~RETURNS IN PERSON ON JUNE 4, 2022~
BETTY WHITE’S LEGACY SHINES BRIGHT AT THIS YEAR’S BEASTLY BALL AT THE LOS ANGELES ZOO
~White Carpet Reception, the Naming of the Betty White Conservation Hero Award, Social Media Sweepstakes, and More~
“Thank You for Being an L.A. Zoo Friend” Sweepstakes to Launch Today at Noon PDT on the L.A. Zoo’s Social Accounts: @LAZoo
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s (GLAZA) Beastly Ball returns in person on Saturday, June 4 at the Los Angeles Zoo and will celebrate longtime friend and trustee Betty White with a White Carpet Reception, the naming of the Betty White Conservation Hero Award, a social media sweepstakes entitled “Thank You for Being an L.A. Zoo Friend,” and more. White was deeply committed to the L.A. Zoo and its animals, serving for over 50 years as a GLAZA Trustee, and as the inaugural Chair of the Los Angeles Zoo commission in 2010.
Starting Wednesday, May 18, the L.A. Zoo will launch a social media sweepstakes on Facebook and Instagram entitled “Thank You for Being an L.A. Zoo Friend,” in honor of Betty’s friendship to GLAZA, the L.A. Zoo, and animals worldwide. One lucky winner will receive two tickets to attend this year’s star-studded Beastly Ball, a package with a retail value of $3,000. “The Ball was one of Betty’s favorite fundraising events, so it’s the perfect place for you and your best friend to ‘be like Betty’ while supporting the conservation of species across the globe,” says Tom Jacobson, president of GLAZA. This sweepstakes will end on May 25 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. One winner will be announced the following day, May 26. Please visit www.lazoo.org/rules/, for sweepstakes rules and information.
This year’s Ball will commence with a White Carpet Reception celebrating its honorees B. Natterson-Horowitz, M.D., a cardiologist and evolutionary biologist; Kathryn Bowers, an animal behaviorist and science writer; and Stephen Badger, two-time chairman of Mars, Incorporated and founding investor of Seeds of Change. Honorees, celebrities, City officials, White’s fellow Trustees, and patrons will walk the White Carpet in honor of White’s legacy.
The evening’s program will include a tribute to White introduced by L.A. Zoo friend and Ball host Joel McHale and the introduction of the Betty White Conservation Hero Award. Conservation Heroes are chosen for their demonstrated passion for the planet and for their tireless work in several areas such as mitigating the loss of wildlife, helping to curb climate change, and practicing sustainability. The 2022 recipient is Stephen Badger, former chairman of Mars, Incorporated and great-grandson of Mars’ founder. Badger was central to initiating and driving Mars’ corporate social and environmental responsibility initiatives to combat climate change. He is also a founding investor in Seeds of Change, an organic seed and food company that, for every item sold, plants seeds through school growing programs throughout the U.S, “helping put more plants on plates every day,” according to its mission.
“Betty’s deep love and passion for animals will forever be a part of the Los Angeles Zoo’s history,” says Denise M. Verret, CEO & Zoo Director, Los Angeles Zoo. “She believed in the importance of zoos and our mission of species conservation and used her influence, humor, and generosity to make the world a better place for all living creatures.”
This annual celebration brings together passionate celebrities, tastemakers, business leaders, City officials, and Zoo patrons for a wild night of fundraising for animal conservation. Guests will be treated to after-hours access to the Zoo, where they will enjoy sumptuous dishes, sweet treats, and libations provided by Dulan’s on Crenshaw, Hotville Chicken, La Casita Mexicana, The Federal Bar, Pink’s Hot Dogs, Yakumi, Momed, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, In Good Taste Wines, Paquera Mezcal, and more. As guests stroll the Zoo grounds, they will be delighted by special animal feedings, keeper talks, and roaming entertainment as the party makes its way to Treetops Terrace for more food, live entertainment, and a virtual graffiti wall where guests can “paint” the canvas. There will also be a mobile-bidding silent auction with more than 150 unique and one-of-a-kind items including travel, sports, entertainment, and animal adoption packages; artwork; along with jewelry, clothing, and signed items of Betty White; and much more.
Beastly Ball tickets are $1,500 per person, with individual and corporate sponsorship opportunities at higher levels also available. Donations raised go directly into the Zoo’s conservation mission initiatives. The Los Angeles Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. Free parking is available. For tickets, information about mobile bidding and additional information, visit www.lazoo.org/beastlyball or call 323-486-4253.
Enjoy the YouTube video of past Beastly Balls