The 18th annual Dolphin Awards honoring the 2007 Malibu Times Citizens of the Year took place this past Saturday at the Malibu West Beach Club on a balmy, beautiful day. Fitting for the day, a group of real dolphins were seen swimming in the ocean from the club’s deck, while guests dined on breakfast and chatted before the ceremony began.
The annual affair, founded by Publishers Arnold and Karen York and Harvey Baskin, the late-owner of Geoffrey’s Malibu restaurant, honors individuals and groups for their community service.
More than 140 people, most past Dolphin Award winners, showed up Saturday to fête the newest honorees.
In chatting with many past and current Dolphins for an online video (visit www.malibutimes.com later next week), most said they were grateful for being able to live in such a wonderful place and to be among like-minded, giving individuals.
Former honorees Lilly Lawrence, whose home, the Castle Kashan, burned in the October fire of last year, and Malibu resident Ben Kennedy, whose home also burned in last year’s fires, received replacement statues on Saturday (Kennedy could not attend, due to being ill). Lawrence opened her home to last year’s Dolphin Awards ceremony, as she has done for many charitable events in past years.
Guests were treated to an improvisational show by the troupe “Locked Up in Malibu,” performed by the youth from Camp Kilpatrick under the direction of Susie Duff, a 2007 Dolphin Award Winner.
Honored guests Saturday were Susan Nissman representing County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, former Assemblymember Fran Pavley, and City Councilmembers Ken Kearsley (a 2007 Dolphin), Andy Stern, Sharon Barovsky, Mayor Pro Tem Pamela Conley Ulich and Mayor Jeff Jennings.
In addition to Duff and Kearsley, also receiving Dolphin Awards on Saturday were Judi Devin, Francine Greene, Matt Haines and the “Sequit Fire Brigade”-John and Austin Embleton, Ken and Marguerite Wherry, Kai Chan, Kane Sickner, Bill Raffin and Bill Parks-the KNX 1070 Radio News Team, Aaron Landworth, the Optimist Club of Malibu, Raquel Ravaglioli and the First Responders (from the firefighters to the Sheriff’s deputies to the city’s emergency services and local emergency group volunteers).
The Malibu Times wishes to extend thanks to the following people/vendors for helping to make the Dolphin Awards a wonderful success:
Mary Higgins
Event Coordinator
Ann Fulton
Award Coordinator
Malibu West Beach Club
Geoffrey’s
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary
Scully Cloete, Mgr.
Groundworks Coffee
Semler and Saddlerock Wines
Kim Schulam
Maliballoons
Avesta Carrara
Malibu Garden Center and Sea Lily Flowers
Malibu Party Rents
Malibu Video Productions
Greg Hutto
Valet Girls Parking
-Laura Tate