At our Annual Meeting on November 17th, long-time and retiring Trustee Chris Filmer was honored. The Darien Land Trust collaborated with the Darien Community Association, the Town of Darien Parks and Recreation Dept., the Darien Nature Center, Friends of Selleck’s Woods and DAF Media, to pay tribute to Chris, one of Darien’s most beloved and greatest volunteers.
Chris has made a lasting and profound impact on Darien since moving to town 45 years ago. In the 1970s, the Town’s Selleck’s Woods and DLT’s Dunlap Woods were not the beautiful nature preserves they are today. In fact, the properties had been damaged by vandals and oil slicks, and were strewn with garbage.
Despite the huge obstacles, Chris had a vision for the properties and joined the boards of both the Darien Land Trust and Friends of Selleck’s Woods in the 1990’s. With Chris’s leadership, Friends raised the necessary funds to clean up Selleck’s Woods and partnered with DLT’s Stewardship Committee to transform Selleck’s and Dunlap into an urban oasis with seven distinct ecosystems. Thanks to Chris’s commitment, both “Woods” host community cleanups, family discovery events, and more than a thousand visitors a year.
DLT is forever grateful to Chris for his 27 years of service as a Trustee, including 3 years as President. The town of Darien is truly a better place because of him.
Many thanks to DAF Media for livestreaming the event which is available to view. Photos from the event can be found here.
Chris Filmer Scholarship
Among the many tributes was the formation of the Chris Filmer Scholarship. This need-based college scholarship will be administered by the DCA and awarded to a Darien High School student applicant who best exemplifies Chris’s commitment to community, and to the environment.
In honor of Chris and his legacy, we hope you’ll consider contributing to the scholarship by making a gift to the DCA.*
* When making an online donation, please check “This gift is for a scholarship” and enter Chris Filmer Scholarship. If you would like the gift to remain anonymous, please indicate in the “Notes” field. Donations can also be made by credit card by calling the DCA at (203) 655-9050 ext. 10, or by mailing a check payable to DCA (Chris Filmer Scholarship in memo line) to 274 Middlesex Road, Darien, CT 06820.