1ST ANNUAL ENCHANTED GARDEN GALA DRAWS A CROWD

By Janis Russell

November 2, 2014 (El Cajon)- The Water Conservation Garden hosted its 1^st annual enchanted garden gala on October 18, a fundraising event to help the Garden’s award winning Ms. Smarty-Plants programs and provide seed money for a children’s garden with free play spaces and exploration-based exhibits to help kids learn more about global water cycles, watersheds and water conservation, and animal adaptations. The Garden hoped to raise $100,000 at the event.

ECM was informed from the director of marketing and events, Elizabeth Ramos, that  preliminary numbers showed that proceeds raised from the Gala totaled $129,350, a combination of sponsorship dollars, ticket sales and money raised at the event through the silent auction, live auctions, and the Fund-A-Need for the new children’s garden. $45,096 was raised for the children’s garden alone.

Silent auction items included: round of golf with two with a (golf) cart and lunch or dinner, a day at the Coronado Island, and 4 one-day Disneyland resort park hopper tickets among many more items.

Before the program began, entertainment was provided for the public from aerialists and acrobats from Nomad Artz, musicians, and there were garden-inspired tasting stations and beverages by local farm-to-table specialists, Terra Catering and Events.  Dinner was also provided by these vendors.

The evening also included live music, a water trivia face-off (where contestants compete to answer questions about where San Diego's water comes from and how much is used for various activities), live auction with auctioneer Kenny Shirey, and Fund-A-Need. Dagmar Midcap, weather anchor at NBC 7 San Diego, was the emcee.

Those items that were auctioned off live included: Surfboard art by Cherrie LaPorte, glass artist; Golf Package with Century Club of San Diego and Maderas Golf Club; Utah Vacation at the Sundance Mtn. Resort with free Southwest airline tickets for two; NBC 7 San Diego studio tour with Dagmar Midcap and two tickets to the Ellen DeGeneres Show in LA; and Private butterfly release party at The Garden when Pipevine Swallowtail season begins.

According to the program brochure, “The new children’s garden at The Water Conservation Garden will connect kids to nature by providing opportunities for free play and learning in a safe, natural environment. Studies show that children who spend regular time in nature show increased creativity and vitality and stress reduction, all of which help foster a positive relationship with the natural world.”

Next year’s gala is planned for October 17. For more information about the Water Conservation Garden and other upcoming events, visit: http://www.thegarden.org/. View the calendar to learn about upcoming events: http://www.thegarden.org/calendar/index.php.