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From the Executive Director...
by Zoe Kersteen-Tucker

Recently, Committee for Green Foothills Founder Lois Crozier-Hogle received the prestigious Tall Tree Award for Outstanding Citizen. This award is given once a year by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce and the Palo Alto Weekly to an extraordinary individual who has worked tirelessly on behalf of our local community; it is an award which Lois so richly deserves. For the award celebration, I was asked to prepare an introduction for Lois and I want to share parts of it with the hope that you too will find much to be inspired by.

Tall Tree Award ceremony, April 4, 2002
"Let me tell you, preparing an introduction for Lois is a daunting task!! This is a woman who has more facets than a Tiffany diamond, and like a diamond, Lois has a quality of light and sparkle that is quite fascinating and difficult to describe with words. "In the time available this evening for an introduction, I will scarcely do Lois justice, so I invite each of you to take an opportunity to know her better. There is so much to learn from this wise woman.

"The first thing you must know about Lois is, of course, the Committee for Green Foothills.

"Just about 40 years ago to the day, Lois and a handful of visionary citizens came together out of mutual concern over the fate of the Peninsula foothills. Silicon Valley was beginning to sprout like an exuberant spring weed and its tendrils were starting to reach for the foothills. These people knew that if Silicon Valley's growth was not contained, the precious foothills would be lost to development. So, Lois brought the group of about 25 people together in Ruth Spangenberg's living room. This founding group formed a board of directors, united in its desire to stand FOR something, hence the name Committee FOR Green Foothills was chosen. In a historic moment that evening, Wallace Stegner agreed to become the Committee's Founding President if, and only if, Lois would agree to be the chief organizer, ringleader and orchestrator.

"She agreed!

"Forty years later, the Committee still stands strong in defense of the foothills and coastal lands of San Mateo county and thanks to Lois and her merry band of environmental pioneers, we can still look to the foothills and feel their blessings.

"And now, before we welcome Lois to the stage, I want to share with you a passage from a piece written by Wallace Stegner entitled "Roses for Lois."

" '...she (Lois) has been central to this particular group (Committee for Green Foothills) from the beginning. She felt the urgency, she generated the ideas, she kindled other spirits from the incandescence of her own. She opened not only her purse and her house, but her heart to the cause of preserving the public and environmental interest against the forces of short-sighted greed. In leading, and inciting and inspiring so many kinds of people over so many years, she has created more than just another environmental group. She has helped create a community of like minds as well as a community of effort. And though she had other things in mind while she worked, the by-product that she didn't anticipate is not to be ignored. The by-product is love. Thanks to Lois, we are much more a community, a neighborhood, a family, than we would have been without her example, her enthusiasm, her energy, and her vision.

" 'What is more, she demonstrates that the more one gives, the more is left. She is richer, not for what we have been able to give her, but for what she has given us.' "

During this, the Committee's 40th anniversary year, we have much to celebrate. And as always, our celebrations begin and end with extraordinary people-those who have come together over the decades with courage and the spirit of taking action on behalf of our local environment.

Please join us in honoring our Founder and First Lady of the Environment, Lois Crozier-Hogle.

Published May 2002 in Green Footnotes.
Page last updated May 6, 2002.


	News Subscribe to Our Newsletter Sign up for Email Updates CGF In the News Press Inquiries Past Articles Calendar			From the Executive Director... by Zoe Kersteen-Tucker Recently, Committee for Green Foothills Founder Lois Crozier-Hogle received the prestigious Tall Tree Award for Outstanding Citizen. This award is given once a year by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce and the Palo Alto Weekly to an extraordinary individual who has worked tirelessly on behalf of our local community; it is an award which Lois so richly deserves. For the award celebration, I was asked to prepare an introduction for Lois and I want to share parts of it with the hope that you too will find much to be inspired by. Tall Tree Award ceremony, April 4, 2002 "Let me tell you, preparing an introduction for Lois is a daunting task!! This is a woman who has more facets than a Tiffany diamond, and like a diamond, Lois has a quality of light and sparkle that is quite fascinating and difficult to describe with words. "In the time available this evening for an introduction, I will scarcely do Lois justice, so I invite each of you to take an opportunity to know her better. There is so much to learn from this wise woman. "The first thing you must know about Lois is, of course, the Committee for Green Foothills. "Just about 40 years ago to the day, Lois and a handful of visionary citizens came together out of mutual concern over the fate of the Peninsula foothills. Silicon Valley was beginning to sprout like an exuberant spring weed and its tendrils were starting to reach for the foothills. These people knew that if Silicon Valley's growth was not contained, the precious foothills would be lost to development. So, Lois brought the group of about 25 people together in Ruth Spangenberg's living room. This founding group formed a board of directors, united in its desire to stand FOR something, hence the name Committee FOR Green Foothills was chosen. In a historic moment that evening, Wallace Stegner agreed to become the Committee's Founding President if, and only if, Lois would agree to be the chief organizer, ringleader and orchestrator. "She agreed! "Forty years later, the Committee still stands strong in defense of the foothills and coastal lands of San Mateo county and thanks to Lois and her merry band of environmental pioneers, we can still look to the foothills and feel their blessings. "And now, before we welcome Lois to the stage, I want to share with you a passage from a piece written by Wallace Stegner entitled "Roses for Lois." " '...she (Lois) has been central to this particular group (Committee for Green Foothills) from the beginning. She felt the urgency, she generated the ideas, she kindled other spirits from the incandescence of her own. She opened not only her purse and her house, but her heart to the cause of preserving the public and environmental interest against the forces of short-sighted greed. In leading, and inciting and inspiring so many kinds of people over so many years, she has created more than just another environmental group. She has helped create a community of like minds as well as a community of effort. And though she had other things in mind while she worked, the by-product that she didn't anticipate is not to be ignored. The by-product is love. Thanks to Lois, we are much more a community, a neighborhood, a family, than we would have been without her example, her enthusiasm, her energy, and her vision. " 'What is more, she demonstrates that the more one gives, the more is left. She is richer, not for what we have been able to give her, but for what she has given us.' " During this, the Committee's 40th anniversary year, we have much to celebrate. And as always, our celebrations begin and end with extraordinary people-those who have come together over the decades with courage and the spirit of taking action on behalf of our local environment. Please join us in honoring our Founder and First Lady of the Environment, Lois Crozier-Hogle. Published May 2002 in Green Footnotes. Page last updated May 6, 2002.