Jim Hayden was tickled pink Saturday night.

Monday, April 03, 2000

Jim Hayden was tickled pink Saturday night.

The decorations he orchestrated for the Discovery 2000 dinner and auction were a resounding success.

Hayden and his wife Joan co-chaired a committee of volunteers who transformed the Corcoran Center at St. Edward’s Catholic Church into a train depot.

It took a little imagination to make the transformation complete, but judging by the crowd’s reaction, that was accomplished.

Bob Johnson helped. He dressed as a genuine railroad man with blue coveralls and cap and a bright red neckerchief. In addition, Johnson used a whistle that had people looking around for the train whenever they heard it.

But Hayden’s decorations, as they have so many times before, enhanced the experience for everyone.

There was a huge mural, the length of the stage, at one end of the Corcoran Center. It captured a train and railroad cards in all the detail one needed.

At each table were centerpieces that included three train cars carved from Styrofoam and painted.

A train schedule on the wall listed departures and arrivals and a telegraph office was staffed for the guests.

Even the night’s entertainment go in the "railroad" mood.

Jane Koch directed singers from St. Augustine-St. Edward and Queen of Angels Catholic schools.

The hit number of the evening, though, referred to the auction itself and its intended beneficiaries: Catholic schools’ students in Austin.

To the tune of "I’ve Been Working On The Railroad," the singers sang "I’ve Been Working On The Auction."

"I feel good about the decorations," Hayden, an artist and art teacher himself, said. "There was quite a bit of work involved, but my wife Joan and the other volunteers did a great job."Catholic schools fund-raiser