Do you know the history of our most prestigious environmental award in Maryland?

John V. Kabler on the Chesapeake BayWe were founded in 1979 by a small group of volunteers who knew that our environment needed protecting, and still does. So they established the Maryland League of Conservation Voters to be the watchdog of our elected officials and ensure they vote for the environment and our communities.

John Valentine Kabler was one of our founders. As a native of Baltimore, he was spurred to environmental action in the wake of the Three Mile Island crisis in the late 1970s.

Mr. Kabler inspired a handful of his environmental colleagues to become active in political campaigns. Together these leaders founded the Maryland League of Conservation Voters in 1979. Until his death in 1996, John Kabler was a key leader of the Maryland conservation movement.

It has been 20 years since Maryland lost one of its toughest environmental advocates and we plan on honoring John V. Kabler at our annual Environmental Leadership Awards Dinner. Will you join us?

Sandy Kabler, the wife of the late John V. Kabler, remembers his passion and dedication to preserving the Chesapeake Bay. “He saw a need for action to protect the Chesapeake Bay and stepped up to bring the community and leaders together and hold our elected officials accountable. John saw a need for leadership on our most emblematic Bay and worked tirelessly in the cause. He would be so happy to see a group like the Central Maryland Beekeepers Association honored for their work in protecting a key asset in our ecosystem and community under his name.”  

In the past we’ve honored Former Governor Parris Glendening as our first Kabler awardee, and more recently in 2014 our co-founders Nancy Davis and Ajax Eastman. We’re excited to extend this honor to the Central Maryland Beekeepers’ Association for their grassroots effort in helping us pass the 2016 Pollinator Protection Act and banning bee-killing pesticides in Maryland!

This marks the 20th year of his death, and the 15th year we’ve had an award in his honor. Established in 2001, the John V. Kabler Memorial Award is presented annually to Maryland’s most outstanding environmental leaders and organizations. We hope to live up to Mr. Kabler’s legacy in awarding the Central Maryland Beekeepers’ Association and we hope you will join us in celebration.

As one of the few environmental organizations that make electoral endorsements of conservation champions and score our legislators on how well they vote, we need your help.

We selling tickets fast and we’ll soon run out, make sure you get your tickets today to celebrate the life of John V. Kabler and the continued conservation of our environment in his name.

Sandy says it best with “I know John would like to thank and honor all the many people who have carried on  and have worked so tirelessly over the last 20 years to protect the Chesapeake Bay and all  of our Natural resources.  It takes a community of grassroots organizers and legislators to work together to protect the environment for future generations. Thank you to all of you!”

See you on October 13th-

Karla Raettig

Executive Director
Maryland League of Conservation Voters

To find a full list of all our Kabler Awardees, go here: /john-v-kabler-award