May 5,2001 - The Beginning

Our first fundraiser - this would determine the fate of EARS. Would people share the interests and and affection we had for elephants? Would they enjoy spending an evening with them and help us come up with the money to support them for the rest or their lives? And most important of all, would they come again next year, and the year after, and the year after...??? THEY DID. THEY DO. And we can’t thank them enough. This event raised enough money for us to adopt Butch and Buffy, move them to California and begin their life of retirement on the Vision Quest Ranch.

May 11,2002

Our 2001 event did the two most important thing it needed to do, raised enough money to take care of the elephants and bring the people back the following year. Second year on the lawn under a spacious heated tent but this year, a decision was made to bring in a celebrity guest that was more fitting to the event, an animal celebrity and at that time, few animals were more famous than “Taco”.

Taco, the Taco Bell commercial dog made a spectacular entrance from his limo that pulled up to the entrance.

Jack Peterson and Shelly Hayes from the KWAV radio morning show help orchestrate the evening.

Local TV celebrities and news anchors Dan Green and Kate Callaghan hosted the evening (Yes, they are colleagues but the are also husband and wife.) Love was in the air...

A beautiful work of art donated by famed artist, Lynn Lupetti has become a tradition to our event and a blessing to our live auction.

It just wouldn’t be an EARS fundraiser with out bringing an elephant into the tent. This year, Butch did the honors.

Fr. Jerry’s blessing for the evening is yet another tradition we hope to never have to miss.

Taco with EARS director and Vision Quest Ranch Owner, Charlie Sammut along with his staff who volunteer their time to any and all efforts of EARS. Special thanks to Steve Martin’s Working Wildlife for loaning us Taco for the evening.

May 2003

Year 3. We seem to be getting the hang of this and in keeping with our way of doing things, our only goal is to make it better than the last year! That was made possible with the extremely generous donations and help of several key people. John Madden offered us his studio in Pleasanton to produce our video presentation which made the quality of that effort multiply by 10! We actually had people asking to purchase copies of it. Next, was the HUGE donation by Ken and Dave Beck from Paul T. Beck Contractors who felt our event outgrew our front lawn and offered to build us an event site on the upper level of the property. WOW. What could we say. SURE!!!

DaveBlasko, Director of Animals from Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo  California accepts an award for his tremendous help throughout the year on our elephants.

Hec, this year let’s bring ALL 3 elephants into the tents!!!

May 2004

Topping last year is getting more and more difficult as years go on but WE DID IT, this time thanks to a spectacular donation by local Aerobatic Champion Pilot and personal friend to EARS directors, Mr. Wayne Handley. Wayne coordinated and donated our very own “Air Show” above the event site this year. Six acts choreographed to music and narrated just like an international airshow. WHAT A PERFORMANCE AND WHAT A TREAT TO OUR GUESTS THIS YEAR.

In sticking with the Airshow theme and thanks to a great donation by EARS supporter Gary Kreeger, all volunteers were dressed in REAL military flight suits for the evening.

Our new event site still looking spectacular as always!!!

There is no way to express our thanks to all the many companies and individuals who helped us accomplish our goals with Butch and Buffy. A simple thank you doesn't seem to cut it. We welcome all to visit our facility and meet Buffy. She has a way of saying , " thank you, you did the right thing and I'll never forget what you did for me". All of us here at E.A.R.S. will never forget you either!

Inside the the tent was a warm, fun, relaxing decor - compliments of EARS volunteer Terry Sammut and her wonderful staff of helpers. Great Job Terry & Co.! We can’t thank you enough.

Special thanks to “A Balloon on the Horizon” for their touch to the decor that evening... Give Dave a call for your balloon needs (831)899-2828

Special guests this evening included Shari Belafonte-right. Shari is better known as Aunt Shari to EARS volunteer coordinator Rachel Blue.   Shari is joined by EARS director Charlie Sammut with “KB” (middle) and his mother, Tina Sammut (left).

Also stopping by for a “bite” was “S.J. Sharkie”, the San Jose Sharks Hockey team mascot seen left “chumming” it up with our host and KSBW TV News anchor, Mr. Dan Green and EARS volunteer Maia Davidson. EARS President, Ken Beck (right) learned not to mess with sharks!

A very special thanks to Donna Martin from Steve Martin’s Working Wildlife for bringing a baby orangutan “ROCKY” to meet our guests. This was a first and once in a lifetime opportunity for many of our guests this evening.

left to right : EARS donors Tony and Tina Sammut - star of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and EARS Advisor, Mr. Jim Fowler - EARS Director Charlie Sammut and EARS volunteer Terry Sammut.

Jim Fowler joined us for our very first EARS fundraiser in 2001 so it seemed only fitting that he be there to help us celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We look forward to seeing Jim at our 10 year anniversary also. We sincerely thank him for all he does for EARS and for all animals.

