IWPF Summer Update

ANNUAL MEETING AT HISTORIC INDIAN WELLS COUNTRY CLUB

On May 7th, the Foundation Board welcomed 30 IWPF members to its first Annual Meeting providing an overview (January 2023 – May 2024) of evolution and activities to date with homage to the foresight and dedication of Indian Wells Historic Preservation Foundation (IWHPF - 2002-2022) Founder Mary Roche; longtime President Adele Ruxton and all IWHPF Board members.

Download links for both our 2024 Annual Report and Events Strategy are at the end of this blog post ... read them to see what we’ve accomplished. We were honored to have former City leaders and Coachella Valley cultural icons, Mary Roche and Dick Oliphant, as guest speakers and to introduce Samuel Thompson, Director of Indian Wells Tourism, Visit Greater Palm Springs at this meeting.

Noteworthy, is the appreciated collaboration with the City of Indian Wells and especially its Community Activities Committee. This partnership produced two distinctive preservation events in April.

EARTH DAY

Earth Day April 22: Learn and Help Preserve Our Desert Environment convened 50 participants at Indian Wells Golf Resort and focused on the viability of the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument presented by Katie Barrows (Protect California Deserts), Linda Castro (CalWil), and Sue Shigenaga (California Naturalist and Community Scientist) who is an enthusiastic IWPF member and longstanding Indian Wells resident. The Foundation looks forward to Earth Day 2025 and following up with this trio of august speakers. Take-home biodegradable signature seed pods commemorated this informative, fun event.

On May 2nd, IWPF sent a letter of support for Designating the Chuckwalla National Monument and Protecting Lands Adjacent to Joshua Tree National Monument to President Joseph Biden, Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Laphonza Butler, and Representatives Raul Ruiz, MD, and Ken Calvert.

MAYORS' ROUNDTABLE

Making History: Mayors’ April 30 Roundtable attracted an audience of 50 residents to City Council Chambers. (See ‘class photo’ of 11 of 13 former Mayors who attended the event. Seated: L-R Mary Roche, Donna Griffith, Kimberly Muzik; Standing: L-R Dick Oliphant, Richard Balacco, Larry Spicer, Doug Hanson, Greg Sanders, Dana Reed, Rob Bernheimer, Michael Landes). Ted Mertens and Ty Peabody had schedule conflicts.

Current Mayor Greg Sanders moderated the session featuring Richard Oliphant, Rob Bernheimer, Mary Roche, Richard Balacco and Donna Griffith, a distinguished group of City leaders spanning over four decades.

Check out City video (by Nick Werner, Information Technology Manager),  just click on the image below:

Stay Tuned for Anticipated Upcoming 2024-25 Events:

• October - Modernism Week Tour of Desert Bel Air Estates
• November - Community Activities Committee/IWPF Event
• December - Landmark #7 Designation Dedication
• January - New Year Mix and Mingle
• April – Earth Day Revisited

SUMMER’S HERE AND OUR MISSION IS CLEAR:

Document, preserve, educate and celebrate the unique character and history of Indian Wells.

Our focus this year: Expand our membership at every level.

Our aspiration: Every Indian Wells resident – whether part-time or fulltime -- becomes an IWPF member.

Thank you for your continuing support of IWPF and your dedication to preservation.

IWPF BOARD: Linda Blank, President; Kevin Mead, Vice President; Ginny Whitman, Secretary; Peter Rammer, Treasurer; Katherine Mead, Creative Director; Dan Hamilton, Digital Strategy Director

⬇️ Download IWPF Annual Report ⬇️