[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REMEMBERING MARY HAMMER, A PIVOTAL FOUNDER OF MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY 
                               RESOURCES

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                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 16, 2024

  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Mary Hammer, a 
beloved community leader. She was a steadfast advocate for families in 
the San Lorenzo Valley and founded the Mountain Community Resources, 
originally known as the Valley Resource Center. Originally from Almeda, 
Ms. Hammer embodied our community values of positivity and hard work.
  Ms. Hammer attended UC Berkeley, and shortly after graduating, she 
traveled abroad to teach in Germany where she met her husband, Joe. In 
1965 Mary and Joe settled in the San Lorenzo Valley, a place very dear 
to Mary. She began teaching in San Lorenzo Valley Unified School 
District leaving a lasting impact on those she taught. While raising 
her family, Ms. Hammer quickly began to become an active leader in her 
community.
  Engaging in local political campaigns, her efforts not only 
safeguarded vital water resources but also played a key role in shaping 
Santa Cruz County. As an environmentalist, her leadership was vital for 
emergency responses when a devastating flood and storms barreled 
through the community in 1982 and 1983. Mary's dedicated advocacy 
pushed local leaders to prioritize emergency preparedness, setting the 
stage for the Neighborhood Survival Network and Volunteer Emergency 
Preparedness Project.
  Her leadership at Valley Resource Center as the center's first 
Executive Director guided the community through multiple natural 
disasters and paved the way for the center to transform from a 
volunteer-led organization to a nonprofit. Ms. Hammer Received the 
Outstanding Public Service Award from FEMA in Washington, D.C., which 
was one of many achievements she would go on to receive.
  As a founding leader of the Valley Women's Club of San Lorenzo 
Valley, Ms. Hammer championed efforts for natural resource preservation 
and disaster preparedness. Today, Mountain Community Resources provides 
essential services such as food, clothing, counseling, legal 
assistance, and parenting classes to residents in need.
  Mary loved being with family and friends, teaching, reading, and 
exploring nature as an avid cyclist, camper, and hiker. Mary is 
survived by her children, Eric and Lisa, and her grandchildren, Ruby, 
Charlie, and Nicole. She now joins her beloved husband, Joe, whom she 
fondly called ``Joey.''

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