San Francisco — More than 130 luminaries, donors and supporters of The Sierra Fund packed Bill and Alice Russell-Shapiro's Absinthe in support of a proposed Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
True to the name of the event, the fundraiser — “From the Sierra to the Sea” — brought together an emerging coalition of urban and rural supporters of conservation in the Sierra Nevada.
Hosts included Mayor Gavin Newsom, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Nevada County Supervisor Peter Van Zant and Nevada City Mayor Conley Weaver.
“We knew there was a tremendous wellspring of support for the Sierra,” reported the evening's MC, Planning and Conservation League Director Fred Keeley. “But this exceeded our expectations.”
“The success of the Conservancy effort would not be possible without the incredible work of The Sierra Fund,” Assemblyman John Laird told the packed room. “This is the year that we will succeed.”
