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SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund Raises $222,000 in 'Wildnight' Dinner
Non-Profit Charitable Foundation Supports Wildlife Conservation on Every Continent
October 16, 2006 (St. Louis, Mo.) - The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars in support of animal rescue, wildlife conservation and environmental education during the foundation's second-annual "WildNIGHT" dinner.
Event organizers estimate that 400 people attended the $250-a-plate fundraiser at SeaWorld San Antonio October 12. SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund President Virginia M. Busch, zoologist and television personality Jack Hanna, and SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Animal Ambassador Julie Scardina hosted the event.
"WildNIGHT was a tremendous success," Busch said. "The generosity of our corporate partners like Anheuser-Busch, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Pepsi, Southwest Airlines, HEB grocery stores, Valero Energy, NBC Universal and AT&T is inspiring. These donations will allow us to continue to support the conservation of species around the world."
The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, created in 2003 by the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, is a registered non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to supporting environmental and wildlife conservation initiatives around the world. Its primary areas of focus are habitat and species conservation, animal rescue and rehabilitation, and environmental education.
Unlike most charities, 100 percent of donations to the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund benefit individuals and groups active in conservation or education. Administrative costs, including fund development, staff salaries, equipment and facilities, are borne by Busch Entertainment Corp. (BEC), the theme park division of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Anheuser-Busch and BEC also are the Fund's largest donors, accounting for more than 75 percent of the money collected and distributed. SeaWorld San Antonio donated the use of its special event venue, along with much of the evening's food, décor, gifts and staffing. Anheuser-Busch Companies, along with Texas- based Anheuser-Busch distributors Silver Eagle, BudCo, L&F and Brown Distributing, donated more than $70,000.
Since its inception the Fund has distributed $ 2.1 million to more than 175 projects in 40 countries. The Fund's next grant awards are scheduled for April 2007. Next year's WildNIGHT dinner will be held at SeaWorld San Diego.
"The response to the Fund from the community, our theme park guests, Anheuser-Busch employees and distributors and business partners has been overwhelming and deeply gratifying," Busch said. "The success of last Thursday's event illustrates the deep commitment of individuals and corporations in this country to preserve the environment."
In addition to speeches from Busch, Julie Scardina, SeaWorld General Manager Dan Decker and Jack Hanna, guests were entertained by video presentations of Fund projects around the world and more than 30 exotic animals from SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks, including a tiger, camel, Canadian lynx, warthog, Asian bears and a kangaroo joey.
The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund Mission: To work with purpose and passion on behalf of wildlife and habitats worldwide, encouraging sustainable solutions through support of species research, animal rescue and rehabilitation and conservation education.
For more information, contact Fred Jacobs at
314/613-6077.
www.swbg-conservationfund.org
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomes the birth of baby Geri into the park's black rhino population. Busch Gardens' veterinarians conduct blood studies on the black rhino both in the park and out in the wild to better understand the health of the endangered species.
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