2009 Gala

A Standing Ovation...

...goes out to over 425 guests and our remarkable sponsors who helped make the 2009 event the most memorable yet.

Our 18th Annual Gala,"A Wild Affair", held on Sunday, March 22, 2009 on the grounds of The Living Desert honored Mr. Jeff Corwin from "Animal Planet" with the 7th Annual Tracks in the Sand conservation award for his lifelong commitment to the environment.

Corwin quickly got the attention of the audience by announcing that "A species becomes extinct every 20 minutes". He went onto say "Eco Centers, like The Living Desert, have long been a priority for me - they are places where community members can connect to the natural resources they live in and they connect with the generation of today to the generation of tomorrow. The Living Desert is one of my favorite places to get lost in."

The festively attired crowd included celebrities, Florence Henderson, Anne Jeffreys, Gena Rowlands, Ann Rutherford and LPGA and World Hall of Fame Member, Amy Alcott.

Major supporters and guests included Peggy and Hal Bernthal, Miriam U. Hoover, Michael Leppen, Van and BJ Skilling, Marilyn S. Tennity and Bart Gray, Dr. Lawrence A Cone and his wife, Mary, the outgoing Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Kirk and Janet Lanterman, Betts Simon, Dal Weber, John and Monique Barr, Nancy and Skip Burke, Rick and Pam Carlson, Susan Cooper, Tom and Daphne de Martino, Larry and Suzanne Engman, Sis Jackson, Ray and Louise Knowles, Bette Midler, John and Cheri Morris, Bill Powers and Pacific Western Bank, Service System Associates, G.L. Scrivens Construction, Inc., Nancy Smith, Stu and Barbara Spencer, Joyce Stein, Mary Storer, Spencer Stuart, Carol Wright, Gene and Billie Yeager, Goldie Hawn and Jackie Lee and Jim Houston.

Among the Corporate Sponsors were Alaska Airlines, Baccarat, Desert Regional Medical Center, El Paseo/Frontier Bank, Fe Zandi, Leeds & Son, Nestle' USA, Pacific Western Bank, Pepsi Bottling Group, The Walt Disney Company, Tiffany & Co., and Time Warner Cable.

The next Living Desert Gala will be on Sunday, March 21, 2010 where we will honor our Founder and President Emeritus, Karen Sausman, with the 8th Annual Tracks in the Sand conservation award. In addition, we will also be celebrating the 40th year anniversary of our organization.

If you would like to become a sponsor for the 2010 event, purchase tickets, advertise in the Program, purchase a Tribute Ad to honor Karen's 40 years of dedicated service or donate an auction item, please contact John Lambert at 760-346-5694 ext. 2168 or e-mail us at gala@livingdesert.org. We are very appreciative of your support.