OCTOBER 17, 2026 | 5:30-9:00pm
AT THE CENTERPOINTE CLUB IN PLAYA VISTA
Moonlight on the Marsh is our biggest celebration of the year! This is your chance to gather with fellow champions of the Ballona Wetlands, help raise critical funds for our restoration and education programs, and honor those who go above and beyond to protect this vital coastal ecosystem. Whether you’re swooping in solo or gathering your flock, now’s the time to reserve your spot! Sponsorships include event tickets and extra perks, or you can purchase individual seats, ads in the tribute journal, and wine raffle tickets. Join us for an inspiring evening of community, conservation, and connection with the Friends.
Gala tickets are sold out!
But you can still enter to win over $1200 of fine wine! Winner need not be present.
Bid in our silent auction. It’s a win-win!
Discover unforgettable getaways, unique experiences, and fantastic finds in our silent auction. Every winning bid supports Friends of Ballona Wetlands’' work to protect and restore this precious coastal habitat. Find something you love and make a difference!
The online auction closes at 8:00PM on October 17th. You do not need to attend the gala to bid or win. Physical items must be picked up by you or someone on your behalf at the conclusion of the gala, around 9:00 p.m. Gift certificates eligible for email delivery are clearly identified in their individual listings. Please review each listing’s delivery details before bidding.
Introducing our 2026 Honorees
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Carlyle W. Hall, Jr. is a retired attorney whose pioneering public interest legal career spanned more than five decades, leaving a lasting legacy in environmental and civil rights law and consumer protection advocacy.
As a young lawyer, Carlyle left his position at a powerful Los Angeles law firm to co-found the Center for Law in the Public Interest (CLIPI) in 1972, one of the nation’s first public interest law firms.
At CLIPI, he led high-impact litigation that established California’s basic environmental law framework and reformed land use planning and zoning practices in Los Angeles City and County. He then used these legal tools to help safeguard and preserve critical ecosystems, including wildlife corridors that will be key to the success of the new I-101 wildlife crossing opening this fall, as well as the Ballona Wetlands.
From the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, Carlyle represented Friends of Ballona Wetlands in its successful litigation against Summa Corporation’s Playa Vista project. The landmark lawsuit dramatically expanded the precious coastal wetlands acreage to be preserved and restored while greatly reducing the size and impacts of Playa Vista itself.
During his public interest advocacy career, Carlyle also co-founded several nonprofits, including People for Parks, which championed open space preservation and secured more than $1 billion in public funding for parks and recreation throughout Los Angeles.
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UTA has a proud, long-standing tradition of supporting our communities. Founded in 2004, the UTA Foundation is the driving force behind UTA's social impact, connecting clients and employees to the causes they value most by raising awareness of pressing issues and uplifting the work of nonprofit organizations. Since its inception, the Foundation has maintained a strong partnership with Friends of the Ballona Wetlands, contributing more than 6,000 volunteer hours through various opportunities such as UTA's annual day of service, Project Impact, intern volunteer days, and summer volunteering. Together, the UTA Foundation and Friends of the Ballona Wetlands continue to champion the restoration and protection of Los Angeles' last coastal wetland.
