[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 82 (Monday, June 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PAYING TRIBUTE TO KEITH AND RUTH SMILEY AND MOHONK CONSULTATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 20, 2005

  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my 
departed friends Keith and Ruth Smiley, on the occasion of the 25th 
Anniversary of Mohonk Consultations. It is with great pleasure that I 
honor Keith and Ruth for their outstanding vision and their steadfast 
dedication to a more equitable and sustainable global community.
  Keith Smiley was a good friend, who shared my enthusiasm for 
protecting and preserving the unique beauty of the Shawangunk 
Mountains. Keith's life reflected his Quaker upbringing. He treasured 
the world around him and sought to bring peace and social justice to 
people by promoting self-determination. He truly believed that all 
people had the innate right to be involved in the decisions that 
affected their day-to-day lives. However, the quality that made him 
special, and that I pay homage to today, was his ardent belief that 
these decisions, decisions on governing and development, must take into 
account their impact on the environment.
  The idea of ``consultations'' had always been part of the Mohonk 
Mountain tradition and under Keith Smiley's leadership they were very 
successful. When the Mohonk Trust was formed in 1963, the Smileys were 
able to further their stewardship of the land as well as their goals of 
promoting international understanding and world peace through 
conferences and the exchange of ideas. After successfully hosting a 
gathering of environmental and international development groups for the 
Agency for International Development, Keith moved forward with his own 
dream for a unique environmental organization. Mohonk Consultations was 
officially incorporated in 1980. Since that time, the group has brought 
together the foremost leaders on the environment, the economy and other 
individuals seeking new, environmentally sound methods of getting 
things accomplished.
  A tribute to Keith and his work would be incomplete without 
mentioning his wife, Ruth. Trained as a naturalist and horticulturist, 
she truly appreciated the sublime nature of her surroundings. What 
Keith brought to the table in discussion, Ruth brought through her 
photographs. She always had her camera ready to capture the beauty of 
the Mountains and was an eager participant in the numerous programs and 
nature walks sponsored at Mohonk. Together, Keith and Ruth had a 
holistic approach to life, the environment and to the world around 
them. Their vision lives on today through Mohonk Consultations.
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to submit these remarks in honor of Keith 
and Ruth Smiley and in recognition of the 25th anniversary of Mohonk 
Consultations.

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