I invited Dallas and Mary to San Francisco to get away from all of it. He could still walk at that time and of course we did the tourist tour in San Francisco. My favorite memories of that trip were walking on the beach with my dog and my brother, and then that evening we went to the Beach Blanket Babylon Show, a local live show in San Francisco. I remember Dallas saying we needed to sit in the back row in case he needed to stand for a while. Little did he know I had received front and center seats in Don Johnson's reserved area called “producers row”. He complained all the way up to sitting in his seat. After the show he said, “The past 2 hours were so nice I didn’t think about the kids or the accident, my cheeks are sore from laughing”. Every time I visited him in Otho, he would never fail to mention the experience... “Boy, that was so fun”.
Growing Up On The Reservation
We spent every Sunday together as a family. Being an average kid, we didn’t like it all the time. We wanted to be with our friends. But that was the rule: go to church and eat breakfast, come home, change into jeans and head out to the horse pasture to ride horses all day with the family. I remember saying one time to Dallas, “ As kids, didn’t you just love having Sundays as family days? His response was “I didn’t really like riding horses every Sunday at all”. We laughed so hard at his answer. He burst my family Sunday memories bubble, however he would be the first to say that this is where we got those good solid ‘do the right thing values”.
What Did An Old Mining Ghost Town And The Beauty Business Have In Common
My brother asked me that question. My answer was ”you and me”. One spring I took Patrica Dehaney, a co-worker and friend, and we were helping give tours for a MTN event. The last tour of the day was a woman from Rapid City who at that time was with Easter Seals. As we walked back to the two-story cabin I asked, “What is the best advice you can share with me for doing a fundraiser?”. I will never forget what she said. “Dream big, give them an experience and give them something to take home".
Well before the sun set, Patricia and I had all the dreams of the first “Perfect Getaway” fundraiser. I shared our vision with my brother and Mary that evening. Over the next few years we had several “Perfect Getaway” Spa Weekends. We had volunteers from MTN, friends of Mary and Dallas, local business support and 125 beauty professionals from 9 states descend upon Otho. The beauty professionals gave spa treatments to 125 local women who enjoyed being pampered while enjoying Otho and giving to a very worthy cause. We were honored that Miss Wheelchair America also gave her time to attend. It was so fun and so much work all at the same time! As my brother and I both say “we have Giving Back in our DNA”. It’s not really an option for either of us. We raised enough money to help with the construction of the Accessible Tree House and the ramped deck around the fire pit.
Whatever the interview, however he could get his message out… Dallas was there!
Debra Dietrich
Muse Beauty
San Francisco, CA