Love & Love: Billie Jean King receives 2022 Annalee Thurston Award
More than 135 guests were in attendance on March 13 at the 11th annual Annalee Thurston Award Reception honoring tennis icon Billie Jean King, a visionary who utilized her tennis achievements to champion social change and equality.
Raising more than $100,000 to benefit The Love & Love Tennis Foundation of Coachella Valley, this special reception and dinner was emceed by tennis great Pam Shriver and held at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens. A silent and live auction followed dinner, which included a surprise doubles match with Martina Navratilova and Gigi Fernandez, which went for $20,000 to Gary and Barbara Tolman.
The Annalee Thurston Award honors and acknowledges exemplary women who have achieved the highest level of success in the field of business and sports. King is a tennis Hall of Famer, a pioneer of women’s tennis and a recipient of the Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
“Our foundation is proud to present this award to longtime friend, partner and mentor Billie Jean,” said Rosie Casals, tennis Hall of Famer and co-founder of The Love & Love Tennis Foundation. “Billie is a champion in all facets of her life, inspiring change for inclusion for all and finding ways to improve the human spirit."
Established in 2015 by Casals and Tory Fretz, the foundation’s mission is to promote, support and offer financial grants to youth tennis organizations, academies, foundations, schools or individuals who promote the growth of the sport. The foundation also assists in developing juniors who participate in tennis tournaments and aspire to become collegiate or professional tennis players.
“The work the foundation does here is so needed and inspiring,” King said. “Rosie Casals and Tory Fretz are making a huge difference in the lives of so many children, and they are doing it through tennis. I am honored to be recognized with this award because it is special, due to the fact it represents the best of women and their accomplishments. Annalee was a dear friend from my hometown of Long Beach. This award is a wonderful way to celebrate the legacy of someone who was loved by all.”
Fretz was full of praise for King's achievements: "Billie loves working with today’s youth to build a better tomorrow and never turns down a youngster with a passion to learn and better themselves," she said. "I remember in one of our chats years ago, I asked her what she would like to do after tennis. She replied: 'President of the United States would be OK.'"
Event sponsors included Rodney Strong Vineyards, Fila, Dr. Joan Oloff, Desert Champions, the Tolmans, King and Ilana Kloss, Chris Evert, Navratilova and Tom and Susan Maas.
Seen in the crowd were Charlie Pasarell, Melody Braden, Trish Bostrom, Raquel Giscafre, Sharon Walsh, Iris Williams, Roselyn Summers, Stacey Allaster, Ken Solomon, Larry King and Micky Lawler.
For information on The Love & Love Tennis Foundation, call (760) 772-9411 or visit lovelovetennisfoundation.com.
Madeline Zuckerman is owner and president of M. Zuckerman Marketing & Public Relations Inc., a strategic marketing, branding, public relations and special events firm with offices in Rancho Mirage and Newport Beach, California. Her clients have included South Coast Plaza, Pacific Symphony and Tiffany & Co. in Orange County and Desert Arc, Olive Crest and Mama's House here in the desert. She is a Founder of McCallum Theatre and has been a guest reporter with The Desert Sun for the past 14 years.