Cowboys’ Stephen Jones ‘calls the hogs,’ rounds up record $300,325 Goodfellows gift
A hog call loud enough to rattle the crystal shook a Fort Worth ballroom Wednesday, and also shattered a record for local philanthropy.
Dallas Cowboys executive Stephen Jones took philanthropist Lee Bass up on his offer to donate an extra $1,000 toward our Goodfellows Fund holiday charity for poor children.
Bass’ only request: to hear Jones, Arkansas-born and a former Arkansas football player, “call the hogs” like the Razorbacks’ fans.
Jones, soft-spoken throughout the luncheon as he discussed the Cowboys’ fortunes and misfortunes, erupted with a “Woooooooo! Pig! Sooie!”
The $1,000 gift came when the businessmen’s club was $1,000 short of last year’s $297,000 gift. The club went on to raise a record $300,325, enough in a single luncheon to buy school clothes and shoes for 6,000 children.
That’s more than half the annual goal for the 108th Goodfellow Fund drive, a Star-Telegram and Exchange Club legacy from the days of co-founder and Publisher Amon G. Carter, born 140 years ago Wednesday.
Since the turn of the 20th century, American newspapers have led charity campaigns to buy clothes and shoes for needy children in the community.
The need is greater than ever, and groups like the Exchange Club have increased their giving to help serve every Tarrant County child.
“This is an organization that’s doing good work and we;re all proud to help,” said executive Dan Feehan. He paid $5,000 for an autographed Dak Prescott helmet.
Club members had already handed in checks before “chief extractor” George Young started auctioning off Cowboys memorabilia, singling out some deep pockets in the audience.
Inducting a new member, Young took the newbie’s wallet and emptied it of petty cash. He also took the good-natured liberty of adding zeroes to other members’ checks, or telling them how much they were going to give.
When the first tally came out at only $175,000, Young said: “We need another $120,000, folks — I’m just going to be blunt.”
He collected that and more.
Young inducted new members Stephen Butt, a grocery executive; Cass Rodgers, an energy executive; and financial executive Marcus Snyder. (Other new members are Jeremiah Donati, the TCU athletic director, and Chris Gavras, a consultant.)
Stephen Jones was the latest in a recent tradition of guest speakers, including former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and current Cowboys tight end Jason Witten.
Jones said he’d never auctioned off a hog call before.
“But I’m happy to call the hogs for anyone, anytime.” he said.
The club’s annual party used to be a members’ roast.
“But it today’s climate, that became more and more difficult,” said the club’s current president, Randy Rodgers, 67.
“Having a speaker is more interesting.”
Professional models Kari Ruth of Fort Worth and Lindsey Sanders of Dallas circulated through the meeting collecting checks.
The club’s senior member, Paul Leonard, 93, remembered when his family’s Leonards Department Store helped provide clothes and shoes for Goodfellow children. (Today the outfits come from Plano-based J.C. Penney.)
“I’ve been coming to these luncheons 50 years,” he said.
“We’ve always helped a lot of kids who needed shoes. The Goodfellows did a lot of good. It still does a lot of people a lot of good.”
Thanks to the Exchange Club.
This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 6:30 PM.
