By Debby Knox
BLOOMINGTON, Ind., OCtober 28: – The stars came out Saturday for the last day of the Dalai Lama’s visit to Indiana. From Hoosier rocker, John Mellencamp to multi millionaire Scott Jones, they were there to support the exiled Tibetan leader.
24 Hour News 8 was the only local news station invited behind the scenes.
It all started at the Tibetan Cultural Center. Hundreds of Tibetans came to see their exiled leader.
Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan says it’s all good, “We’re seeing that the people are seeing this as a destination attraction.”
The real high point Saturday was a big fundraiser in the Hoosier Room underneath the stadium. It was a veritable who’s who of Indiana’s wealth and star power.
Hoosier Rocker, John Mellencamp was just a few feet away from St. Louis Cardinal and Jasper native, Scott Rolen. One of the wealthiest men in America, and Bloomington resident, Bill Cook was in attendance. And voice mail inventor, Scott Jones, was there with his family as well.
“It’s exciting for us to have someone here, with this kind of presence. Clearly he’s well known and well liked because this event is sold out and it appears the event at the stadium is going to be as well,” Jones said.
Close to 300 people attended the fundraiser, featuring a cellist from Los Angeles, who is writing music for the Dalai Lama
“I’ve worked on an east west music project with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and it was inspired by his friendship with the late Thomas Merton, the Trappist Monk,” Cellist Michael Fitzpatrick said.
Elaine Mellencamp hosted this event and considers it an outreach for the community. She helped save the Tibetan Cultural Center from foreclosure and has big plans for the future, as soon as she has some downtime.
“We go back on tour, next show is tomorrow. But in the meantime, I think this is a really good start for the Center. They will commence to build a monastic university which is a really unique thing, for our town, so I think it’s really exciting,” Elaine Mellencamp said.
The Dalai Lama is already making plans to return to Indiana possibly as soon as 2009.
