The Environmental Learning Center opted to change up the venue and theme of its annual fundraiser this year, holding it at the Orchid Island Beach Club with a Secret Garden premise to highlight the new path the ELC is embarking on.
“For two years we did the casino event and we wanted to change it up a bit this year,” said Holly Brown, who has chaired the event for the past three years. “We thought Secret Garden was a natural fit for Orchid and would be perfect with our décor.”
The 220 guests blew in with the chilly ocean breeze and enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the beachside walkway and green while perusing the numerous silent and live auction offerings before heading into the main upstairs dining room for dinner and dancing.
The committee had spent all day decorating the dinner tables where white cloths were paired with all-white roses, hydrangeas and Podocarpus orchids, adding additional elegance to the club’s already beautiful room.
Brown was pleased to have Sara Lloyd as her co-chair leading a phenomenal committee, saying she gave it a fresh perspective and energy. She was looking forward to auctioneer Wesley Davis’ always entertaining live auction with items such as lunch for four with Carl Hiaasen, and she hoped the event would raise about $100,000 to support ELC operations and programs.
“We also have The Killer Wails, who are a band made up of local doctors, coming tonight. They have their own fan club so I think that will be really fun, too. It is local talent supporting local charity,” added Brown, who got involved in the ELC through her children. “My kids are just in love with ELC. They enjoy doing the nature walks and my 7-year-old just did an overnight camp with 18 of his classmates and the dads. They had a blast going canoeing, having pillow fights, and stayed up all night. It was so amazing … no electronics, just enjoying nature,” said Brown.
Sara Lloyd said that since loyal ELC supporters follow them electronically, the committee decided to do away with paper invitations and use emails and Facebook to promote the event.
“We made it more earth-friendly and green, so we saved money on stamps, paper invitations and we sold the tickets out pretty quickly, which shows that it was an obvious success,” said Lloyd.
The event was also successful in increasing awareness of the new course Molly Steinwald, ELC executive director, is taking the organization.
“We very recently changed our mission statement to show our new direction,” said Steinwald. “It is basically to educate, inspire and empower all people, including those who have minimal access to nature, to be stewards of the environment as well as their own well-being. So it’s putting human well-being and environmental health on the same level of importance – that is huge.”
Steinwald hopes to entice more groups with physical and mental challenges by adding nature therapy programs. By providing them with access she hopes to instill in them the willingness to learn about and care for nature and the environment. A recent addition has been the purchase of all terrain wheelchairs to help those who were previously unable to get out onto the trails or riverfront to now have access to the wonders of the Environmental Learning Center.