[Episcopal Diocese of California] On the evening of October 30, 65 Bay Area philanthropists gathered to support Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and honor preeminent man of letters and environmental activist, Wendell Berry. The Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, Ms. Eliza Brown, and her cousin Mr. Owsley Brown hosted the gathering. All three have roots in the Southeastern United States and long-standing commitments to environmental issues.

Toward the end of the evening Mr. Wendell Berry was presented with the Green Cross, an award to be given annually by the Bishop of California to those who have worked to raise cultural engagement of climate change and support the work of environmental activists in a variety of fields. Mr. Owsley Brown gave start-up funding.

The evening also included Mr. Berry reading letters from Kentuckians, one of his poems, and a conversation with Patrick Holden, CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust. Bishop Andrus said, “It was a beautiful evening. Wendell Berry’s work, especially with mountaintop removal and his interacting with the Governor of Kentucky have been truly tremendous.”

The Episcopal Diocese of California serves a diverse community of faith encompassing the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Approximately 27,000 people form 80 congregations in seven counties.