After years of generous contribution to the work of Emerald Keepers, we are pleased to announce Dean Eckenroth as “Emerald Keeper of the Month.” Dean’s commitment to offering a venue for education and dialogue in the public square of news media has provided Emerald Keepers with an invaluable pathway for communication, especially during our darkest days of the COVID-19 lockdown, when Emerald Keepers was just launching as a new local environmental non-profit.
Providing a vital forum for Coronado conversations since 1990 through his dedicated labor and toil at The Eagle & Journal, Dean has demonstrated a passion for life on the island like few others. A champion of local business and a civil society devotee, he has played a major part in the annual Holiday Parade, “Celebrate Coronado” community awards, and the annual “Salute to the Military Ball,” to name just a few of his contributions. In short, much like Emerald Keepers, Dean is always striving to make Coronado a better place, and we are so grateful to have him as a trusted partner in our aim for sustainable community development.
As a result of his support, Emerald Keepers has been able to publish 85 pages of environmental awareness materials, educating our community on issues such as water and air quality, biodiversity loss, energy efficiency, sustainable landscaping, the impacts of climate change and numerous other topics. Dean has also facilitated our public celebration of environmental actions in Coronado, featuring our Emerald Keeper of the Month column, covering of many of our events in the paper, and showcasing our students’ Earth Day Poster Competition artwork. What young person doesn’t love to be acknowledged publicly in the paper?
If you are tempted to think this contribution “small potatoes,” think again! Dean Eckenroth’s in-kind donations total over $35,000 in 2022 alone, and the ripple effect of this generosity cannot be underestimated. Surely this publicity has played a major role in the exponential growth enjoyed by Emerald Keepers, a now widely recognized local organization. More importantly, concern for our environment has become a familiar topic for Coronadans, translating into action at the household level, at our schools, within our churches, and in our local government. Thank you, Dean Eckenroth, our Emerald Keeper Valentine!
