CowParade all in

The most expensive cows ever: CowParade does good for kids, with a little helpfrom Leno

Philanthropist Milton Verret (r) presents a $1 million check to Samia Joseph (l)founder of the Superhero kids fund.
Photo by Kevin Benz
The Jay Leno cow signed by Superhero kids at Dell Children's Blood and CancerCenter.
Photo by Kevin Benz
Verret (with microphone) at the Austin Art Cow Auction.
Jay Leno with the Vince Young National Championship Steer.

A million bucks is a lot of money, especially for cows. But it makes an even bigger difference when that million bucks gets used to help local kids struggling with debilitating diseases and their families.

That's the holiday gift the Austin Art Cow Auction bestowed upon the Dell Children's Blood and Cancer Center's Superhero kids fund on Friday. Philanthropist Milton Verret, founder of the U.S. Money Reserve, presented a giant check for $1 million to the fund.

It was Verret who made sure the CowParade — responsible for those crazy fiberglass cows decorated by local artists you probably saw all over town — delivered on its promise to raise money for the charity. It was also Verret who had the temerity to suggest he could raise a million dollars selling those cows.

As it turned out, he raised more; enough to pay for the Nov. 13^th event at ACL Live's Moody Theater and still have a million left to donate. The 40 cows sold that night were auctioned to the highest bidder at an average price of over $33,000. Two cows sold for $150,000 on the hoof. It was the largest CowParade auction ever held worldwide, and in the top five for money raised during one event in Austin. It didn't hurt that Jay Leno of NBC's Tonight Show, flew into town to host it.

"Most importantly, we raised a huge sum of money to support families whose children are fighting cancer and blood diseases," said Verret.

The first thing paid for out of that million was a wig and prosthetic leg for a 13-year old cancer patient whose family couldn't afford one. "That is why we did it," said Verret.

"We cannot thank you enough, we are speechless. Our goal is to help every child and family that comes to us, this is more than a great start in doing that," said Samia Joseph, who founded Superhero Kids just two years ago. The endowment helps cover quality of life expenses for kids with cancer and blood disorders and their families.

CowParade began in Switzerland in 1998 and has visited over 70 cities in 30 countries around the world covering every continent. Europe has hosted over 30 parades in total. The cows in many cases have become major works of art and sought out by collectors. Even Oprah bought a couple in Chicago, but no CowParade event has ever approached what Milton Verret and the Austin community accomplished.

---

CultureMap is celebrating a Culture of Giving this holiday season. You can also help the Superhero kids fund by going to their website and donating.

unspecified

New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

museums galleries history texas