Dolores and Bob Hope
Laura and Amory Houghton
The George and Evelyn Howard Family Trust
Tim Jochen and Lee Erwin / Contour Dermatology
Helen and Edwin Johnsen
A.D. Johnston
Elizabeth Fuller Jones
Virginia and P. J. Keeley
Maria and Michael Kiner
Paige Kiner
Sami and Tom H. Lang
Katherine and David Lawrence
Susan and George LeBlanc
Michael A. Leppen
Ellis Lewis
Patricia A. Lyon
Manilow Fund For Health & Hope
Sharon Mattern
June and Harold Mayer
The Oscar G. & Elsa S. Mayer Foundation
Mary Jo and Al Means
Marcia and Max Messmer Jr.
Sharon and Howard Miller
Deirdre and Allen Monroe
Rena C. Muzzy
Anne and Harry Newman
Carol-Ann and Alan Olson
Warner Otto
Palm Desert Foundation
Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
Pepsi Beverage Company
Linda Phipps and Elaine Allen
Phyllis S. Poehler and Walter E. Stremel
Charitable Trust
Phyllis and C. Davis Poehler
Tom Pogue and Boris Rose
Carolyn and John Radebaugh
Linda and Manny Rider
Elizabeth Hutchins Riggs
John and Yvonne Royan
Jan Salta
Judy and Bob Sanders
Peter Scheer and Matthias Scheer
Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
Richard Shalhoub Family
Mary Sue and Mike Shannon
Marisa and James J. Shea Jr.
Sally and Kenneth Simonds
Louise Sloneker-Maison
Roswitha Smale
Annette and D. William Smith
Becky and Phillip Smith Jr.
Faye Moore Snelling
Gillian and Wilbur F. Snelling
Mary Lou and Dick Solomon
Grace Helen Spearman Charitable Foundation
Amber and Sam Spinello
Karen and Nick Steffanoff
Anne Sutherland-DeRosa
Ettore Richard DeRosa, Jr. Foundation
Joy Svenson
Bette and Jack Swain
Marianne Armanino and Harry Timmins
Arthur Underwood
Lois and John Veneri
Jocelyn and Richard Vortmann
Mary and Gordon Watson
Frank Wiskowski
As of June 30, 2023
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. Please notify Development@LivingDesert.org of any omissions or inaccuracies.
HERITAGE SOCIETY MEMBERS
The Heritage Society recognizes those donors who have made arrangements for deferred gifts in their estate: a bequest in a will, a charitable remainder trust, a life insurance policy with The Living Desert named as the beneficiary, real estate property, appreciated stock, and more. Members of the Heritage Society are a unique group of people who share the same vision as Karen Sausman, President Emerita, and the original Board of Trustees. Heritage Society members understand the need to provide for the sustainable future of The Living Desert and the incredible and often endangered plants and animals found in the world’s deserts.
Elaine Allen
Gerald and Wendy Anderson
Anonymous
Bill and Suzan Appel
Phyllis Ardary
Dr. C. Dennis and Dr. Patricia G. Ashby
William and Mary Baker
Michael Baran and Rai Scime
Robert G. Berg, Jr.
Kerry Berman
Peggy and Hal Bernthal
Karen E. Casier
Joan and Jim Chedester
John and Margaret Cleveland
Carol and Jesse Couch
Barbara R. Dadanian
Deanna “Dee” Daneri
Ernest and Jan Demarbiex
Daphne K. DeMartino
Linda Dempster
Jim and Cindy Eshleman
Carlotta Flink
Judy Fogt
George and Elaine Foster
Kristine Martin-Gula
Marilyn Hahn
Jeffrey T. Hall
James P. and Linda L. Hamm
Candace Clark Holzgrafe
Melinda Joyce Nahin-Iuster
Lois Henning Kahn-Feuer
Linda Karas
Marisa Y. Katnic’
Ronald E. Iehl
Kirstin Lane
Barbara and Paul Lenburg
Nancy and Bud Lenzer
Betty Callies and Bonny Light
Patricia A. Lyon
Jaci and David Mach
Sharon L. Mattern
Kenneth F. Maxwell and Richard L. Redman
Charles and Candace McBrayer
Vicki McConnell
Barbara J. Merrill
Joseph Migliore
Lee Miller
Sharon and Howard Miller
Fera Mostow
Jneil Ludwick Nelson
Sandra Norman
Dr. David E. and Marge Perkins
Dale A. Perry
Linda Phipps
Richard and Georgina Polizzi
Kerstin B. Pollack
Joseph A. Rangus
Connie Rickords
Sandy Rosenberg and Don Thompson
Marcus F. Rosenstein
Lynne L. Rudnick
