Potrero John Canyon_Sespe Wilderness_Bryant Baker.jpg

JOIN US ONLINE FOR
the 14th Annual

Ojai Wild!

A VIRTUAL EVENT TO BENEFIT
LOS PADRES FORESTWATCH
+
FAMILIES IN NEED

JUNE 17, 2021 / 6:30 - 7:30pm

NO TICKET - NO DRESS CODE - TOGETHER WHILE APART

ABOUT OJAI WILD!

Over the last fourteen years, Ojai WILD! has become a mainstay for our community to come together to celebrate our accomplishments while raising support for Los Padres ForestWatch, a small but mighty nonprofit organization that works to protect the Los Padres National Forest in Ojai’s backyard. It’s the longest-running conservation benefit in Ventura County.

In the spirit of this tradition—and physical distancing—we are proud to bring everyone together for a virtual event this year. Join us online as we raise support for one of our region’s most effective conservation forces as well as local Ojai small businesses and families in need.

HELPING FAMILIES IN NEED

We are partnering with our friends at HELP of Ojai to lend a hand to those in need. Sponsor the event and a portion of your sponsorship will provide a month’s worth of food deliveries to a local food-insecure family.

ONLINE AUCTION

Our popular auction features hand-curated gifts and adventures produced locally and beyond. This year’s auction features dozens of items and they’re open for all—no ticket needed. Place a bid, receive a notification when someone has outbid you, buy an item instantly, or contribute to our fund-a-need. All proceeds support our efforts to protect and defend our region’s public lands. Bidding begins June 11, 2021 and goes thru June 17, 2021. Click link below to browse items and place bids.

LIVE AUCTION PREVIEW

Casa Puesta Del Sol in Punta Mita, Mexico Five Nights and Six Days for 12

  • 5 nights and 6 days for 12 guests at an oceanfront luxury Mexican Riviera estate

  • Includes maid, personal chef, and private pool

  • Near surf breaks, golf courses, and quaint fishing villages

Four-Night Hosted B&B Stay for Two in Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Festival

  • 4 nights in a hosted B&B for 2 people

  • Stockbridge neighborhood with its great cafes, restaurants, farmers market, river walk, two National Galleries of Modern Art and the Royal Botanical Gardens

  • Includes breakfast and orientation tour

  • Includes guest room with private bathroom, and use of the sitting room and kitchen for making drinks and snacks.

  • Restrictions

  • Edinburgh Festival takes place in August, but other dates can be arranged

  • Guests are not required to book during the festival time period

  • Airfare not included

Dinner with the Stars for 10 guests

  •  Sunset dinner for ten a hidden observatory overlooking the Ojai Valley.

  • View the night sky through a state-of-the-art telescope with the observatory director

Award Winning Central Coast Photographer Chris Burkard - 40 x 60 canvas wall art, signed copy of ‘At Glaciers End’ and tour of Burkard Studio

SEVEN-Day Stay at THE RANCH MALIBU – Wellness Program for 1 guest

  • Private accommodation

  • Daily guided hikes and afternoon fitness class

  • Daily yoga or meditation class

  • Daily massage for each full day

  • Plant-based and nutritionally dense meals and snacks designed to nourish & detoxify you during the week

  • Bod Pod body fat testing

  • Evening elective nutrition and wellness discussions

  • Cooking demonstration and garden tour

  • Laundry services Monday – Friday

  • Return airport transfer to LAX on Saturday morning at 10 am

OUR SPECIAL GUESTS

We are thrilled and honored to present a lineup of special guests to bring us together for a worthwhile cause—protecting our region’s public lands, wildlife, and outdoor recreation. From local elected officials to community leaders, we all share a commitment to making the world around us a better place.

Together, we celebrate you for supporting our work—it’s more important than ever. After you’re done listening, we hope you’ll become a sponsor or head on over to our WILD AT HOME online auction to place your bid or to make a direct donation to Los Padres ForestWatch. All amounts, large and small, will make a difference, allowing Los Padres ForestWatch to protect our region’s beautiful outdoor spaces for generations to come.

2021 Ojai Wild! Featuring:

Emcee Geoff Green

Eric Goode, entrepreneur, conservationist, and filmmaker

Congresswoman Julia Brownley

Hans Cole, Director of Environmental Campaigns + Advocacy, Patagonia

Julie Tumamait, Chumash Elder

Richard Rojas Sr., Advisory Board Chairperson, Latino Outdoors

Graciela Cabello, Director of Youth and Community Engagement, Los Padres ForestWatch

Jeff Kuyper, Executive Director, Los Padres ForestWatch

DINE AT HOME

While we can’t all dine together under the tent this year, we can help you bring home some delicious food and beverages. We’re teaming up with Ventura County-based, Seasons Catering to provide sponsors at the $125 level or higher food and beverage opportunities to enjoy at home! Dine on incredible food in the comfort of your own home while raising money for the protection of public lands. Goodness all around.

MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

Music on the Ojai Digital Stage provided by ROSE VALLEY THORNS

Thorns Press Photo Cropped.jpg

Ojai wild 2021-THANK YOU!

Our Ojai Wild! 2021 fundraiser on Thursday, June 17 was a HUGE success! With the support of hundreds of attendees, sponsors, local leaders, and organizations, we were able to raise over $116,000 that will go to our efforts to protect the Los Padres National Forest and other public lands.

We had an amazing line-up of speakers that participated this year’s virtual program including:

Eric Goode, entrepreneur, conservationist, and filmmaker

Congresswoman Julia Brownley

Hans Cole, Director of Environmental Campaigns + Advocacy, Patagonia

Julie Tumamait, Chumash Elder

Richard Rojas Sr., Advisory Board Chairperson, Latino Outdoors

And ForestWatch’s very own, Graciela Cabello, Director of Youth and Community Engagement and Executive Director, Jeff Kuyper

See below for a full recap of our virtual program!

Special thanks to our emcee, Geoff Green who helped create such great energy for the event. Seasons Catering delivered delicious farm-to-table meals to some of our sponsors so they could enjoy at home while still participating in our event. And we got to jam out to tunes from our musical act, Ojai's very own, The Rose Valley Thorns. 

We owe a debt of gratitude to Carol Gravelle, for her remarkable graphic designs, and Ashley Lee, for her help in designing our thank you ad. As well as our producer who made the virtual event come together, Paul Mathieu and Oniracom for hosting us for the 2nd year in a row at their beautiful studio space.

We are sincerely grateful to our ForestWatch team as well as the countless number of hours put in from our event committee. Their efforts and time made our silent auction possible.

With the energy generated at Ojai Wild! we are geared up to move forward with even more determination to protect the Los Padres National Forest, the Carrizo Plain National Monument, and other local public lands. And if you weren't able to make it, you can still support our work with a donation below.