For More Information Contact:
Larry & Donna Charpied @ (760) 392-4722
Penny Newman @ (909) 360-8451

A packed house celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Earth Day, Saturday night in Palm Springs at the Festival of Arts Theater with the launching of a major campaign to protect Joshua Tree National Park from the Eagle Mountain dump. The legendary rock star, Eric Burdon suggested the event to raise money and expand support for the battle against the dump and raise awareness to that fact that the dump, if built, would bring 40 million pounds of garbage daily for the next 100 years and deposit it on the doorstep of Joshua Tree National Park. Burdon commented, ?People have the ability to speak up for themselves?the Earth cannot, so people have to do the speaking for her".

The entertainment was non-stop, professionally emceed by desert radio?s Gary Daignault, opening with the TORRES MARTINEZ DESERT CAHUILLA BIRD SINGERS AND BIRD DANCERS' beautiful and spiritual ceremonial singing of The Songs Of Creation, Eric Neil and the JT Shakers had the audience in stitches with their songs of parody on the political process, Karen Monster and James Gurley Band had the audience mesmerized with their rendition of Fever. The "house came down" with the brilliant, all that they could give, performance by the night's featured artists ERIC BURDON AND THE NEW ANIMALS.

What makes this benefit concert even more special is that everybody, to borrow the line from a song, played real good and for free. The concert raised nearly $25,000.00 in ticket, poster, CD's, bumper stickers, and Jamba Juice sales, donations from individuals and in-kind donations. Our work has just begun? "we not only raised a tidy sum of money to go towards the Federal lawsuit, we also made good contacts for the next ROCKIN' FOR JOSHUA TREE benefit event", says Donna Charpied, one of the event's organizers.

Taking the campaign further, Eric Burdon who is passionate over this issue, is going nationwide - Eric will appear on the popular syndicated talk show ?Roseanne? in the near future to among other things, discuss the impacts of a dump next to a national park.