July Force of Nature: Katherine Dresdner

Photo by Benoit Cortet

If you have taken a walk on beautiful preserved land in Hopewell Valley, odds are that FoHVOS July Force of Nature, Katherine Dresdner, has had some hand in preserving it.

From the time she was a child, Katherine’s life experiences seemed to lead and prepare her for her great achievements throughout Hopewell Valley.   

Katherine’s earliest memories include being with her grandfather in his garden and learning about trees and plants with her mother, a landscape designer, who always caught and released insects rather than killing them. These models helped shape her law career, which focused on protecting land and life. 

Katherine began litigating complex environmental cases in the 1980s. Some of her cases uncovered webs of corruption and mismanagement akin to the plots in movies like Erin Brockovich and A Civil Action. 

The Chemical Control Corp. (CCC) was one such case. In early 1980, 60,000 55 gallon drums leaking toxic waste exploded violently during the night and burned for two days spewing toxic smoke and particulates, endangering communities in Elisabeth and Staten Island.  Katherine successfully litigated the only CCC civil case, representing residents and a Red Cross volunteer who all suffered health problems caused by exposure to the toxic smoke. She shared her legal work to help firefighters and first responders when they developed cancer from their exposures to the toxic materials. 

Katherine obtained court orders for records that revealed the involvement of organized crime, corruption, and mismanagement: the CCC was taken over from the owner at gunpoint by an organized crime family; the CCC incinerator contracted to destroy the chemical wastes from Fortune 500 companies never functioned. PCBs from PSE&G were dumped by CCC for years through a hidden pipe into the waters of the Kill Van Kull. 

The NJ DEP issued violations, then decided to take over the site. Katherine proved the state's takeover of CCC from its organized crime owners was not used for intended cleanup but instead stored hazardous wastes brought from other dump locations to CCC. Katherine employed aerial photography grid analysis that proved 30,000 more drums were staged at CCC during the state's "clean up." Katherine also met with whistleblowers about the site conditions and obtained photographs of the site showing many leaking drums two days before the explosion. A state official had recorded a video taken the same time as the photos, but the video disappeared from the state evidence locker. The loss of this key evidence uncovered by Katherine was investigated in a hearing by the NJ State Senate Judiciary Committee, but the tape was never found.   

The last case Katherine litigated before moving to Hopewell Valley in 1998 involved helping young families in Franklin, Gloucester County who were sold starter homes without being told their new homes were built on a toxic landfill. The families had wells drilled into the landfill, and their water and soil were contaminated with chemicals. The families only became aware their homes were in a landfill when one morning men in full body hazmat suits came to their neighborhood to take water and soil samples. 

Katherine got involved through a state police lieutenant familiar with her CCC case work, who asked her to represent the families. The case took 10 years but Katherine saw it through from beginning to end. Her work exposed a web of silence by the landfill landowner, the developer, town and county officials, insurance agents, realtors, and law firms, all of whom were interconnected by family or business relationships. Her work continued when she had to sue the insurance company to pay the families the judgment she obtained for them. Every family was able to move to a safe home.

At the same, FoHVOS was winning our own 10 year battle, led by FOHVOS President Ted Stiles, that culminated in the property acquisition by Mercer County in 1998 that created today’s Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain.

As Katherine settled into Hopewell Valley, we would join forces as she got involved in local land conservation efforts. Katherine worked on the St. Michaels Preservation committee with many local families who cared about the land. Working with Sophie Glovier, then Development Director at D & R Greenway, together they raised the millions of private funds needed to save St. Michaels. Katherine believes local fundraising and community involvement differentiated the St. Michaels project from other preservation efforts.  The new model inspired the entire community -- senior citizens, school children, and every age in between, raised money for a common goal. 

Katherine volunteered for a year at D&R Greenway and at the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed for 10 years. Katherine would draw from the St. Michael’s collaborative community based model in her crusade to save the land that became the Mount Rose Preserve. She was inspired by Ted Stiles' vision of preserving the Carter Road site along with contiguous farmland and open space parcels linking the Valley to the Sourland Mountains.

While serving as general counsel for the Hopewell Valley Citizens Group, Katherine donated all her legal work on this project since 2007.  HVCG formed during a contentious land use battle challenging Berwind Property Group's approved office park and proposed high density housing development slated for both sides of Carter Road in the former Western Electric/AT&T corporate campus. After winning in the NJ Supreme Court, Katherine proposed purchasing the land to settle the litigation. New Jersey Conservation Foundation partnered with HVCG as the lead land trust partner on the purchase. Katherine worked closely with NJCF executive director Michele Byers.

