The Morongo Basin Orchid Festival is not only a favorite event of orchid enthusiasts and botanists, it also serves as a major fundraiser for high desert non-profit organizations.
Though results are coming in from the gathering of non-profit organizations, Chris and Kelsey Gubler of Gubler Orchids announced this week that the festival raised nearly $40,000 for local non-profits.
Run in collaboration with the Yucca Valley Sunset Rotary, the fundraiser sees organizations awarded “Rotary Bucks” by festival attendees. The organizations with the most rotary bucks get an additional amount of funding, but all non-profits raise funds through the event.
Kelsey Gubler said this year was the first time that eight nonprofits raised over 1000.00. The Joshua Tree No Kill Shelter received the most Rotary Bucks and was awarded $4,000.00. Boys and Girls Club on the High Desert came in second and received 3,680.00, and much to the delight of the Orchid Festival founder, Chris Gubler, Landers Elementary came in third and received a check for $1,000.00.
