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Katie Couric, Michael Keaton Inspire
and Captivate
while Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett
Steal the Show At 2014 Everglades
Foundation Benefit
Ninth Annual Palm Beach event raises
more than $2 million for
Everglades Restoration
It was a
celebrity filled night with host Katie Couric, honorary
chair, Michael Keaton, and special musical guests; Zac Brown
Band and Jimmy Buffett performing for a crowd of more than
800 at the ninth annual ForEverglades Benefit held at The
Breakers on February 15.
With record
attendance and selling out weeks in advance, the Ninth
Annual For Everglades Benefit celebrated the 20th Anniversary
of the Everglades Foundation shattering its goal of raising
more than $2 million dollars for the restoration and
protection of America’s Everglades.
The evening
began with cocktails for the blue jeans and boots clad
guests followed by dinner in the Ponce de Leon ballroom
decorated with a tropical setting befitting of America’s
Everglades. Guests enjoyed a Southern feast inspired by Zac
Brown Band’s own Southern Ground recipes. Legendary
journalist and television host Katie Couric emceed the
event, which featured a special video celebrating the
Everglades Foundation’s 20th Anniversary.
Couric, who
frequently tweeted about the event to her more than 1
million Twitter followers (@katiecouric), introduced
Everglades Foundation CEO, Eric Eikenberg. He spoke to the
crowd about the importance of the restoring and protecting
America’s Everglades – an international treasure. Eikenberg
also reminded the crowd that the Everglades provide the
drinking water for more than seven million Floridians and
millions of visitors.
After dinner,
author and Everglades champion Carl Hiaasen took the stage
to present an engraved Tibor Everglades Reel as the
Everglades Advocacy Award to actor and advocate Michael
Keaton for his exemplary work in furthering conservation,
protection and restoration of America’s waterways. Keaton
spoke eloquently of the importance of restoring America’s
Everglades to ensure the long-term health of Florida’s
residents, ecosystems and economy.
Everglades
Foundation Chairman Paul Tudor Jones II, thanked guests for
their continuing support of the Foundation and America’s
Everglades. “Its
environment has been threatened with collapse and we need
your help to protect and restore it,” said Jones.
Jones noted
that because of the Foundation’s efforts restoration of
America’s Everglades is winning renewed support in
Tallahassee and Washington from both Republicans and
Democrats. “We’re seeing progress but we still have a great
deal of work to do,” said Jones.
The
ForEverglades Benefit featured a special silent auction with
bids entered via email for exciting adventure trips to
Africa, Argentina, Costa Rica, Islamorada and even a swamp
buggy ride into the heart of the Everglades.
Guests rushed
forward when Grammy winning Zac Brown Band – Zac Brown,
Jimmy De Martini, John Driskell Hopkins, Coy Bowles, Chris
Fryar, Clay Cook, Matt Mangano and Daniel de los Reyes took
the stage. Then midway through the band’s set, Zac Brown
Band surprised the crowd by bringing Jimmy Buffett onstage.
It was a rare
opportunity to hear two of the best musical performers today
play together. The result was sensational. Guests
sung and danced to tunes such as Where
the Boat Leaves From,Volcano, A Pirate Looks at 40, Toes,
Free/Into the Mystic and Margaritaville.
Notables in
attendance included, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fl.), U.S.
Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fl.), State Sen. Joe Negron (R-Stuart),
State Sen. Wilton Simpson, (R-New Port Richey), House
Minority Leader Mark Pafford (D-West Palm Beach), State Rep.
Amanda Murphy (D-New Port Richey), and State Rep. Jamie
Grant (R-Tampa).
The For
Everglades Benefit raises money to support the science,
communications, advocacy, education and legal programs of
the Everglades Foundation — all geared to protecting and
restoring America’s Everglades. The board of directors
supports all of the Foundation’s administrative and
fundraising expenses, allowing 100% of the money raised at
the benefit to directly support these programs.
Benefit
chairmen: Mary Barley, Eva and Glenn Dubin, Fenia and Carl
Hiaasen, Sonia and Paul Tudor Jones II, Elaine and Ken
Langone, Kathy and Paul Leone, Michele Henry and Garrison
duP. Lickle, Alice and Lorne Michaels, Mary Morse, Barbara
and Jack Nicklaus, Ashley and Mike Ramos, Lia Reed, and Toni
and Andrew Wilshire.
Co-Chairs:
Georgina Bloomberg, Mark Dalton, Jennifer and Joseph Duke,
Mark Fisher, Tucker Frederickson, Regina and Mario Gabelli,
Mercedes and Steve Gotwald, Judy and John Kellner, Judy and
Jarrett Kling, Danielle and Kelly Moore, Thalia and Tommy
Mottola, and Heather and Beau Wrigley.
Event
Committee Members: Ramona and Thomas Bean, Brooks Bishop,
Michele and Daniel Borislow, Connie and Dan Burkhardt,
Katherine Carpenter, Anthony F. Cummings, Bill Davenport and
Bruce Wiltsie, Susan and John Dougherty, Mia Celano and Skip
Dunn, Cheri and Tom Flood, Kirk Fordham and Michael Cevarr,
Susanne and Ramsey Frank, Emily and Harry Grand, Carrie and
Paul Hanna, Kerry and Sean Healey, Debbie and Nick Iarossi,
Robert P. Leidy, Jr., Sandra and Steve Lessing, Sasha Lickle,
Lance Mahaney, Tina and Steve McPherson, Lyn and Robert L.
Parks, Sara Groff and Piper Quinn, Nancy and Bill Rollnick,
Patrick Rooney, Jr., Maura and Brandon Ross, Jeanne and
Michael Sole, Linda and Jared Soper, Susan and Stanley
Trotman, Peter Vasconcelos, and Erik T. Waldin.
About
Florida’s Relationship with America’s Everglades
More than
seven million people and millions of visitors depend on
America’s Everglades for its daily drinking water supply.
America’s Everglades is a World Heritage site and one of the
most unique natural ecosystems. Florida’s agricultural,
boating, tourism, real estate, recreational and commercial
fishing industries all depend on a healthy Everglades
ecosystem, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and
contributing billions to our economy.
About
the Everglades Foundation
The Everglades
Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, science
based organization that uses scientific research, education,
legal, advocacy and communications teams to advance the
cause of restoring and protecting America’s Everglades.
For more
information please visit www.evergladesfoundation.org. |