For Immediate Release:  Monday, Feb. 23, 2004

BETTE MIDLER TO PERFORM AT WALDEN WOODS PROJECT
BENEFIT HOSTED BY DON HENLEY

Contact:     Kathi Anderson
                   Executive Director
                   781-259-4701

Bette Midler will be the featured performer at this year’s fundraising Gala hosted by Don Henley and benefiting the Walden Woods Project.  The event will be held in the Imperial Ballroom of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel at 6:00pm Tuesday evening, March 16, 2004.  Seats are priced at $250, $500, and $1,000 and include a cocktail reception, dinner and the concert.  Reservations may be made by calling the Walden Woods Project at 781-259-4700.

“I expect that this event will be one of the hottest tickets in town”, said Don Henley.  “It’s rare to have an opportunity to see Bette Midler perform in an intimate venue, and I’m very grateful that she’s generously agreed to donate her time and talent to raise funds for the Walden Woods Project.”

Founded in 1990 by Don Henley, the Walden Woods Project is a non-profit organization that preserves the land, literature and legacy of Henry David Thoreau to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship and social responsibility, both cornerstones of Thoreau’s philosophy.  The Project achieves this mission through the integration of conservation, education and research.

Since its inception, the organization has preserved nearly 140 acres in and around Walden Woods, a 2,680 acre ecological unit surrounding Walden Pond in Concord and Lincoln, Massachusetts.  Through its Thoreau Institute, the Walden Woods Project offers innovative educational programs for teachers, students and lifelong learners.  The Institute’s library holds the world’s foremost independent research collection devoted to Thoreau. 

Despite the organization’s continued success, many challenges lie ahead, including the goal of protecting additional threatened land in Walden Woods and expanding the Thoreau Institute’s educational programs to impact more students and teachers from local, national and international communities.   A multi-million dollar endowment must be raised to accomplish these objectives.  Funds raised from the March 16th benefit will support these initiatives.

Bette Midler praised Don Henley’s work to preserve Walden Woods, saying, “Don has spent the past 14 years tirelessly working to protect Thoreau’s Walden Woods – one of our country’s most significant historic landmarks.  When he called and asked me to lend a hand, I was delighted to help out.”

About the Walden Woods Project

The Walden Woods Project is a national conservation, education, and research organization committed to preserving the land, literature and legacy of Henry David Thoreau. Founded in 1990 by recording artist Don Henley, the organization uses the land it has protected in Walden Woods to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship and social responsibility, both cornerstones of Thoreau's philosophy. In 14 years, the Project has protected nearly 140 acres in and around Walden Woods and provided educational programming for hundreds of teachers, students, and life long learners. The Walden Woods Project also administers The Thoreau Institute, a research center near Walden Pond that houses the world’s foremost collection of Thoreau-related materials.