Karen Sausman
Louise E. Schulz
Angelo and Sheryl Sciacca
Bill and Pamela Simpkins
Brian and Jean Slavin
Sandra Smith
Lady Smith
Mary Lou and Dick Solomon
Barbara Storms and Sarah Gonzales
Carla Sullivan-Dilley
Kelly Taylor
William S. Tetsch
J. Bruce Tominello and Larry E. Kirchner
Sarah S. and John P. Tyler
Raymond and Elizabeth Welch
Susan Westphal
Catherine Hayes and Mark Wiesel
Cynthia K. Williams
Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Shanna Winters
Rita D. Wood
Sandra Cooper Woodson
Billie F. Yeager
2022-2023 ROLL OF DONORS
OVER $1,000,000
Janet R. Selland
$500,000 - $999,999
June Johnson Dickson
Rita Stec and Lance Eldred
The A.C. and Shaughne S. Warnack Foundation
$250,000 - $499,999
Kelly and J. Allen Carmien
City of Palm Desert
John F. Grundhofer Charitable Foundation
Ellen Hegwer Foundation
Carol Petrie
Wayne L. Prim Foundation
Susan R. Rogowski
Beryl and Robert Sturtevant
$100,000 - $249,999
Suzan and Bill Appel
Sharon and Dean Baltzell
The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation
The Chaiken Family
Dana Chaiken and Susan Roll
City of Indian Wells
Tom Eakin
Mary Lou Graziadio
Joan and Richard Hamilton
Highland Street Foundation
JoAnn McGrath
Sandy and George Kachlein III
Karla Kjellin-Elder and Jeffrey Elder
Edeltraud McCarthy Foundation
Patrick M. McCarthy Foundation
Jack Moore
Sandy Petersen
Marjorie B. Salter
Stacy Schlinger, CPA
$50,000 - $99,999
Eric Affeldt / Carolyn and Clara Forman
Anonymous
Argyros Family Foundation
Bank of America Corporation
Tracey and Mike Clark
Susan E. Cooper
Cathy and Bill Dickson
Lola F. Edmiston
Laura and Joseph Gregorio
Patricia and David Lamb
Susan and George LeBlanc
Sharon and Craig McCollam
Sally and Michael Schreter
BJ and Van Skilling
Cynthia and James Williams
John and Martha Wilson Charitable Fund, a donor advised fund of The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust
$25,000 - $49,999
Karen Alton
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Auen Foundation
The Brinson Foundation
Clark Foundation
Tom Gleitsman and Taylor Jaeger
Rosalind and Stanley Hack
The Koehler Mahlstedt Family Foundation
Marcia and Max Messmer Jr.
Jneil Ludwick Nelson
Linda and John Seiter
Grace Helen Spearman
Charitable Foundation
Marcy Tonkin
$10,000 - $24,999
Anonymous
Robert Archer and Charles Hilliar
Chelsea Armstrong and Ryan Landels
Suvina Mah and Peter Armstrong
Barbara and Timothy Arnstein
Bighorn Development, LLC
Chris and John Blair
Wendy and Gary Broad Gary Broad Foundation
Shelley Gordon and Thomas Camp
Dottie Castle / The Castle Foundation
Deborah Chapman
Sarah and Roger Chrisman
City of Rancho Mirage
Margie and Roy Clark
Candace and Jon Holzgrafe
Cynthia Claytor
Suzanne and David Etheridge
Mary Jean Gierthy
Marylynn and Andy Gladstein
Alexandra Glickman and Gayle Whittemore
Karen and Robert Gober
Susan and Jim Gould
Jan and Jim Hawkins
Kay Hillery
Barbara and H. Earl Hoover II
The Miriam U. Hoover Foundation
Debbie and Art Jacobson
Kathy and Bob Jaunich
David Kowalczyk and Curtis Johnson
Ursula and Gordy Johnson
Paige Kiner
Jahanna and Tom Knight
Drew A. Leander
Jessica Ledbetter and Ranee Barsanti
Connie L. and Robert A. Lurie
Patricia A. Lyon
Tiffani and Joseph Magri
The Gilbert J. Martin Foundation
Martin/Brattrud Inc
Justin McNulty and Brad Korell
Sandy and Seward Prosser Mellon
R. K. Mellon Family Foundation
Karen Miles
Lee Miller
Handel’s
Deirdre and Allen Monroe
Mildred Moore-Voll and Dick Voll
Anne Christensen and Arne Ness
Adele Ruge and V.W. North
Tom Patrick and Steve Rulo
DeDe and Bill Pitruzzelli
Jebby and Thomas Potter
PVG Architects
Trudy and Pat Ritz
The Rosso Family Foundation
Judy and Rick Rowe
Jan Salta
Lynn Parazak and Cliff Schneider
Mary Sue and Mike Shannon
Sally and Kenneth Simonds
Becky and Phillip Smith Jr.
