WHY ARE

WE DOING THIS?

 
How often does a character, be it from a book, a movie or a television show, really grab you? For me, I can say 'not often'. Like… never. But in 1998 I was grabbed. For many fans of the Pet Fly produced television show, The Sentinel, the grab came two years earlier, when it first premiered on UPN.

At first, the show, starring Richard Burgi as Detective Jim Ellison, Garett Maggart as anthropologist, Blair Sandburg, and Bruce A.Young as Captain Simon Banks, appeared to be a run-of-the-mill detective show. It wasn't, thanks to the small detail of heightened senses as possessed by the lead character, Detective Ellison. Heightened senses that he didn't have a clue how to handle.

 
Enter the most unique 'sidekick' to ever pop up on any television screen: Blair Sandburg. Twenty-six years old, working for his doctorate at Rainier University, and as it happened, very interested in people with heightened senses; specifically anyone who possessed all five. What a coincidence.
 Jim Ellison had all five heightened senses and by the end of the first episode, Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg were partners of a kind that made the "Odd Couple" look like twins. But as odd a partnership as they had, the viewing audience soon learned that "It was about friendship, man" and that's how its been for the fans ever since.
Even though the show ended in 1999, our loyalty to the show, and the men who brought us Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg and Simon Banks to life, never waned. We followed their careers, cheered any opportunity to see them perform and learned of their charities.

Thanks to the Richard Burgi Fan Club, we learned of the Orange County Bird of Prey organization and later of the Friends of the Sea Lion Marine Mammal Center. We supported both by joining the various RBFC auctions and official charity benefits and continue to do so to this day.

In 2001 we learned of Garett's involvement with The Friends of the Moonridge Zoo/Moonridge Animal Park and his appearance at a charity benefit that was to be held at the park in Big Bear, California. It was the first opportunity to see and support Garett Maggart since The Sentinel ended its run. We showed up in droves, with fans coming from all over the country and across the sea, to show our loyalty, affection and support of Garett and consequently – Moonridge.
Those of us that attended that first benefit at the park in Big Bear immediately embraced Moonridge and the animals, especially the wolves -- and more specifically -- Garett's wolf, Nova. We were thrilled with the amount raised in Garett's name by his fans and many of us promised that the following year, we would be there for both Garett, Nova, and Moonridge. And we were. And again in 2003.

Why?
Because we're grateful for the joy we've been given through The Sentinel and its lead characters, Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg. We want to pay them back.

Because a character grabbed us and the man who played him kept us.

Because we want to be a part of something beyond the show, something that makes us feel as though we're contributing, and in the case of Moonridge, says, "Thank you, Garett."
Thank you for the lessons in anthropology, thanks for the "I am not cutting my hair!" and "You're too far ahead of the curve for any of this techno trash. You're a cop. See the man." Thanks for, "…it's about friendship" and "In the jungles of Peru…."
Thank you for introducing us to Moonridge and allowing us this opportunity to help support the animals through each year, and to assist Moonridge in raising the ten million dollars they need to relocate the zoo.

Thank you, Mister Maggart,

for everything.