San Antonio Express-News (TX)
Metro and State News Page 02B
Around the Town; We go from online basketball auction to Ming the Merciless
 
 
Publication Date : June 26, 2007
 
Following up on a couple of items that appeared earlier in this space.
And the winner is ...

Right when the Spurs took the championship, an online auction began for a ball autographed by the team.

The Spurs' charitable foundation donated the ball to Mission Road Ministries. It works with children and adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.

Mission Road conducted the bidding entirely via e-mail in a two-phase bidding process.

After it all ended, the winning bid came in at $2,000 -- from Harvey E. Najim.

If his name seems familiar, he recently made news in business and philanthropy. He sold part of his company, Sirius Computer Solutions, and created the Harvey E. Najim Family Foundation.

That organization aims to help nonprofit groups that work with children.

For more info

Over the weekend, we told of an upcoming chair parade, which will send children's chairs decorated by local artists on a tour throughout the city.

This one benefits Respite Care of San Antonio, which works with special-needs children and their families. (By the way, Najim has been a big supporter of this group, too.)

For a schedule of where the chairs will make their appearances, go to www.marketing-plus.net/chairs. It's a part of the Web site of the firm Marketing Plus and owner Marsha Hendler.

One of her best-known clients -- and one that gives her much recognition every April -- is the Fiesta Commission.

Roasting

A nod and a toast to one of our colleagues on the front of this section.

Here's an early wish for a happy birthday to Carlos Guerra. In honor of his 60th birthday, the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance is roasting him.

It's happening Thursday at El Tropicano Hotel, with several members of the local media and politicians set to get in some jokes at the longtime columnist's expense.

Then, of course, he gets to fire back.

For more information about tickets, call (210) 320-1457 or buy them online at www.aquiferalliance.org.

Even if you don't attend, go to the Web site anyway. There's a great "separated at birth" picture featuring Guerra, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ming the Merciless. Honest.

Saying thanks

Now that Ed Whitacre has stepped down from his position as chairman and CEO of AT&T, the Free Trade Alliance is honoring him with its Alliance Award.

The high-dollar shindig Wednesday is raising money for a scholarship fund with the organization that helps students who want to pursue degrees in international education.

Probably not much roasting going on at this one.

Contact Ed Tijerina at (210) 250-3215 or e-mail etijerina@express-news.net.