2023 Guardians of Nature Benefit

2023 Guardians of Nature Benefit

 

Honoring Florence LaRiviere

Friday, October 6th

 6 - 9 p.m.

Mitchell Park Community Center

3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303

On Friday, October 6th, our Loma Prieta Chapter community joined in celebrating the 2023 Guardians of Nature honoree Florence LaRiviere while raising essential funds for our Chapter advocacy work. I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your invaluable support. 

For those who were able to attend, I trust that you left as inspired as I by Florence’s incredible achievements that gifted us with the largest urban wildlife refuge in the nation, and that you were moved by the warm sense of community that defines our Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter. 

To relive the memorable moments, please visit our Facebook photo album. Please enjoy this wonderful tribute video by David Simon and crew 

and one from Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. 

I’m thrilled to report that more than 200 guests joined us, and that we have raised more than $80,000! This achievement speaks volumes about the generosity of our sponsors, donors, ticket purchasers, and winners of our online silent auction items. 

It is worth noting that our Guardians of Nature Benefit is our primary fundraising event, and the raised funds are integral in enabling us to support our staff and volunteers in advancing our work to “Explore, Enjoy and Protect our Planet”.

I eagerly await next year to welcome you to our 2024 Guardians of Nature Benefit. Thank you again for your unwavering support.

Your contributions save local lands and local lives.

James Eggers, Director                                                                                                                                                                                                Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
 

Florence LaRiviere

Florence LaRiviere 

In 1951, La Riviere was a young mother living in Palo Alto with her husband, Philip, and their two young daughters. On warm days she and her husband would take their little girls to the cool shores of the marshland, where they would watch the birds as the breeze rippled the tall grasses on the edge of the water.  When they realized that the city was dredging mud from the Bay and dumping it on the pristine marsh, they realized they had to do something. Founding Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, the couple spent the next five decades in ceaseless advocacy for preserving the natural wetlands of the area, along the entire shore of San Francisco Bay. They recruited fellow activists, joined with other environmental groups, persuaded politicians to write legislation, blocked developers, and succeeded in helping to restore and preserve thousands of acres of natural wetlands, including Baylands Nature Preserve, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Preserve, and Bair Island preserve. Due to the efforts of Florence and her many volunteers, the habitats of native and migratory birds are protected from encroachment by humans. Florence LaRiviere’s tireless efforts and leadership are an inspiration to all those who value the health and beauty of the natural environment which we all share, and who believe they can make a contribution to its preservation.

             

 

Watch Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's warm tribute to Florence LaRiviere, 2023 Guardian of Nature honoree.

 

 

 

Thank you to our Honorary Hosts 

City of Mountain View Councilmember  Margaret Abe-Koga Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Director, Garnetta  Annable, City of San Jose Councilmember Arjun Batra, City of Morgan Hill Councilmember Gino Borgioli​​​, City of Burlingame Mayor Michael Brownrigg, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Director Helen Chapman Santa Clara County Supervisor  Cindy Chavez, City of San Mateo Deputy Mayor Lisa Diaz Nash,  Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, City of East Palo Alto Mayor Lisa Gauthier, ​​​​​City of San Mateo Councilmember  Rich Hedges, City of Gilroy Councilmember Zach Hilton Midpeninsula Open Space Regional District Director Karen Holman, City of Belmont Vice Mayor Davina Hurt, City of San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez,  City of Mountain Councilmember  Ellen Kamei, City of Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee, City of Brisbane Councilmember Clifford Lentz,   Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, City of Mountain View Councilmember Lisa Matichak, Town of Los Gatos Councilmember Rob Moore​​​​​​, Town of Menlo Park Councilmember Betsy Nash, 2019 Guardian of Nature Honoree Enid Pearson, 2019 Guardian of Nature Honoree Emily Renzel, Town of Los Gatos Mayor Maria Ristow,  2018 Guardian of Nature Honoree Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, City of Sunnyvale Councilmember Murali Srinivasan, City of Palo Alto Vice Mayor Greer Stone, ​City of Palo Alto Councilmember Vicki Veenker, City of Cupertino Mayor Hung Wei ​​​​​​.

Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors  

 

                                                      

Google

 

                             

 

  
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space

 

Lowry Rentals
San Jose Clean Energy

 

 

Bay Mapleas
POST
                       
Singleaires Outing Section
                                       

 

 

BVAC
 
OSA.jpg
              
 
SVCE
         

 

 

 Sierra Nevada Sentinel             Yosemite Hero       

Sequoia Champion 

 Baylands Steward
 

Lisa Barboza

Mary Buxton

Ranae DeSantis Foundation

Anonymous

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anonymous

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gail Barton

Sue Chow

Nancy and David Crabbe

Gladwyn D'Souza

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, 16th Congressional District

Sid and Linda Liebes

Larry L. Lundberg

Kelly Maas and Landa Robillard

County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Mary Hughes

Cheryl Woodward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shawn and Lisa Britton

Brian Carr

Peter and Melanie Cross

Rick and Karen DeGolia

 Mary Gill

Jeremy Minshull and Caroline Horn

Arthur Keller

Ginny Laibl

Susan Lessin

Ruth Stoner Muzzin

 Kim and Gordon Ray

Richard Simpson and Ann Reisenauer

    Enid Pearson and  Emily Renzel

Johanna Schmid and Edward Reed

Jerry Hearn and Rebecca Reynolds

Bruce Rienzo

Lenny and Mike Roberts

Charles and Jaime Schafer

Mayor Pro Tem City of Morgan Hill Rene Spring

Diana Stark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Event Committee

Mary Buxton, James Eggers, Barbara Kelsey, Camille King,  Justyna Guterman, and Joyce Wright

Contact us
Questions about the event and to volunteer: Justyna Guterman (Justyna.Guterman@sierraclub.org or 650-390-8494)

All proceeds benefit the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter. Tickets purchases and gifts to the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter are not tax-deductible; they support our effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts.

Past Guardians of Nature Benefits 

Past Guardians of Nature Benefits