California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger accepts his award at Heal the Bay's 16th Annual "Bring Back the Beach" Benefit Dinner. Photo: Faye Sadou/Heal the Bay
World-champion surfer Kelly Slater presents the "Dorothy Green" award to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Photo: Ginny Winn/Heal the Bay
Actress and Heal the Bay Board member Julia Louis-Dreyfus shares a smile as Kermit the Frog explains the new features of the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. Photo: Bill Groak/Heal the Bay
Brian Wilson (second from left) and his band rock the house with a set of Beach Boys classic hits. Photo: Tom Galassi/Heal the Bay

Heal the Bay’s 16th Annual “Bring Back the Beach” Dinner, held May 31, 2007 at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar, was a star-studded and fund-raising success. The sold-out gala, sponsored by Michael and Jena King and Ford Motor Company, attracted more than 1,100 attendees and raised $700,000 for Heal the Bay.

Themed “One Child Can Make a Difference,” this year’s dinner not only celebrated Heal the Bay’s twenty-two years of continued work towards the conservation and restoration of Southern California coastal waters but also emphasized the importance of environmental education for all children.

Red carpet arrivals included some of Hollywood’s biggest names: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wendie Malick, Amy Smart, Alex Trebek, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and world-champion surfer Kelly Slater, among others.

This year’s emcee was comedian Bob Saget and awards were presented to the National Geographic Society, GRAMMY® Award winning recording artist Brian Wilson and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made a personal appearance.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was honored for his exemplary contributions to the environmental health of California’s coast and his leadership on the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI). The Initiative introduces environmental curriculum into California's K-12 public classrooms.

Heal the Bay also honored the National Geographic Society for nearly 120 years of inspirational journalism, research and education about our planet and the environment and more recently, its part in California’s successful Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI).

In addition, the benefit dinner featured a special presentation of the Dorothy Green award to GRAMMY® award winner Brian Wilson by Kelly Slater. Wilson, the creative genius behind the best known surf band in history, created the international mystique and romanticism about California’s beach culture with iconic Beach Boys songs including “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA”.

After receiving his award, Brian was joined onstage by his band and proceeded to rock the house by performing a set of those timeless hits. Musical guests also included local favorite Jack’s Mannequin, fresh on the heels of their acclaimed Coachella performance.

Adding to the excitement, long-time Heal the Bay supporter Ford Motor Company, for the fourth year in a row, donated a brand new vehicle as the star of the live auction. This year, Ford provided a fully-loaded 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid valued at $32,000, which was auctioned off for $37,000 at the dinner. The extensively re-designed Escape Hybrid is America's most fuel-efficient and best-selling compact SUV.