“Now in its fifth year, this benefit has evolved
into a showcase event in support of the science and
outreach needed to save America’s Everglades,” said Kirk
Fordham, CEO, Everglades Foundation. “The
Everglades Foundation and its partners are able to
show on-the-ground results with several key
restoration projects breaking ground. This is the
type of progress that everyone can get behind.”
During the cocktail reception, Everglades Foundation
board chairman,
Paul Tudor Jones II, made a special
presentation to
Florida Governor Charlie Crist, paying
tribute to his efforts to advance Everglades restoration and sustain an ecosystem that
provides an unmatched quality of life for residents
and visitors, and recreational benefits for millions
of people.
After cocktails, guests moved into the Ponce de Leon
ballroom for dinner. Fordham recognized the event’s
co-chairs, committee and the board of directors.
Special recognition was given to
Palm Beach resident
Margaretta
Taylor, who recently
pledged $2 million in support of the organization’s
mission. Taylor’s
grandfather was James M. Cox, a three-term governor
of Ohio, 1920 presidential nominee and founder of
the media company Cox Enterprises.
Taylor is a passionate supporter of
environmental issues and hopes more people will
support
Everglades
restoration.
Dinner was followed by a live auction. The
one-of-a-kind experiences sold to the highest
bidders included a private tennis lesson with John
McEnroe; a private yoga session and lunch with
Sting’s wife, Trudie Styler; two private golf
clinics with Jack Nicklaus on his home course, The
Bear’s Club; a trip to Crocodile Bay Resort in
Costa Rica and an eco-tour of
the Malilangwe Sanctuary in Zimbabwe.
A number of
Florida’s
political figures attended the event, including
Governor Charlie
Crist;
Chief Financial
Officer
Alex Sink; Senator
Dan Gelber;
Senator
Nan Rich;
Senator Lee
Constantine;
Rep.
Scott Randolph;
and Rep.
Ron Saunders;
as well as Missouri
Governor Jay Nixon.
In addition to
Sting,
Patty
Smyth and John McEnroe, and
Barbara and
Jack Nicklaus, other notable guests
included Howard
Cox;
Sandra and Nelson Doubleday;
Peter Duchin;
former Miami Herald publisher
David Lawrence and
his wife, Roberta;
Sherry and Tucker
Frederickson;
Jane and Robert
Grace;
Shoshanna and
Josh Gruss;
Fenia and
Carl Hiaasen;
Betsy Johnston;
Celerie Kemble;
Gary Lickle;
Tommy Mottola;
William Matthews;
KC and John
Pickett;
Jenny and Michael
Price;
Alita and Nat Reed;
Kelly and Joe
Rooney;
Patti and Patrick
Rooney;
Kara and Stephen M.
Ross;
Hilary and Wilbur Ross;
Ashley Schiff and Mike Ramos;
Christine and Steve
Schwarzman;
Alex Taylor;
and Miss Florida
Rachael Todd.
Event proceeds directly benefit the Everglades
Foundation’s array of science and outreach programs
needed to protect and restore America’s Everglades. For more information, 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 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. 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 provide policymakers and the
public with an honest and credible resource to help
guide decision-making on complex restoration issues.
For more information, please visit
www.evergladesfoundation.org.