Go on Safari for an Evening at Tri-Valley Conservancy's Jeans & Jewels Gala

By Jay Hipps, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Cowboys, formally-clad executives, and other lovers of local wildlife and open space will be on hand Thursday, November 5 for Jeans & Jewels: An Evening on Safari, a gala fundraiser for the Tri-Valley Conservancy land trust which will be held at Casa Real at Ruby Hill Winery.

The theme of this year's event speaks to the non-profit group's new certification from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife which will allow them to work with state, county, and local governments to preserve animal habitats. The conservancy is currently working with the City of Livermore to take on its first wildlife habitat, a portion of Doolan Canyon which serves as a home to burrowing owls, a protected species.

"Our attendees love Jeans & Jewels because, as the name indicates, they can come however they want," says Jill Naughton, event coordinator. "We have people that show up in jeans and cowboy boots and we have people that show up in evening attire, and they have fun with our themes so there will probably be a few safari hats."

There's a lot more than that to the event, she adds. "We remake the Casa Real into the environment that we're celebrating with each theme, so this year they're really going to feel like they're on safari," Naughton says. "We have music, dancing, a hosted bar, and we serve the two winners from our annual wine competition so everybody will have an opportunity to enjoy the best white and the best red from Livermore."

Kellie Hayes, the Tri-Valley Conservancy's resource development director, says that the silent and live auctions at the event are also popular. "We have things like photo safari trips to Africa, a suite at a Sharks game, a house for a week at Tahoe, a house in for a week at Big Sky Resort... We get a lot of unique donations for Jeans & Jewels."

"It's a great way for people in the community to get out and network with other people who share a care for the environment," adds Naughton. "They can get together with their neighbors and celebrate something that's really important to the quality of life in the area."

Preserving the area's quality of life is one of the organization's primary goals. Founded in 1994, the Tri-Valley Conservancy currently has over 4,500 acres under protection through conservation easements, which limit the type and quantity of development which can take place on that land. The group's mission is "to permanently protect the fertile soils, rangelands, open space and biological resources and to support a viable agricultural economy, in the Tri-Valley area."

Tickets for Jeans & Jewels are available online at trivalleyconservancy.org. Individual admission is $125, while sponsored tables for 10 are available for $2,000, a price that includes 10 invitations to the VIP pre-reception, a VIP table with custom signage, and special recognition in both the event slideshow and program. For additional information on either the event or the organization's work, access their web site at trivalleyconservancy.org, e-mail info@trivalleyconservancy.org, or call (925) 449-8706.

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