Annual Men of the Desert fashion show raises $225k for Animal Samaritans

Animal Samaritans' board member Patrick Evans of News Channel 3 opened Animal Samaritan's 13th annual Men of the Desert fashion show fundraiser, held Dec. 4 at the Palm Springs Air Museum, by acknowledging the organization's critical mission: "We make sure that homeless animals find a home, and we make sure that people are better educated to be pet owners."

Co-event chair Lori Serfling thanked the team who put the event together and included a special thanks to Jerry Keller and Lulu Catering and Events, which provided the champagne reception and delectable luncheon. She also acknowledged appreciation for the models.

Co-event producer Patrick Mundt thanked Eisenhower Health for providing health care — not only for people but also for our pets. "It indeed provides the gift of life itself," he said.

Last year, Animal Samaritan's CEO Tom Snyder announced the organization had outgrown its small, no-kill shelter on Ramon Road. It was built as a clinic, not a shelter. The facility has insufficient parking, no play area for animals, and it lacks proper air flow. This year, he announced that more than $7 million had been raised or pledged, including a $3 million contribution from an anonymous donor.

As a result, Animal Samaritans is in the home stretch, working with the county on its permit phase with the expectation to break ground in 2023. The new facility will serve not only as a clinic but also as a shelter, providing a covered play yard for animals.

An excited hushed silence enveloped the 500 attendees when Raju and Jaishri Mehta of El Paseo Jewelers announced the donation of a fabulous two-strand, 18-carat diamond necklace valued at $50,000. The winning bidder also received a private shopping party at El Paseo Jewelers for 10 friends catered by Il Corso Palm Desert and a $1,000 El Paseo Jewelers Gift Certificate for each guest, a total value of $65,000.

Under the deft orchestration of auctioneer Freddie Silveria, more than $200,000 was raised during the "raise the paddle," including the Mehtas' contribution. This is the highest amount ever raised to support Animal Samaritans.

The Main Event

Under the guidance and leadership of Susan Stein, fashion director and scene editor at Palm Springs Life, an amazing fashion show was created that thrilled the audience. Local models walked the 100-foot-long runway in clothes provided by Saks Fifth Avenue of Palm Desert and designer Christopher Bates.

Models were accompanied by their pets, many of them shelter dogs. For the first time, five high school students began the fashion show. These included Cash Anderholt, a senior at Xavier College Preparatory High School; Dawson Johnson, a junior at Palm Desert High School; David Olivas, a senior at Palm Desert High School; and Otis Taylor and Makaury Warren, both seniors at Xavier.

Local leaders who walked the 100 foot runway included Gabe Aguirre, financial advisor; Kevin Bass, real estate agent; Brandon Boswell, diamond retail; Marshall Brown, executive coach; Andy Dick, investments; Mehran Elly MD, radiologist; Brad Fuhr, media mogul; Squire Junger, business consultant; Joshua Levy, real estate developer; James Lindquist, development director; Raju Mehta, jeweler extraordinaire and philanthropist; Andrew Mills, Palm Springs police chief; Mundt, entrepreneur; Eric Schnaser MD, orthopedic surgeon; Sam Spinello, real estate management and investments; Tom Truhe, DDS community activist and philanthropist; and Kris Westerhof MD, anesthesiologist.

Event Sponsors

The Leader of the Pack presenting sponsor was The Carl Jud Foundation. Gold paws sponsors included Eisenhower Health and Helene Galen and Jamie Kabler. Silver paws sponsors were The Auen Foundation, Barry Manilow and Garry Kief and Jan Salta; Bronze paws sponsors included El Paseo Jewelers, Contour Dermatology, the Inland Empire Community Foundation, Phyllis Eisenberg, Jonathan Espy, Junger, David Kowalczyk and Curtis Johnson and Sarah Milmet.

Luncheon table sponsors not already mentioned included Len Betz and Lanny Seese, Marcia Boate, Boswell, Dick, Mark Dodge, Eisenhower Imaging Center, Barbara Flanagan, Marilyn Gogolin, Evelyn Hall, Clark Hallren, Cathy Levitt, Mundt, Aubrey and Lori Serfling, Katie Schnaser and Amber Spinello, John Schooler and Roberta Thompson.

Animal Samaritans Mission

Animal Samaritans believes "in the healing power of animal-human connections and views all living creatures with compassion and respect, with a primary focus on dog, cats and the people who love them." It is a no-kill shelter that serves as a refuge for at-risk, adoptable dogs and cats.

The community owes a debt of gratitude to Snyder along with event co-chairs Serfling and Mundt and mistress of ceremonies Stein, who together created a tour de force known as Men of the Desert.

To learn more about Animal Samaritans or to make a donation, visit animalsamaritans.org.

Al Jones was appointed by the city council as a Trustee of the Palm Springs Library, where he serves as its treasurer. He was the former chairman of the Palm Springs International Airport Commission and is a member of the board of directors of Dezart Performs, the CSU Palm Desert Campus Advancement board, the Advisory board of Priority One Coachella Valley and a member of DBA and Main Street. Prior community engagement includes DAP Health Partners for Life Leadership Committee; the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, where he served as the Board secretary for five years, and Sanctuary Palm Springs.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Men of the Desert fashion show raises funds for Animal Samaritans