By Carolyn Barnes

The hills were alive with the sound of chamber music and the fragrances of fall on Saturday night as 480 people gathered to salute Hidden Villa’s 2000 Humanitarian Awards honorees.

Jan and Bob Fenwick of Los Altos Hills, supporters of local educational, arts and environmental groups; landscape and environmental photographer Robert Glenn Ketchum; and Cathrine Sneed, founder of the San Francisco County Jail’s Garden Project, won this year’s awards.

“If only we could accomplish one-fourth as much as the Duvenecks accomplished, we’d be proud,” Jan Fenwick said in her acceptance speech, which praised Hidden Villa’s uninterrupted support, over decades, of human diversity and ecological responsibility.

Hidden Villa’s educational emphasis on the interconnectedness of all living things was a theme of several other speakers.

“At Hidden Villa, I learned that food doesn’t just come from stores,” said Hidden Villa summer camper Rebecca Pierce of Palo Alto.

Executive Director Judith Steiner reminded guests of Josephine and Frank Duveneck’s role in organizing the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club at Hidden Villa and their diligent husbandry of their land, a priceless legacy to today’s Silicon Valley.

The valley’s appreciation, in turn, was symbolized by the sponsorship of many tables at the benefit dinner by local firms.

“Tonight’s celebration brings $100,000 to Hidden Villa programs,” Steiner announced.

Eleanor Watanabe of Los Altos and Karen Ross of Palo Alto chaired the event, which commenced with an exhibit of paintings and photographs, on display in the Duveneck home, of Hidden Villa scenes.

Local vintage car enthusiasts ferried some guests up and down the country road between the Visitor’s Center, where a huge white tent housed the dinner, and the historic Duveneck house. At dusk, many other guests promenaded happily on foot toward the glowing dinner tent, enjoying the farm setting on a warm September evening.

For more information about Hidden Villa and its programs, call 949-8650.