SoCal Edison
Carole and Del Stagg
Jennifer and Robert Stephen
Bill O’Donnell and Rick Farris
US Bank Foundation
Ellen Vahan
David Verity
Carol Wright
$5,000 - $9,999
AbbVie Inc
Anonymous
API Office Solutions
Association of Science and Technology Centers
Karen Dennis and Miles Auslander
Rai Scime and Michael Baran
Mary Reisher and Barry Berlin
Joyce and William Biffar
Richard Billings
Carrie and Rich Breeswine
RoxAnna and Jamie Breitigan
Cindy Callaway
Linda Cheever
Classic Escapes
Pat Clinton
Sharon and James Danoff-Burg
Diane and Neal Denkler
Janet and Robert Dryden
Jackie and Curt Ealy
Judy Fogt
Marcia and Robert French
William M. Fuller Foundation
Teresa and Timothy Gamble
Galaxy Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc.
Jeannie Gilbert and Janice Campbell
Ann and Samuel Ginn
The Ginn Family Foundation
Judy and Richard Guggenhime
Susan and Wayne Harvey
Timothy Hohmeier and Charles Diodosio
Suz Hunt
Jill and Dale Hurd
Christine and Al Johnsen
Norma Jones and Jim Strode
Angie and Squire Junger
Tanya Karn
Connie and Dennis Keller
Margy Klayman
Ramona and Mark Kline
Nancy Knowlton
Gail and John Kretchmer
Jacquelyn Lester
Mary Lester / Lester Family Foundation
Ellis Lewis
Mary Jo and Al Means
Joanne and Myron Mintz
Diane and Mike Morrison
Dennis Murphy
Sandy Myerson and Michael Gailus
Scott Nevins and Philip Hodges
Jason and Rob Ollander-Krane
Carol-Ann and Alan Olson
Pacific Coast Heavy Truck Company
Marcia and Bill Pade
Nancy and Iain Parsons
Carol Pavlick
Linda Phipps and Elaine Allen
Phyllis S. Poehler and Walter E. Stremel
Charitable Trust
Sandy and Harvey Platt
David Pollart
Maureen and Bob Renner
Gifts Received from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023
Suzi Richards
Anne Rittenhouse
Lynne Rudnick
Judy Sanders
Peter Scheer and Matthias Scheer
Carrie and Nick Schrup
John Schumacher and Joseph Rodriguez
Linda and Bill Scott
Laura and Chris Seyfarth
Nancy and Malcolm Slack
Theresa and Roger Snoble
Mary Lou and Dick Solomon
Joan and Charles Spainhour
Amber and Sam Spinello
Barbara and James Stuart
Thalassa Journeys LLC
Sarah and Ed Thayer
The de Vos Family Foundation
Gloria Tipton
U.S. Bank
Visit Greater Palm Springs
White & Case LLP
Linda Jo and Allan Bankus Jr.
Cherry Whitley
Kathy and Jim York
$2,500 - $4,999
Betsy and Mark Adams
Bill Adams and Jim Dinse
Art Laboe Foundation
Kristi and Brian Bailey
Miles Benickes
Sheryl Benoit
Bond Consulting Services
Diana and Dennis Brandt
Brenda and Mark Brown
Marybeth and Roger Burpee
Patricia and John Campbell
Tiffany and Nino Capobianco
Leslie Carothers
Diane Clarke
Gail Commagere
Janice Vincent and William Courtney
Wendy and Kevin Cox
Alan B. Cox Charitable Lead Unitrust
Holiday Dapper and Jeb Bailey
Lavon and Jim DeGraw
Diane and Norman Delaterre
Linda Dempster
Digonex
Joel Douglas
Steve Duffy
Lynn Elliott
Lisa Brenner and Lee Elster
Zurich Esposito and Brian McCormick
Mary and John Ferlin
Christel and Phelps Fisher
Lori and Andrew Forthmann
Mary and Torrey Foster
Larry Fry and Jeff Garatea
Susan and Warren Gelman
Frank Goldstin and Paul Clowers
Renee Hall
Tracy and Steve Hanson
Kristine Harris and David Rosner
Lynn and Alan Hendershot
Lorna and Robert Houck
Mary Jacobs
Maren and Adam Jaffe
Julie Jensen
Chantel and Stacey Johnson
Gail and Fred Jubitz
Suzanne and Tom Kanarian
Suzanne and Travis Keeler
Stuart Kent and Mark Pellegrino
Kind World Foundation
Maria and Michael Kiner
Bradley R. Kirk & Associates, Inc.