The evening is all about raising money to help EARS support it’s elephant population and continue educating the public about the value of these magnificent animals. We simply could not do it without the generous donations from many to include famous Carmel artist Lynn Lupetti and her husband Ed Lohmann (left). They donated a truly one of a kind giclee embellished by Lynn to make it a part giclee, part original Lynn Lupetti. Those who know art know the value and generosity Lynn and Ed shared with us.

Another artist we are forever indebted to is sculptor J.A. Pippett who sculpted this beautiful second part to his EARS collection. This piece is of our very own “Josef”, probably the most famous animal at the Wild Things facility that EARS shares the Vision Quest Ranch with. The piece was finished just in time to have the “original clay” carefully displayed that evening. It went from the fundraiser to the foundry to be cast in bronze and placed upon a marble base. For more information on how you can have one of these beautiful bronzes yourself, please visit our gift shop for more information. 

The final ingredients for a successful fundraiser - the 2005 volunteers of EARS.

We could fill a web page with a list of all the donors, contributors, and special friends of EARS who help us make our event a HUGE success and/or who help us keep our elephants happy and healthy. We thank these people immensely for we call upon them time and time again. If we forgot to mention you or your company at the event in the midst of the confusion and ambitious schedule, we humbly apologize and ask that you remind us for next year. We really do appreciate the input and want no-one to feel unappreciated.

We’ve never received more compliments about one of our fundraisers than we did for this one and we are already setting plans in motion to make next year’s event even better. So if you want to help us help elephants and enjoy an evening like no other, please give us a call to make sure you’re on our mailing list or keep checking back to our web-site for notice of the date for next year’s event.

... and Wild Things Style!

The EARS 2006 Volunteers

The Key Success:

The many volunteers of EARS that come together to make this one evening, once a year, the best it can possibly be.

The Bottom Line:

Our goal of $60,000.00 was not only met this year, it was passed for a grand total of $75,000.00 raised this evening. We can’t thank the many who attended this year’s event and contributed to this success story. We hope you enjoyed yourself enough to join us again next year. As always, we are already planning ways to make it even better!!!

As always, there’s one key reason the EARS Annual Gala is as successful as it is every year, the volunteers! The EARS board of Directors and the elephants can’t thank them enough!

Another real special ingredient this year was the arrival of our very OWN, brand new, 10,000 Sq.Ft. event tent. Thanks to the extremely generous help from our donors at Paul T. Beck Contractors, Salinas Awning and Tony Sammut Development, this should be one head-ache we never have to deal with again for future events. Interested in using this event venue for your special event, fundraiser, wedding or meeting??? Click here to learn how you can do just that...

Left to Right: Chris Shake, Tene Shake, “Butch”, Charlie Sammut and JR Shake.

He’s always there but he never gets credit for he’s always the one taking the photos so he’s never in any of them. Well, this year we correct that. Special thanks to Pep Jimenez of Pep Jimenez Photography and his lovely bride for being there every year to help us raise funds for our elephants.

And nothing goes to waste ~ as demonstrated by EARS volunteer, Paul Waford , making sure the last of the incredible martini mix is put to good use.

Worry not, it’s along about 1am when this photo was taken and the EARS volunteers are all celebrating another very successful event. After that, they all “WALK” down to the ranch where we sleep until clean-up time in a few hours.

A Masquerade Ball at the Pink Elephant Lounge ~ May 2008

Above: Once again the entrance to our “Pink Elephant Lounge is adorned with a beautiful pink Caddy compliments of EARS donor Meredith Crews.

Lft.: Our very own “Earl” the elephant goes masquerade with EARS donor Rachel Blue

(left to right) Mark, Mandy, Bart and Wendy sell very special raffle tickets that allowed one lucky winner that evening to remove ANY live auction item them wanted from the menu.

Sabu Shake Jr. (left) and his lovely wife won the raffle and generously donated the item back to the live auction to generate more income for the elephants. Those who know Sabu and the Shake family are all too familiar with that generosity.

A VERY SPECIAL thanks to Mr and Mrs JimVanderzwaan (left of EARS director Charlie Sammut and Butch) from KSBW Television for being our Master of Ceremonies this evening. We hope to make it a tradition.

A very special thanks to radio celebrity Bill Kelly of Mix 106.5 and KSBY’s (as well as EARS director)Michele Allen  for helping keep the evening moving along on its very busy schedule.

Another first for EARS was the very unique entertainment provided by Gregangelo & Veloocity Circus.

(left)EARS directors Heather Greaux and Charlie Sammut recognize some very EARS special donors/award recipients with the help of Charlie’s daughter, Briana Sammut (below)