Glenn Close and Morgan Freeman Honored at Benefit in Orange County
Press Release Date: September 30, 2009
Location: Laguna Beach, CA
Contact:
Anna Baxter | email: abaxter@oceana.org
Anna Baxter
On Saturday, August 22, 400 people came out to Laguna Beach for The SeaChange Summer Party. The event raised funds for leading ocean conservation group Oceana, and honored actress Glenn Close and Academy Award Winner Morgan Freeman. Celebrity attendees included Glenn Close, Morgan Freeman, Ted Danson, last year’s SeaChange honorees Harrison Ford and John Picard, Jeff Goldblum, Kate Walsh, Anne Heche, James Tupper, Aaron Peirsol, Lauren Hutton, Sam Trammell, Missy Yager, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Penny Marshall.
The SeaChange event took place at the Villa di Sogni, a spectacular home in Laguna Beach with expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. The record setting event raised nearly $900,000 through ticket sales and auction items. The main beneficiary of the event was Oceana. A portion of SeaChange proceeds will be donated to local ocean conservation organizations.
Sponsors of the event were Harriet E. Pfleger Foundation, Lugano Diamonds, Eve Kornyei and Stan Hanson, Sally and Randy Crockett, Leslie and Dino Cancellieri, Harriet and Sandy Sandhu, Valaree Wahler, Donya and William Dobkin, La Mer, Kelly Smith, South Coast Plaza, Omega and Tourbillon, The PIMCO Foundation, Valarie and David Whiting, Tricia and Michael Berns, Coast Magazine, JoAnn and Anthony Fanticola, Laurie and Richard Rodnick, Sandi and Ron Simon, Sue and Ralph Stern, Linda and Robert Yellin, Lilly and Paul Merage, Wendy and Rick Aversano, Deborah and Larry Bridges, Cindy and Steve Fry, Ruthie Russ, Marsha and Darrel Anderson, Mary and John Carrington, Twyla and Chuck Martin, Diana Martin and Mark Tomaino, Mindy and Glenn Stearns, Crevier BMW, Julie and Peter Hill, Sheets and Paquette Dental Practice, MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation, Dwight Manley, Nautica, Pacific Development Group, Milena and Milan Panic, Buffalo Capital, Olivia and Howard Abel, Alana and George Hedley, Jan and Michael Rubel, Brenda and Ted Swantko, George Wall, Surterre Properties, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A Inc.
Event Co-Chairs Valarie Whiting and Ted Danson, along with Chair Emeritus Julie Hill, kicked off the evening’s program in front of enthusiastic applause and roaring cheers, welcoming the attendants. The program continued with introductions by Danson, Harrison Ford and Oceana board chair Keith Addis. Honorees Glenn Close and Morgan Freeman each gave presentations calling on the audience to continue their commitment to protecting the oceans.
The SeaChange Summer party is an annual Orange County event recognizing the sea’s importance as a vital ecosystem and honoring those who are actively helping preserve its delicate habitats and wildlife.
To view event photos, visit www.SeaChangeSummerParty.org. Press can also contact Juliana Stein at 202-467-1906 or jstein@oceana.org
SeaChange Award Designed by: Dale Chihuly (www.chihuly.com)
