In the late 1990s, J.J. the orphaned gray whale calf held the attention of concerned spectators nationwide as SeaWorld veterinarians nursed her back to health over the course of more than a year. She gained strength and grew in size, and the nation watched as she was eventually released back into the ocean. Now, La Jolla residents and visitors will get to enjoy J.J.’s story for years to come as a 15-foot bronze statue of the baby whale, set to be unveiled on May 15, will be preserved for posterity at Birch Aquarium playground. The event, “J.J. Day,” is open to the family and will feature wine, hors d’ oeuvres, raffle prizes and a live auction. Festivities will take place from 6 to 9 p.m., and admission charges (suggested donations) of $10 for adults and $5 for kids will help support improvements to La Jolla Shores’ Kellogg Park. D. Lynn Reeves is the artist behind the sculpture, which will also feature a mural mosaic telling J.J.’s story on the seatwall surrounding the playground. A photo gallery of J.J.’s bronze reincarnation will be on display at the event, and Bev Hoskinson will share the momentous story of how she found J.J. stranded in Marina Del Rey’s North Jetty. Among auction items to be given away at the event are a replica of the bronze whale statue, which is a fourth of the size of the one to be unveiled. Other works by Reeves, who has donated his services to this initiative over the past several years, will also be auctioned off.