The Rev. Ron Scates catches a pitch from Clayton Kershaw on Thursday night. (Photo: Susan Hudson)

Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw was the featured speaker at Highland Park Presbyterian Church last Thursday. He and his wife, Ellen, recently published a book called Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself, and Kershaw discussed both their missions to Africa and his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The talk began with the Rev. Ron Scates catching a pitch from Kershaw, which isn’t as out of left field as you might think. Andrew Scates, the pastor’s oldest son, was a catcher on the HPHS baseball team when Kershaw was a pitcher for the Scots. Ron, who officiated the Kershaws’ wedding, even attended San Antonio’s Trinity University on a baseball scholarship.

You can read more about the event in the Feb. 10 edition of Park Cities People.

Photo: Heritage Auctions

Every once in a while, I kick around on Dallas’ Heritage Auctions site, secretly pining from items that I have no use for/ my bank account can’t support. This is one of those items.

I spent my childhood like most boys born in the 80s: mimicking the every moves of Calvin Whateverhislastnameis. I bought every book, and literally almost cried when Bill Watterson hung up his pen.

But, if you’re like me, a $14,000 bid  for the original watercolor for the 1989-1990 Calvin and Hobbes calendar is not feasible. In fact, it would be so irresponsible that my soon-to-be wife would quickly become my never-to-be wife. That said, the People offices are at 750 N. St. Paul Street, Dallas, TX, 75201. We’re on the 21st floor, and we always accept gifts.

Most commonly, phone calls and emails come flooding in about games won, galas well danced, and other joyous occasions. But yesterday, I got a call about the Junior Symphony Ball that included such memorable and visceral descriptions as “walking through vomit in cowboy boots,” “drunk fest,” and “complete orgy.” The caller, whose daughter attended the Jan. 28 ball, said chaperones turn a blind eye to alcohol and drug use, and that the event has been declining in decorum for years.

This all falls in stark contrast to the JSB that Michelle Duncan, co-chair of the event, attended.

“The things she’s attesting to are really not correct,” Duncan said.

Duncan (and plenty of people whose glowing emails she forwarded to me) considers the ball a grand success. Sure, there was a bloody nose here and there, at least one kid bent over a trashcan, and another mouthy one cuffed by police, but Duncan isn’t losing any sleep over it.

“It’s like going to a concert,” she said. “Unfortunate things happen. You can only control it so much.”

The ball drew more than 2,000 students and had around 200 parent chaperones. With all those hormones packed into the Palladium, something is bound to go down. But Duncan maintains it was far from “a complete orgy.”

“I did see one little couple kissing in the ballroom,” she said. “But it wasn’t a deep, heavy, intense thing. It was kind of like, ‘Oh, that’s sweet.’ ”

Duncan, who said this was the first official complaint in the JSB’s 53-year history, diplomatically offered to refund the caller’s ticket price.

“Nobody turned a blind eye,” she said. “Now with that many kids, could we have missed some stuff? Of course, but we tried our best.”

Did your kids go to the JSB? Do you agree with anonymous caller No. 1 or Duncan?

Comments are on, for now …

Rachel Stienke, Christine Brunner, Randee Ruiz, Dr. Skip Moran, Katherine Selby

Last week, the Armstrong Bradfield Preschool Association donated a record $78,000, split evenly between the two elementary schools. The funds were acquired through the association’s largest annual fundraiser, the Holiday Home Tour.

Junior Symphony Ball chairmen work on invitations.

Attention, high school students: Today is the deadline to buy tickets for the Junior Symphony Ball, featuring the Casey Donahew Band. The event is scheduled from 8 to midnight on Jan. 28 at the (gulp) Palladium Ballroom. Tickets are $75, and the funds raised allow special-needs students to attend Dallas Symphony Orchestra concerts at no charge. Over the last four years, the Junior Symphony Ball has raised close to $200,000. To buy tickets, email Karen Reeder at reeder.karenm@gmail.com.

We hear you.

Park Cities People would like to recognize the person who donated the most time, energy, and resources in 2011 as its People Person of the Year. However, we need your help. Let us know who you think deserves our inaugural volunteerism award by nominating someone right now. Winners will be announced in our Feb. 3 edition.

Anyone have any volunteer opportunities in the Park Cities or nearby? Throw ‘em up in the comments. And, no, “helping me clean my garage” doesn’t count. I don’t think that’s what Dr. King was talking about.

Santa Claus sings with the Lads and Lassies during Highland Park's tree-lighting ceremony. (Photo: Christina Barany)

Two weeks ago, we published a letter from Highland Park Mayor Bill Seay, who was soliciting donations to the town’s Employee Christmas Fund. Morning News reporter Matthew Haag decided to look into how many donations were coming in. According to his report, the fund had $9,000 as of yesterday. There was twice as much money last year; as recently as 2007, the fund topped $31,000.