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Published on 09/14/1998 All articles from this issue

Hidden Villa visitors engage in a humanitarian evening

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By Clyde Noel

Special to the Town Crier

Each of the award winners at the third annual Josephine and Frank Duveneck Humanitarian Awards last Saturday night agreed: Children are the most important crop grown at the 1,600-acre Hidden Villa environmental farm.

Judith Steiner, Hidden Villa's executive director, started the evening's proceedings by speaking about the support the community provides Hidden Villa.

"We are excited about the progress we are getting with increased voluntarism and, to date, we have raised more than $3.25 million in our campaign to raise $6 million to support our programs," Steiner said. "Now our job is to convince people the advantages of the wonderful experience Hidden Villa provides."

The theme for the evening, "Listening to One Another - Listening to the Earth," is a reflection of the Duvenecks' vision of a society in which children are taught respect for human dignity, diversity and connection to a natural environment.

Each honoree, including presenters Jim and Becky Morgan, expressed a desire for a peaceful and humane world.

"This is a place that tugs at the heart strings, and I am pleased to be able to support Hidden Villa," said Becky Morgan, the former state senator who has just announced her retirement as president of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network.

The awards were presented on three levels, local, regional and national.

They were given in the spirit of the Duvenecks, where each honoree has made a significant difference in their community and the world.

Local recipient, Judge LaDoris Cordell, the first African-American woman to sit on a Superior Court in Northern California played an original composition on the piano.

Regional recipients, Pat and Jim Compton, reflected on the spirit of the awards.

National recipient Michael Pritchard, comedian and former probation officer, expressed his feelings toward helping children with self- esteem and anger issues.

"When you have children, you learn something about life. These are difficult times we live in and it's hard to tell them we love them," Pritchard said.