Katherine's vision of this project was regional in scope. She assisted in negotiating the northern loop of the 22 mile regional Lawrence Hopewell Trail with the landowners, and gained support for the land preservation project from Mercer County and all five surrounding municipalities. Overall, a dozen public entities and nonprofit organizations, as well as 130 private donors, and the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust collaborated on a $7.5 million land purchase.

The Mount Rose Preserve is now a 400 acre public park and Katherine continues to work to raise donor and grant funding to cover additional land stewardship. FoHVOS Stewardship Director Mike Van Clef prepared a 10 year stewardship plan for Mount Rose. NJCF and FOHVOS are primarily responsible for stewardship, restoration, and trail work. The Mount Rose Preserve is currently owned by NJCF, FoHVOS, Hopewell Township, and Mercer County.

Partnering with NJCF added special significance to the win.  NJCF Executive Director Michele Byers was married to Ted Stiles and shared Ted’s vision for the preservation of Mount Rose. Katherine is very pleased that she was able to “complete the circle” by seeing the mission through with Michele.

At a FoHVOS event in 2015 both Katherine Dresdner and Michele Byers were presented the prestigious Jack Gleeson Environmental Award for a lifetime of achievement as an environmental activist.

An excerpt of this article appears in July's Hopewell Valley Neighbors magazine.

Meg Gorrie: A Force of Nature

 photo by Benoit Cortet

While everyone in the area is familiar with the SBMWA Kate Gorrie Butterfly House or has driven past the prominent sign for D&R Greenway Kate’s Trail, few are aware of the wider life-changing impact both the Gorrie family and their daughter Kate have made on our community. I approached Meg Gorrie and asked her to share her important story. 

This was a difficult story to write for many reasons. First, its prominence and weight demand that I get it right. Adding to my challenge is that Hopewell Valley Neighbors magazine shares my Force of Nature stories with a limit on space.

In the past, I have permitted the magazine to cut my feature to meet its space constraints but instead for this piece, I offer a new solution -- a magazine excerpt.

Below please check out three sections.

• Meet The Gorries shares the family introduction to Hopewell Valley.
• Kate’s Legacy is a standalone section for Hopewell Valley Neighbors.
• The Family Today shares their continued strides and impact.

Meet The Gorries

Meg and Tom Gorrie moved to Hopewell Valley, New Jersey for its excellent schools. They arrived when Alex, their oldest son, was in 4^th grade. Within a year, Meg was Hopewell Elementary PTO President.  

The twins Kate and Rob, who had been born on Christmas Day, also attended HES.  Once the twins entered middle school, Meg became heavily involved with the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.

At the same time, Tom was overseeing global businesses for Johnson & Johnson. He was also the Chairman at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and served on their Board for 17 years.

Meg and Tom were the perfect balance of Yin and Yang.  Tom oversaw medical advances immersed in the whirlwind existence of air travel around the world. Meg was grounded in education and the environment.  Their history of healing, people and land, foreshadowed their eventual story.

The twins also had their own unique balance. They shared that special twin connection, were both smart, and inherited mom’s love of environment. Rob had lots of friends and enjoyed challenging his teachers. Kate was popular with peers and teachers alike.

“I couldn’t wait for teacher conferences,” Meg beamed, “They all began with what a joy Kate was!  Everybody loved her.”

All the Gorrie children attended The Hun School of Princeton. The twins were both in the environmental club. By the time started they their senior year, Meg was on the education committee at The Watershed.  

Meg recalls, “While on sabbatical from The Watershed, Jeff Hoagland traveled to nature centers all around the country and he was over the moon about these indigenous species butterfly houses. When I told Kate about it, she said, ‘Mom, you’ve got to do this!’ We were so excited. We talked about it all that Fall.”

In addition to being an excellent student, Kate played field hockey and co-managed the boy’s ice hockey team with her friend Lindsay.   

On the afternoon of December 22^nd 1997, Kate and Lindsay were in a one-car accident. The cause was unclear, but Lindsay was driving and may have swerved to avoid a deer. Kate was killed instantly when the car hit a tree.

Losing a child is the most devastating experience that a parent can face.  Compounding their unimaginable grief was the challenge that Rob’s birthday was still Christmas Day and he felt that he’d lost his other half.

Christmas was Kate’s favorite day of the year and the family knew she would want them to go on, so they still celebrated the day as best they could in the wake of their tragedy.

