Palm Desert Foundation Awards $200K Grant to Living Desert

The following is a news release from the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation:

The Living Desert was awarded a $200,000 grant from the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. The funds will help the Coachella Valley’s only zoo continue its mission of desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation.

A primary component of the grant funding will provide 180 school field trip scholarships to the area’s three school districts. These excursions provide an introduction to desert ecology to about 5,400 Pre-K-6th grade students.

“Field trips continue to be one of the first times local families experience The Living Desert,” said Allen Monroe, President and CEO of The Living Desert. “This early education impacts our goals of local desert conservation and awareness of the interconnectedness of nature.”

Several events hosted at The Living Desert are also supported by the Berger Foundation’s recent grant. Two local favorites, plus a new event, offer the community a variation in the way they see a portion of our native Colorado Desert. This year, Howl-O-Ween is October 25 and 26. The event offers two full days of family activities, music, food, animal encounters, plus an a-mazing maze with paid admission to the park. On October 31, The Living Desert opens to members for a special trick-or-treat night.

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, The Living Desert hosts WildLights, a Coachella Valley tradition that the Berger Foundation has sponsored for more than a decade. About 30,000 visitors are expected to enjoy more than one million lights throughout the park.

For 2015, the Berger Foundation is one of the first to support a new event at The Living Desert – Mardi Paws Celebration. Slated for February 14, this fun Mardi Gras themed event is expected to draw about 2,000 visitors to partake in a parade, music, street performers and the ever-present animal encounters.

“The Living Desert has been a part of our family since we moved the foundation to the valley,” said Ronald Auen President of the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. “By funding these efforts, we hope more people will see all that The Living Desert has to offer and then continue to support it and its mission.”

The Living Desert was established in 1970 with the vision of Phillip Boyd and Karen Sausman. Since then, the grounds have expanded from 360 protected acres to 1,200 acres, one thousand of which remain in their natural state. For more information about The Living Desert or its programs and events go to www.LivingDesert.org or call 760-346-5694. The Living Desert is located at 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert.