LOS ANGELES – A special anniversary of Cal State L.A.’s annual athletic department fundraiser turned out to be very special, indeed.
 
The 10th annual Billie Jean King and Friends, Honoring Joe Shapiro event was held Saturday night at the Ritz-Carlton in Pasadena and featured some emotional speeches, poignant videos and a surprise visit from a governor.
 
Maria Shriver, the First Lady of California, was presented the 2007 Shapiro Award, which is named in honor of the late attorney, Cal State L.A. teacher and executive committee member of the Billie Jean King fundraiser. He was married to tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver, who served as the celebrity auctioneer.
 
The surprise visitor to the event was Maria Shriver’s husband, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
 
The event drew more than 450 people, which marks the biggest turnout in its 10 years. The fund-raiser is expected to net more than $200,000 and bring the 10-year total to more than $1.6 million in proceeds directed toward scholarships.
 
“It was great to see so many people come out to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this wonderful event,” Cal State L.A. Director of Athletics Dan Bridges said. “We’re very grateful, of course, to Billie Jean, for all that she does and to Maria Shriver, who was a very deserving honoree.”
 
Tennis analyst Mary Carillo served as the celebrity master of ceremonies.
 
The evening included touching videos of the two Cal State L.A. student-athletes who are recipients of the Billie Jean King and Joe Shapiro Endowed Scholarships of 2007-08. Airess Padda, a senior volleyball player, is the Billie Jean King Endowed Scholarship recipient, while Krishana DeSilva is the Joe Shapiro Endowed Scholarship recipient.
 
Padda and DeSilva also presented King, who attended Cal State L.A. from 1961-64, with a bouquet of flowers and a plaque as part of a special tribute for her contributions.
 
Maria Shriver was presented the Shapiro Award, which is given annually to an individual whose work and service to the community promotes a positive and lasting impact. Previous recipients have included King, Maxine Waters, Chris Evert, Dr. Sally Ride and Patricia Cornwell. Waters and Ride were among those in attendance on Saturday.
 
The evening also included exciting live and silent auctions that included packages to several major tennis events as well as an Elton John concert package, a National Football League experience to a San Diego Chargers-Indianapolis Colts game in San Diego and a first-print/author’s copy of Patricia Cornwell’s book, “The Book of the Dead.”
King, who also participated in a morning tennis clinic at Cal State L.A., gave an inspirational speech as well as part of the evening's festivities.