On Sunday, June 12, 2016, Everett Bowman, a  dedicated conservationist and NCLCV Board Member, passed away after a long battle with cancer. During his time with our organization, Everett wore his values on his sleeves, ensuring that everyone understood the critical need to protect our surroundings and our natural resources. Our hearts and prayers extend to Everett’s family and friends. Below, you’ll find an excerpt on a letter Everett drafted on why this work matters, especially right now.

I joined the NCLCV board because I believe strongly that issues of environmental protection and conservation are the most important issues that our country and the world are facing. We owe it to future generations, and to other species as well, whose fate is in our hands, to support legislators and legislation advancing conservation. That is the purpose of the NCLCV—to identify and support NC legislators and candidates for office—whatever their political party or affiliation—who will advance these environmental goals and who will sponsor legislation ranging from protecting air and water to fostering development of clean energy. Clean energy is of particular interest to us Charlotteans, as Charlotte seeks to diversify its economic base to become a major national energy center.

Usually, I don’t much care for being asked to donate money to various causes, and I find it even harder to ask my friends to donate money. I make an exception for NCLCV not because it is important to client development, or to our firm, or to me personally, but because it is important to all of us and our families, and to everyone worldwide, to make sure we are not taking irresponsible risks and causing irreparable damage with respect to the environment, and also to make sure that we are striking an appropriate and sustainable balance between long-term environmental interests and other interests that are sometimes given heightened attention because they appear to strike closer to home, such as our short-term economic interests. I believe that, with respect to our environment, we are fiduciaries for all who are to come after us, and we have crucial responsibilities that should guide us today.

I joined the NCLCV because it shares my concern that, regarding our environment, we must seek (1) to do no harm (as we might do, for example, by rushing into fracking in NC without careful consideration); and (2) to protect and restore the natural resources we have inherited. Also, I joined the organization and began making my own contributions only after determining, after a good bit of due diligence, that it uses its donated funds carefully, efficiently, effectively, and in a manner that seeks to bring together people who might be on opposite sides of the aisle, politically, with respect to other issues.