Gentle spring temperatures and the perfect outdoor venue provided the warmest of welcomes for members and supporters of the Pelican Island Audubon Society, who gathered at Schacht Groves for a Glitz, Stars and Gaiety-themed gala to celebrate the highly acclaimed organization’s 60th anniversary.

Just past a venerable, moss-draped oak at the venue entrance, and surrounded by acre upon lush acre of citrus, a small “peninsula” extends out into a sparkling, 18-acre lake, creating a one-of-a-kind outdoor location that is especially appropriate for nature-centric occasions such as this.

On this special evening, guests were welcomed to the family grove by Schacht patriarch Henry F. Schacht, before being invited to have their photos taken within a lovely gazebo adorned with sparkling lights.

Bird calls mixed with the music of Low Ground Trio, punctuating the hum of conversation as attendees mixed and mingled, enjoying a tempting selection of artistically presented hors d’oeuvres by Wild Thyme.

In addition to perusing the enticing array of silent-auction items, guests pored over the fascinating display of pictures and articles covering the impressive history of PIAS over its eventful six decades.

Among the 84 attendees were current and former board members and other longtime advocates and supporters, including George Glenn, Nancy Irvin, Tom and Rita Groendyke, Cate Wenzing, Dr. Albert Alley, Melissa Ellison and Tim Glover, president of Friends of St. Sebastian River.

Never one to rest on 60 years of laurels, Richard Baker, Pelican Island Audubon Society president and board chair since 2003, spoke about a few of Audubon’s current projects. Among them, their efforts to plant more native plants, which do not require a lot of chemicals to survive, thus protecting the soil.

“We’ve distributed 28,000 native plants and trees so far, and our five-year goal is 100,000,” said Baker, adding that most came from their own native plant nursery at the Audubon House, located off Oslo Road.

He stressed the value of school programs to reach future generations of stewards of the land, including their Kids in Nature afterschool programs, conducted at Title 1 schools and coordinated within a four-county area.

Before heading into a long pole barn, where white-clothed tables sparkling with crystal were beautifully set for a sumptuous repast, guests raised champagne flutes in honor of Pelican Island Audubon Society’s numerous accomplishments over the past six decades.

The nonprofit has steadfastly carried out its mission to preserve and protect the animals, plants and natural environments, and the land and water on which they depend in Indian River County through education, advocacy and public awareness.

As the gold of sunset faded into purple and descended into evening, ropes of twinkling lights sparkled everywhere beneath a clear night sky filled with stars.

To everyone’s surprise there was another – unexpected – stellar display when a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, soaring upward and delighting the guests who enjoyed a splendid view from their front row seats.

For more information, visit PelicanIslandAudubon.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis