at this party organized by co-chairs Darla Dennison and Shirley Schollmeyer. Besides being served a dinner that included both beef and shrimp, the very cool band Inside Out put on quite a show for our dancing pleasure. Seems a rendition of Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” was quite popular.

The dancing was preceded by the auction, of course, and no one worked harder at the auction than GRACE’s current executive director, Shonda Schaefer. While auctioneer Andy Dunning pushed bids into what should be a very successful fundraiser, Shonda was on her feet thanking bidders for their contributions to the charity dedicated to the less fortunate in Northeast Tarrant County.

Seen at the party were Robin and James Hall, Jack Fleming, Gayle and Glen Christensen and Judy and Tom Hund, this year’s winners of the Angel of Grace Award.

Even with Shonda reluctant to reveal just where the final numbers were for this fundraiser (and she was happy), the party must have been deemed a success. Plans are already underway for a 2010 “Angels Among Us” fundraiser.

Aw, geez.

Bob McPherrin, VP of Sales and Marketing at The Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, has departed. Handsome Bob, he of the easy smile and the congenial manner, will no longer be seen at the ladies luncheons or society galas happening at the Grapevine landmark. Darn.

Bob had been with the hotel in the same capacity since it opened in April 2004. He has joined most of the hotel’s original senior management team in waving goodbye to the hotel in their rearview mirrors.