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.