CONTACT: Rachelle Selser
Executive Director, Green Horizon Land Trust
863-678-1237; greenhorizonlandtrust@gmail.com

CONTACT: Brian Ososky
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
863-734-1210; bososky@boktower.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2014

Green Horizon Land Trust Annual Dinner & Silent Auction
Mar. 2 at Bok Tower Gardens

LAKE WALES, Fla. – Bok Tower Gardens will host the Green Horizon Land Trust’s Annual Dinner on Sunday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m., sponsored by Mosaic, Duke Energy, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, Wells Fargo Advisor Scott Thompson, M&J Lands, Inc., and Pat Cain Wealth Solutions.

Rick Dantzler, USDA Farm Service Agency Director and Past Florida Senator and Representative will present "Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area - A Template for Future Large Scale Land Conservation Areas.”

Rachelle Coleman Selser, Executive Director of Green Horizon Land Trust said, “I am excited to be part of this wonderful organization and am looking forward to the Annual Dinner at Bok Tower Gardens as an opportunity to share our successes from the past and vision for the future.”

Another of the evening’s highlights is the presentation of The Blazing Star Award, which honors those who have made significant contributions to the preservation of environmentally-sensitive lands or environmental education. The 2014 recipient is Rick Dantzler.

A third-generation Floridian, Dantzler grew up in Winter Haven, Florida. He received his K-12 education in the Polk County Public School system, and his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida.

In 1982, at the age of 26, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He was re-elected three times without opposition and served there until 1990 when he was elected to the Florida Senate. In 1998, Dantzler resigned from the Senate to run for the office of Governor of Florida, ultimately becoming the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

Until now, while out of public office, he has been an attorney with the Business Trial Group section of Morgan & Morgan. Recently, Rick accepted a presidential appointment as the USDA Farm Service Agency Director. He is also a Supreme Court certified mediator with Central Florida Mediation Group in Lakeland and is licensed to mediate Civil Court Circuit, Family Law and Appellate matters. He lives in Winter Haven, is an avid outdoorsman and has written three books. Rick is married to Julie Pope. They have two daughters, of whom they are very proud.

Past recipients of The Blazing Star Award include: Yvonne Babb (2001); M.C. Davis (2002); John Perry (2003); Ken and Helen Morrison (2004); Frances and Richard Coleman (2005); Nancy Bissett (2006); Sen. Paula Dockery (2007); Martha Sehi (2008); Marian Ryan (2009); Virginia McKinley (2010); Gaye Sharpe (2011); Charles “Chuck” Geanangel (2012); Buck and Linda Cooper (2013).

Several items will be available for bid as part of a silent auction fundraiser at the event, including: a signed original framed acrylic Tom Freeman painting of the Peace River; a numbered and signed print by Audubon artist Diane Pierce; several signed mounted canvas Paul Shultz prints; certificate for half-day field photography workshop with Reiner Munguia; lunch or dinner at Harry’s Old Place; lunch or dinner at the Deli Basket; treats at KC’s Big Dipper; and much more.

Entertainment for the evening features light jazz, sounds of saxophone and guitar from local artists, David Prince and Cory Harmon, who call themselves “Changes.”

A donation of $25 per person includes a guided hike at 4 p.m., beer and wine reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. It also includes free admission to Bok Tower Gardens for anyone wishing to come early for the 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. carillon concert.

Green Horizon Land Trust was created in 1991 to preserve environmentally valuable or sensitive lands and open space areas in and around the Central Florida Ridge for the benefit of the general public, and to educate the public as to the importance of such lands and their preservation.

For more information or to RSVP for the event, visit the web at www.greenhorizon.org, call 863-678-1237 or email greenhorizonlandtrust@gmail.com no later than Wednesday, February 26.

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