Kate entrusted a powerful legacy and purpose to all of those she left behind.

Kate (Gorrie family photo)

Kate’s Legacy

Kate was loved by all who knew her.  To get a better sense of Kate, consider that each year Hun presents “The Katherine Wright Gorrie ’98 Memorial Award.”  

Awarded to a member of the senior class who best exemplifies the qualities of Kate Gorrie. These include a love of family and friends, respect for the environment, joy and radiance of expression and demeanor, integrity, and sincere desire to acquire and impart knowledge.

The Hun School’s response to Kate’s death was sensitive and helpful. Tom and the headmaster, Jim Byer, and others spoke at the funeral. They opened Russell Hall for the reception.  

Meg and Tom arranged a scholarship and a friendship garden in Kate’s honor. The scholarship allows a student to attend Hun who otherwise could not.

Kate’s field hockey coaches initiated The Hun Run in her memory.  Her classmates have continued working on The Run for Kate committee for the past 20 years.

The friendship garden was formed because Kate was loved by all and was everybody’s friend.  It features a pretty statue called “Growing Things,” with a young teenage girl and a vine.  An inscription reads, “In this garden may friendship grow.” There are three benches and sometimes outdoor classes are taught there.

After the accident, the newspaper stated that donations be made to the Watershed in lieu of flowers. The family hoped to use the funds to set up an internship in Kate’s name.

The response was overwhelming and the generous donations helped fund both the internship and The Kate Gorrie Butterfly House. The internship is awarded to a high school student each summer.

Meg describes the Butterfly House. “The wind would come through the screening and you’d see families with little kids come in. It’s really special to see the sense of wonder that comes over people.”

Each year the Watershed held an opening day for the Butterfly House and several years ago, they switched to an official Butterfly Festival. “It’s really extraordinary - 2,500 people show up at her butterfly house and I think ‘Kate, are you seeing this?!’”

The Gorries’ friend Jeannine “Dede” Clements worked with D&R Greenway to create an easement on their farm that includes a one-mile loop trail down to the Stony Brook, known as Kate’s Trail. You can see the sign on Elm Ridge Road.

Meg shared, “I love that so much to do with Kate brings the focus back to the environment.”

Twenty years later and Kate continues to changes lives.

The Family Today

Meg recalls with sadness that “beyond devastating” Christmas.  Subsequent years were spent traveling over Christmas. The family would fly out on the 22^nd -- Hawaii, St. John, the Keys – anywhere to be away, and would return before New Years to a decorated house and celebrate their traditional family Christmas after island Christmas. They had not been in town on December 22^nd since the accident.

This year the Gorries stayed home for Christmas.

“Having the grandbabies makes a huge difference. Christmas is completely chaotic now. It was really nice. Rob and Amanda wanted to do Santa Claus with their kids in Princeton. Alex was married in October and lives with Mary in London.”

They all spent dinner together. They toasted Kate, toasted the marriage, and toasted Rob’s birthday.

This year Hun will hold their 20^th reunion for the Class of 1998.

While the Gorrie family had a long history of high achievement, Kate’s passing brought additional relevance and focus on healing and service to others.  

Tom Gorrie currently sits on the Duke University Board of Directors and chairs the Duke University Health System. He chaired the Global Health Institute Board of Advisors until 2016 and has served on numerous committees. Tom retired from J&J in 2008. He was an advisor to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an adjunct professor at the Rutgers School of Business. He is on the RWJ Foundation Board.

Rob Gorrie has a B.A. in Environmental Studies and received his J.D. magna cum laude, with a Certificate in Environmental Law.  His job allows him to work with small business and homeowners to remediate environmental disasters on their property. His prior work found him in NJ, NY, PA and CA designing and implementing cleanups at polluted sites. Today, he lives in Princeton with his wife Amanda and their two children.

Meg has won numerous environmental awards and recognition, including many from her important work at the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.  In addition to the internship and Butterfly House, she is Trustee Emeritus and co-chaired the “Pass It On Campaign” which is responsible for creating the new environmental center, redesigning the 930 acre trail network of the Watershed Reserve, and fortifying the Watershed Association endowment. She also served on the D&R Greenway Board of Trustees for several years.

Meg is the former President of the Stony Brook Garden Club. Her peers presented the Zone Conservation Award and wrote: 

“She has worked on countless community minded projects all for the care and preservation of the natural world. She is kind, witty and wonderful. She is an inspiration to SBGC, our zone, and our state.”

Force of Nature – Meg and Kate Gorrie

Like Mother, Like Daughter