Dear Members, Donors and Friends,
Thank you so much to all of you who came out to support us on a wonderful evening for our Wine in the Pines event October 15. It was lovely to see you all in person, under the canopy of our beloved Torreys. We had a fun time reveling in the beauty of the Reserve, engaging with local artists, and listening to the music of Peter Sprague and his band.
Despite the dark clouds and drizzle (and a Padres playoff game!), about 300 guests came to the sold-out event, boarded the shuttles in the South Beach parking lot, and were driven to the visitor’s center, where they were greeted by TPC President Rick Gulley and Executive Director Susanne Florin.
The inviting sound of Peter Sprague and his talented band (Tripp Sprague, Allison Adams Tucker and Sean Hicke) welcomed the guests. Their music set the tone for a wonderful atmosphere: relaxing and engaging. Quite a few guests got up to dance.
Around the Children’s Pavilion, four local artists were actively painting the Torrey Pines landscape; Joli Beal, Pat McGeeney, Dot Renshaw and Tony Williams displayed their art against a backdrop of breathtaking views.
Wine and beer were served from a renovated horse trailer, which proved very popular. The whimsical whinnying sound of a horse that seemed to come out of the trailer was a huge hit. Premium red and white wines, as well as four kinds of delicious craft beers, were on tap and enjoyed by the crowd.
Also quite popular were the wide variety of delicious handmade Italian flatbreads, which were so good that our lines got long – something that we’re working to improve for next year! Salad and cannoli rounded out an impressive layout.
To conclude the night, a dramatic sunset peeked through the clouds and painted itself across the sky. Partygoers took the shuttles back to the main entrance, and there were even reports of singing on many of the buses down the hill.
Last, but certainly not least, the event raised about $47,500 for critical needs at the Reserve.
A very big thank you to the following local companies for their generous sponsorships: The Club Torrey Pines Apartment Homes, CBRE, Garden Communities, OJB Landscape Architecture, and The Salk Institute.
Thank you to all of you for supporting Torrey Pines SNR!
Sincerely,
-Your Torrey Pines Conservancy
PS: A very special thank you to volunteer photographer Herb Knufken for the photos!
If You Love What We Do
If you love our work then tell the world! Stories about us from people like you will help us make an even bigger impact in our community. GreatNonprofits–-the #1 source of nonprofit stories and feedback-–is honoring highly regarded nonprofits with their 2022 Top-Rated List. Won’t you help us raise visibility for our work by posting a brief story of your experience with us? All content will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes!
Member, Donor and Docent Night Hike
Torrey Pines docents and Torrey Pines Conservancy members got together for an enjoyable Torrey Pines moonlight walk on Saturday, October 8. Even though the full moon was obscured for most of the evening, the weather was comfortable, and the 70-plus participants were able to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Reserve after sunset.
Participants met at 7 pm in the upper parking lots and broke into five groups based on ability and interest. Six experienced docents led the hikes, sharing stories and humor along the way: Stu Rosenwasser, Cres Torres, Bruce Gray, Thomas Holland, Evelyn Vance and Gary McCook.
Some walkers brought ultraviolet flashlights, which they used to find over 30 brightly glowing scorpions hidden on the Guy Fleming Trail. One group even found a young gopher snake crossing their path. Walkers anticipated the hooting of the resident Great Horned Owls, but as Bruce Gray noted that “They must have had laryngitis tonight.” The moon did eventually show its face for the culmination of another great Torrey Pines night hike.
Saving Birds Through Habitat by Jennifer Vodrazka
Songbird numbers are on the decline, but there are some easy steps that you and I can take to increase them. This message, from our guest speaker Kay Charter of “Saving Birds Through Habitat,” was the subject of her October 1st talk at the Children’s Pavilion. Though we had some technical difficulties, Kay was able to spread her message that planting native plants will increase insects and habitat areas that are vital to the health of our bird population.
As the founder and Executive Director of “Saving Birds Through Habitat,” Kay is on a speaking tour of the western states. Her organization received a $150,000 grant to spread the word, and that is what Kay is passionately doing. Everyone in attendance received a gift bag filled with information, including the NY Times bestselling book “Nature’s Best Hope,” by Douglas W. Tallamy. If you missed this informative and important lecture, don’t worry! We have scheduled Kay to come back and speak at a docent meeting in the near future.
We also heard from Chris McCreedy, of the American Bird Conservancy, who spoke on the importance of keeping our cats inside. His presentation included staggering numbers relating to the deaths of birds each year, to various causes such as disease and window crashes. However, the largest threat to our songbird wildlife by far was housecats.
Nature Discovery Series: November 19
Torrey Pines Docent Society’s November Nature Discovery Series event will be a presentation about the Cultural Traditions and Stories of the Luiseno people, by Ami Admire from the Rincon Reservation in Valley Center. The public talk on Saturday November 19 at 3 PM is free and suitable for all ages. We will meet at the pavilion area near the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve upper parking lot.
Save the Date!
Please save the date for Torrey Pines Conservancy’s Annual Meeting on Sunday, February, 26, 2023, 3 to 5 pm at the Martin Johnson House, Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
The 100th anniversary celebration of the Lodge is slated for Saturday, April, 8 from 10 am to 4 pm. More details to follow.
