ONE NIGHT, TWO STARS, $2.1 MILLION RAISED FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION

 

Palmetto Bay, Fla. – (March 10, 2011) – The Everglades Foundation raised $2.1 million at the Sixth Annual For Everglades Benefit, held recently at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Fla.  Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the Everglades Foundation’s array of science and outreach programs targeted to protect and restore America’s Everglades. 

The benefit featured a private concert headlined by music superstar Kenny Chesney.  More than 700 guests enjoyed hit songs like "Back Where I Come From," and "Somewhere with You," with a surprise appearance midway through the concert by Everglades Foundation board member, Jimmy Buffett. Buffett joined Chesney for several duets, including a crowd-pleasing rendition of “Come Monday,” marking his first time performing at a Foundation function.

“When the public learns that one out of every three Floridians depends upon the Everglades as a freshwater source, they realize the importance of America’s Everglades restoration,” said Kirk Fordham, CEO, Everglades Foundation. “Funds raised at the Benefit will go towards scientific research programs and student fellowships which add value to our efforts to save the Everglades. Benefit attendees have a strong affinity for this special place. We thought it was high time to offer them a surprise for their continued generosity to the cause and a ’stealth’ Jimmy Buffett guest performance seemed perfect.”

MIAMI HEAT team President, Pat Riley, who served as honorary chair of the Benefit, greeted guests at the beginning of the dinner program with a humorous welcome video that showed him ‘securing’ items such as sneakers and jerseys from “The Big Three’s” private lockers to support the Benefit’s live auction. 

This year’s benefit chairs included best-selling author Carl Hiaasen and his wife Fenia; Cindi and Nick Bollettieri; Fiona and Stan Druckenmiller; Sonia and Paul Tudor Jones II; Elaine and Ken Langone; Garrison duP. Lickle; Mary Morse; Polly and David Ober; Ashley Schiff and Mike Ramos; Lia Reed; and Kara and Stephen M. Ross.  Other notables in attendance included golfing legend and Everglades Foundation board member Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara; Tommy Mottola and his wife Thalia; and former world top-ranked tennis player Mats Wilander.

In addition to musical entertainment, guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, dinner and a live auction.  Conducted by Sotheby’s, the auction featured various one-of-a-kind experiences including a private tennis clinic with tennis pros Mats Wilander and Cameron Lickle; a MIAMI HEAT basketball package with courtside seats, items signed by the “Big Three,” and a motivational speech from Pat Riley in the HEAT locker room; an exotic trip to Zimbabwe and an eco-tour adventure aboard the OCEAN ship with National Geographic’s
Chris Fischer. 

For more information or to get involved in restoring America’s Everglades, visit www.evergladesfoundation.org or call
(305) 251-0001.

About Florida’s Relationship with the Everglades

More than seven million people live in the Everglades watershed and depend on its natural systems for their livelihood, food and drinking water.  Florida’s agricultural, boating, tourism, real estate, recreational and commercial fishing industries all depend on a healthy Everglades ecosystem which supports tens of thousands of jobs and contributes billions to our economy.  Its waters flow through the Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ten Thousand Islands, National Wildlife Refuge, Biscayne National Park and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.  Together, these parks draw several million visitors each year contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to Florida’s tourism economy.

 

About the Everglades Foundation Mission

The Everglades Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit, charitable organization dedicated to protecting and restoring one of the world’s unique natural ecosystems that provides economic, recreational and life-sustaining benefits to the millions of people who depend on its future health. Since 1993, the Everglades Foundation has played a leadership role in advancing Everglades restoration through the advancement of scientifically sound and achievable solutions.  The Foundation seeks to reverse the damage inflicted on the ecosystem and provides policymakers and the public with an honest and credible resource to help guide decision-making on complex restoration issues. For more information, visit www.evergladesfoundation.org.