Jeanette Kleist
Kathryn and William Lane
Lane | Terralever
Lori Lindell
Dave Lippert
Cindy and Eric Lissol
Richard Longmire
Sharon Mattern
Mary McCarthy and Warren Platt
Fay McClung
Barbie McMahan
Dorothy and Albert Milauskas
Nancy and Brad Miller
Fern Miller
Dori and Andy Moshier
Betty Nelson-Lahti and Gordon Lahti
NFP Property & Casualty Services, Inc.
NFP Retirement
Phillips 66
Pioneer Solution, Inc
Ana and Greg Pringle
Ralphs Grocery Company
Maureen and Phil Ramer
Anita B. & Howard S. Richmond Foundation
Patricia and William Ritter
Lori and Murray Rudin
Adele Ruxton
Marilyn Sabin
Desert Ron
Terry and Bill Schmidt
Lori and Aubrey Serfling
Richard Shalhoub Family
Pamela and William Simpkins
Patty and Larry Spicer
Jan Starr and Billy Siegel
Barbara Storms and Sarita Gonzales
Chris Strand
Linda and Don Swortwood
Shirley and Peter Tart
Robin Thede
Sheila and Rick Vitelle
Jocelyn and Richard Vortmann
Judy Vossler
Nancy and Bob Wagman
Carol Walker
Molly Walters
Watermark Estate Management Services LLC
Paula Weiss
Art Williams and Gene Leone
Marilyn Yaeger
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. Please notify Development@LivingDesert.org of any omissions or inaccuracies.
FINANCIALS FOR FISCAL YEAR *
Ending June 30, 2023 (UNAUDITED)
* The Living Desert is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation. (EIN 95-3385354).
** Total Excludes Depreciation
Living Legacy Endowment Report Year ending June 30, 2023
Fiscal stability is an important marker for an organization’s success. The Living Desert is fortunate to have a healthy endowment in place that was started by our leaders a number of years ago. Campaign managers and trustees Susan Cooper and BJ Skilling wrapped up the Living Legacy Endowment campaign in 2015 at $21,000,000. With careful investments, we are happy to report the total value of the fund for the fiscal year-ending June 30, 2023, is now a robust $55,871,348.
Every year, the Board of Trustees votes to take an annual distribution from the endowment
that comes from investing the fund. These annual distributions have strengthened us as an organization in many ways such as balancing the budget, adding new visitor features (the past butterfly exhibit was a popular guest experience before Covid-19). More recently, we have expanded staffing, strengthened employee benefits, handled emergency repairs such as downed trees and damaged habitats from Hurricane Hilary, and offered educational programs to help under-resourced populations of children. The endowment distributions bridged part of the gap in operating expenses when COVID-19 forced us
to close our gates for three months — the fund has been invaluable in making us a strong and successful organization.
The Living Legacy Garden was created to honor all the endowment supporters who had the foresight and passion to understand the importance of preparing for a rainy day — as well as bolstering programs, operations and purposes specified by our Board of Directors. We are grateful to those who contributed to this transformational legacy, and we continue to accept on-going gifts toward the endowment to help sustain our future.
ROSE AND SAGE
Through a collaborative effort, two orphaned mountain lions came to their forever home at The Living Desert in September 2022. Rose, the female, was emaciated and malnourished when the four- to-fivemonth-old was spotted by hikers in April 2022. After extensive monitoring from California Fish and Wildlife and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Rose was transported to Oakland Zoo’s veterinary hospital where she received round-the-clock treatment. Just two months later, Rose was joined by Sage, a male mountain lion who was discovered in a classroom. Unfortunately, the two juvenile mountain lions had missed out on a critical time of early life usually spent learning from their mothers. As Rose and Sage were not able to be released back into the wild, Oakland Zoo worked with The Living Desert for transport to their new home after the mountain lions had been rehabilitated. The (non-breeding) pair have been settling into their habitat at Eagle Canyon ever since, where they continue to be ambassadors for their species by helping to share their story with guests each day!
