Two selected for Hammer-Markham Award

Two SLV men were selected to receive the Hammer-Markham Award by the Valley Women’s Club — including the son of one of the award’s namesakes.
Since 1987, the honor, named for Mary Hammer and Annette Marcum, is bestowed upon residents who display outstanding leadership in environmental, education or social areas that benefit the San Lorenzo Valley.
Brookdale resident Eric Hammer, son of Mary Hammer, was selected this year because of his work on protecting the environment and on human rights issues. As a teenager, Eric Hammer volunteered his time at SLV recycling centers, the Valley Women’s Club, the first Teen Center in Felton and as a student representative at Cabrillo Community College. In 2001, he helped found SLV Youth First. In 2007 he was elected to the Boulder Creek Recreations and Parks District board of directors and was reelected to a second term in2011. He served on the board of Mountain Community Resources and participates regularly in the annual river and road cleanup.
As a father he help build a greenhouse at Boulder Creek Elementary School for his child and every student in the life science program. He is on the steering committee of the Redwood Mountain Faire and served on the Boulder Creek Business Association board.
Governor Jerry Brown tapped him to serve on the 14th District Agricultural Association and in 2014 Hammer was elected to the San Lorenzo Valley Water District board.
Kevin Foster of Boulder Creek is a contractor and founder of the Boulder Creek Neighbors Facebook group, which has unified community support for projects and issues throughout the SLV.
Foster installed the handicap lift at Bear Creek Pool, and also installed the new sign at the Sheriff’s office in Boulder Creek. He pitched in to help with the Foster’s Freeze was robbed and has done CERT training in Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton and Bonny Doon.
He is an active supporter of Valley Churches United and is described as “quiet” and “humble.”
Hammer and Foster were selected from among 10 people nominated for the Hammer-Markham Award, which will be conferred during the celebration on Oct. 22 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the SLV Senior Center in Highlands Park in Ben Lomond. The event costs $15 per person. Contact Sheila De Lany at 429-9641 or email

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to reserve tickets.