Equinox Restaurant Hosts Art For The Animals Days
A unique recipe for preserving wildlife and vanishing cultures
WASHINGTON DC, October 15, 2002 - Equinox Restaurant and AFTA Associates today announced Art For The Animals Days at Equinox from November 3rd through November 11th. The weeklong event promotes Art For The Animals, a unique giving- program that supports wildlife and nature conservancy through Donation gift packages and premiums of handcrafted folk and tribal art.
Equinox's award winning chef Todd Gray is creating a special Tasting menu that showcases local ingredients and reflects his imaginative regional and seasonal Mid-Atlantic cuisine. Art For The Animals' folk art premiums will be displayed at dining tables and in public spaces throughout the restaurant, adding a touch of whimsy to the classically simple and unfussy décor.
Equinox has earned a reputation as one of Washington's finest restaurants, and Ellen and Todd Gray have begun to quietly and responsibly leverage their talents and leadership position to benefit some of their favorite causes - animals, conservation and natural foods.
"Art For The Animals is a unique conservation concept and a great holiday gift idea," says Ellen Gray, co-proprietor and marketing spirit behind Equinox. The program gives you lots choices. You just select a level of giving, based on the size of your wallet or favorite species, and then identify a family member or friend to receive the gift. Art For The Animals does the rest. The art premium is mailed along with a gift card to your loved one, proceeds are sent to either African Wildlife Foundation or Wildlife Trust depending on the selection, and the artists receive income and a way to preserve their culture. Additionally, you receive a tax Donation. Gift giving doesn't get any better than that!"
"Equinox is giving us a wonderful opportunity to showcase our program by showcasing the folk art - such as Maasai beaded animals and brass napkin rings from Africa; hand-carved, hand painted Jaguars, beaded sea turtles, and carved wooden St. Francis Santos from Latin America; or shadow puppets from Asia." says Lori Stewart, President of AFTA Associates who runs the program. "We think Equinox patrons will appreciate the Art For The Animals concept as well as the folk art, and African Wildlife Foundation and Wildlife Trust supporters will get a chance to discover Equinox if they haven't already. So this event promises to benefit us all."
Reservations are requested. Donors enjoy complimentary champagne and truffles.
Equinox Restaurant (www.equinoxrestaurant.com)
Equinox, owned and operated by local husband & wife team Ellen and Chef Todd Gray, is one of the city's premier fine dining establishments. It offers sophisticated, regional American cuisine. Chef Gray uses fresh, organic ingredients grown within 100 miles of the restaurant whenever possible. The name Equinox depicts its commitment to seasonal cooking using products harvested in accordance with the environment and the earth's natural tempo.
AFTA Associates, Incorporated (www.aftaassociates.org)
AFTA Associates, Incorporated (AFTA) sponsors the Art For The Animals program. AFTA is a non-profit organization that works in collaboration with existing wildlife and nature conservancy organizations to preserve wildlife and nature through programs that make the business of saving wildlife, a business from which the people who share the region and resources with the animals can make a living.
The African Wildlife Foundation (www.awf.org)
For more than 40 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has focused exclusively on the African continent and has significantly increased the scientific understanding of Africa's extraordinary ecosystems. Underpinned by scientific research, AWF has successfully demonstrated that people can live harmoniously with nature, strengthened the coordination of transboundary protected lands and encouraged community- based conservation of natural resources.
Wildlife Trust (www.wildlifetrust.org)
Wildlife Trust, a top-tier science conservation organization, saves wildlife by working with local scientist-educators worldwide. Wildlife Trust takes on the toughest cases-those in which humans and wildlife are struggling at cross-purposes to live in the same highly diverse or even unique ecosystems. With 30 years of hands-on international experience, Wildlife Trust is working on the ground in 16 countries, sponsoring 60 plus projects around the globe, including the U.S. From Mexico to Madagascar, from India to Indonesia, Wildlife Trust targets the tropics because that's where the greatest diversity of the earth's wildlife lives. Wherever it goes, Wildlife Trust takes the expertise to research, monitor, educate, mediate, propagate, and re-integrate. Equally important, they train and support local conservationists in doing the same.
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