ABF Recognizes Ralph Singer
Last updated 5/13/2020 at 10:05am
Photo Courtesy of Bri Fordem, ABF
On March 7, Anza-Borrego Foundation President Dick Troy presented former Trustee Ralph Singer with ABF's first Desert Warrior award. The award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated long-term commitment and support for desert preservation and education in the Anza-Borrego region.
The award was presented to Ralph, with his wife Lou in attendance, at a special luncheon at the Tin Roof restaurant in Manhattan Beach, California. Also travelling to the ceremony were ABF Trustees Dave Van Cleve, Jimmy Smith, former Trustee Delores Lukina, and former Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Superintendent Mark Jorgensen.
Ralph served on the ABF Board of Trustees for over 25 years, twice serving as President. Over that time, he helped ABF acquire thousands of acres of inholdings and additions to the park and helped to initiate several new programs designed to educate visitors and build constituencies for the desert.
Troy stated, "I worked with Ralph early on as a former Southern Division Chief for State Parks, and for the past 10 years as a fellow trustee. His professionalism and strong business sense help ABF build credibility and stature as one of the leading land trusts in California."
As a former Superintendent of the Colorado Desert District, Van Cleve added, "Ralph took on a key leadership role at a crucial time for the organization. ABF, in addition to its original role of acquiring inholdings, took on the invaluable task of connecting the park to other protected landscapes. This fulfilled the goals of conservation biology and climate change mitigation. He also led the successful project to acquire lands at the Lucky 5 Ranch, which had been a park priority for 50 years."
While unable to attend, author, publisher and former ABF President Diana Lindsay sent along her best wishes thanking Ralph for his years of dedicated service and leadership during the acquisition of Sentenac Canyon and Cienega, the Henderson Canyon Road wildflower area, and the acquisition of the Lucky 5 Ranch.
Former ABF Executive Director Linda Tandle added, "Ralph's leadership guided ABF's crucial transition from an all-volunteer organization to a staff managed organization – a transition that laid the groundwork for ABF to become one of California State Parks' most respected cooperating associations."
The luncheon concluded with cake and singing to celebrate, one month early, Ralph's 90th birthday.
