Donor Profiles: Bruce Kennedy and Peggy Kraus Kennedy

By Eric Ross

Bruce Kennedy and Peggy Kraus Kennedy, ardent environmentalists and educators, have been deeply involved with ARNHA and the Effie Yeaw Nature Center for many years as volunteers and generous donors. Recently, we met at their beautiful home in Carmichael, so I could learn more about them and their passion for preserving wilderness and promoting outdoor education for children and people of all ages.

Bruce grew up in Maryland and, after receiving a master’s degree in urban planning at the University of Pennsylvania, accepted a job offer in 1964 from the State of California where he

spent his 39-year career working on statewide planning for the state parks. Until his retirement in 2003, he focused on and wrote extensively about ways to protect against

threats to our state parks.

In the 1970’s, Bruce and four other environmentalists testified before the Sacramento County Planning Commission against a proposed 5,400-acre “new town” in the flood

plain of southern Sacramento County. After the development company sued Bruce and the four others, the courts rejected the company's lawsuits. Then, Bruce and the other four, now known as the "Stone Lakes Five," countersued for “malicious prosecution." A national campaign, led by Sacramento Audubon Society and others, developed to pay the group’s legal fees. Five years later, they won out-of-court settlements.

In 1978 the Environmental Council of Sacramento named Bruce its Environmentalist of the Year for his work. His and others’ efforts helped to establish the Stone Lakes Nation-

al Wildlife Refuge in 1994, the first federal refuge in Sacramento County. Bruce has maintained his support for Stone Lakes for over 50 years to this day. When asked about his

career and achievements, Bruce modestly states “Yes, I really enjoyed it and made some contributions.”

Peggy grew up in the Pacific Northwest where she developed a reverence for nature. Early on, she found inspiration in President Kennedy’s words: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” After college, she moved to Sacramento to teach Latin at San Juan High School. From there, she went on to American River College where she taught English.

Peggy handled numerous other challenging assignments at ARC. One of her favorites was helping set up an innovative Teaching Research Center to help colleagues who were specialists in their fields better adapt to teaching community college students. For her, “teaching and being in the classroom was where it’s at!” She spent 41 years at ARC.

While Peggy was still teaching full-time, a County Super visor asked her to serve on the Carmichael Parks Board. From there, her interest in conservation and education led

her to the nature center. Both Bruce and Peggy have served many productive years

at EYNC, not only on the ARNHA Board of Directors, but also on its Advisory Board. Peggy has worked for two decades on ARNHA’s Publications Committee writing, editing

and promoting a variety of books, with Peter Hayes, Jo Glasson Smith, Molly Keller, Claudia Hulbe. Kari Bauer, Liz Williamson, Margaret Leavitt and other members of the

committee.

Most significantly, Peggy co-edited both the 13th and the current 14th edition of ARNHA’s book, The Outdoor World of the Sacramento Region, undoubtably the finest popular field guide to nature for the Sacramento area. Observing others looking through birding scopes during the 2017 Bird and Breakfast event led Peggy and Molly Keller, in collaboration with the ARNHA Publications Committee, to create the very useful and popular guide, 150 Frequently Seen Birds of California’s Great Valley. As of 2022, it was in its third printing.

Bruce and Peggy have given ARNHA and the nature center thousands of hours of their invaluable energy, generosity, talents and wisdom. We are deeply grateful to both of you!

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Eric Ross is a Co-Vice President of ARNHA and an EYNC volunteer.