Comedian, actor, and Saturday Night Live cast member Kevin Nealon had a crowd of more than 200 laughing out loud during the Live from Sanibel… It’s Saturday Night! gala benefiting the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on February 12th. Nealon’s stand-up performance capped off an evening of of giving, community fellowship, and laughter.
The gala took place at the Sanibel Community House where guests enjoyed a delectable dinner and exciting live and silent auctions. The evening proved to be a highly successful fundraiser for the Museum, as the organization raised nearly $300,000 in sponsorships, auction sales, and donations combined.
“The Museum’s staff and Board are overwhelmed by the philanthrophic kindness of the Sanibel and Captiva communities that evening,” said Sam Ankerson, Executive Director of the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum. “Their generosity will support the animals, educational programs, and vision of the Beyond Shells Living Gallery of aquariums throughout 2022 and beyond.”
For more information on the Museum, please visit ShellMuseum.org.
About the Museum: The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is a Natural History Museum, and the only accredited museum in the United States with a primary focus on shells and mollusks. Its mission is to use exceptional collections, aquariums, programs, experiences, and science to be the nation’s leading museum in the conservation, preservation, interpretation, and celebration of shells, the mollusks that create them, and their ecosystems. Permanent exhibitions on view include the Great Hall of Shells which displays highlights of the Museum’s collection of some 550,000 shells, as well as the Beyond Shells living gallery of aquariums and over 50 species of marine life. For more information on the Museum, please visit ShellMuseum.org or call (239) 395-2233.
