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| Heal the Bay Boardmembers Amy Smart and Julia Louis- Dreyfus on the blue carpet entrance. Photo: Derek Goes |
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| The Plain White T's entertain the capacity crowd. Photo: Adam Almeida |
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| Guests peruse and bid on the extensive array of silent auction items. Photo: Rich Schmitt |
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Heal the Bay’s Annual “Bring Back the Beach” Benefit Dinner, held May 29, 2008, raised over $650,000 to support our work for clean and safe Southern California coastal waters and watersheds.
More than 1,200 guests helped Heal the Bay celebrate its biggest fundraising dinner ever on Thursday night, May 29th, at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, raising more than $650,000 to promote the organization’s ongoing work. Themed “Making Waves,” this year’s event celebrated environmental stewards whose thoughts, words and actions show that every individual is capable of affecting positive change.
Many Southland celebrities and civic leaders were on hand to pay tribute to special honorees H. David Nahai, CEO and general manager of Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power; Don Corsini, general manager of local broadcast stations KCBS and KCAL; Tom Unterman, founder and managing partner of venture capital firm Rustic Canyon Partners. All three leaders have made waves in their respective fields, encouraging the adoption of more ocean friendly practices in their business and community activities.
Among the notables mingling at the dinner: Heal the Bay board members Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Amy Smart; fellow actors Ingo Rademacher and J.D. Roth; Los Angeles Kings captain Rob Blake; political leaders Fran Pavley and Bobby Shriver; and visual artist Chris Jordan.
Making the “Bring Back the Beach” event as sustainable as possible, Heal the Bay selected vendors committed to green business practices. Patina Restaurant Group, known for supporting local farms, created a menu consisting of all organic and sustainable food items. The team ensured that 100% of the evening’s waste was recycled. Styrofoam was not allowed on the event site. Kunde Estate Winery, noted for its strict commitment to sustainable winegrowing practices, provided wines to accompany dinner.
In addition to musical performances by The Plain White T’s and Leon Mobley & Da Lion, guests enjoyed a silent and live auction. A fully accessorized 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid led the spirited bidding, netting $33,000 for the organization.
More "Bring Back the Beach" Dinner photos are available at Heal the Bay's Flickr site.
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