RIVERKEEPER’S STAR-STUDDED EARTH DAY BENEFIT MARKS LAUNCH OF FESTIVITIES CELEBRATING 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF HENRY HUDSON’S VOYAGE

gchambers@riverkeeper.org — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:25:47 -0400

Tony Bennett Set to Perform at April 22 Gala in NYC; Mayor Bloomberg Among Honorees

NEW YORK – April 15, 2009 - A celebrity-filled guest list will add glamour and excitement to Riverkeeper’s Fishermen’s Ball, at Pier Sixty on the Hudson (Chelsea Piers, Manhattan) on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22. The evening will also feature an intimate live performance by Tony Bennett.

The dinner dance begins with a cocktail reception at 6:30, followed by dinner and honors for environmental advocates who have given generously to improve the health of our waterways, including the Honorable Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, “green” architect William McDonough, Majora Carter, Pete Seeger and others.

Riverkeeper’s Fishermen’s Ball marks the launch of festivities celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson’s memorable voyage of discovery. Special events are scheduled throughout summer and fall, including a 10-day river flotilla in June that marks the start of Hudson’s voyage and visiting Dutch dignitaries in September marking its completion.

Riverkeeper has produced a touring exhibit and lecture, titled: “A Hudson River Journey: 1609 - 2109” that will travel to communities throughout the Hudson Valley as a featured attraction at state sponsored and local events. The exhibition examines the Hudson River from three perspectives, including: pre-contact when the Lenape lived on the river’s shores, the present day, and a look ahead to a possible future for the Hudson 100 years from now.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Riverkeeper’s Chief Prosecuting Attorney and Waterkeeper Alliance founder, commented, “When Henry Hudson sailed into New York Harbor on the Half Moon in 1609, he found a vibrant and healthy river valley inhabited by our region’s first “riverkeepers” – Native Americans who lived off the abundance of the river and the river valley. Today, we are all stewards of the river, and it is our hope that this Anniversary inspires a renewed dedication to the protection and revitalization of the Hudson River.”

Alex Matthiessen, Hudson Riverkeeper and President, said, “The restoration of the Hudson River is one of our nation’s great environmental success stories. But major challenges remain. While overall water quality has improved in the nearly four decades since passage of the Clean Water Act, we are now witnessing more raw sewage overflows, significant declines in local fish populations, and an increase in the amount of radioactive material entering the river from Indian Point. This year’s annual dinner is dedicated to celebrating our long-term progress while recruiting a new generation of river advocates to help us address these new challenges.”

The April 22 Fishermen’s Ball is expected to raise more than one million dollars to benefit Riverkeeper’s critical, year-round environmental work. For more information, please email riverkeeper@eventassociatesinc.com or call 212-245-6570 ext. 23.

About Riverkeeper: Riverkeeper is an independent member-supported environmental organization. Riverkeeper's mission is to protect the ecological integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries, and to safeguard the drinking water supply of New York City and the lower Hudson Valley. For more information, please visit www.riverkeeper.org.

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Riverkeeper Press Room

RIVERKEEPER TO HOST STAR-STUDDED BENEFIT

gchambers@riverkeeper.org — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:30:05 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, FEBRUARY 12, 2009

NEW YORK, NY – A celebrity-filled guest list will add glamour and excitement to Riverkeeper’s annual Fishermen’s Ball, which returns to the Chelsea Pier 60 dining room on Earth Day, Wednesday, Aprill 22. The evening will also feature intimate live performances by top performance artists. Recent appearances have included Lenny Kravitz and Patty Smyth.

The dinner dance begins with a cocktail reception at 6:30, followed by dinner and honors for environmental advocates who have given generously to improve the health of the earth, including “green” architect William McDonough, Majora Carter, Pete Seeger and others.

The event, which raises more than $1.5 million annually to benefit Riverkeeper’s critical, year-round environmental work, will also pay tribute to the Quadricentennial Anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage up the mighty river bearing his name.

For more information, please email riverkeeper@eventassociatesinc.com or call 212-245-6570 ext. 23.

Riverkeeper Press Room