Longtime Novato Community Volunteer Alan Dunham Named 'Citizen of the Year'

Alan Dunham is the 2015 Novato Citizen of the Year. Photo credit: Fred Holmes.
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By the Novato Paint the Town Red Committee:

Alan Dunham has spent his professional life as an architect, all the while donating his time drafting plans for Novato’s future as a community volunteer.

One of the city’s most prominent architects of change, Dunham has been crowned the 2015 Novato Citizen of the Year for contributing to various local causes for more than 40 years. He was caught by surprise and accepted the award Friday night during the annual Paint the Town Red gala at the Margaret Todd Senior Center.

“Alan is one of what I call the good guys,” said John Stuber, the 1973 Citizen of the Year and a longtime friend of Dunham. “He has a very practical side and understands what people need, not just as an architect but as a person. He has excellent relationships with his friends because he’s a very sensitive and compassionate person.”

On hand Friday night for the announcement were Dunham’s wife, Roberta, and their son, Craig, a prominent architect in Pittsburgh and the designer behind such projects as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home field, PNC Park. Dietrich Stroeh, chair of the Citizen of the Year Committee and a past winner himself, unveiled the surprise news piece by piece as he told the audience about new Citizen of the Year’s penchant for watercolor landscape painting, flyfishing, Civil War history, bocce and reading joke books before going to bed each night.

Dunham’s track record is awe-inspiring. Skimming the surface, he has played key roles for the Novato Rotary Club, the Novato Youth Center, the Novato Sons in Retirement branch, the Presbyterian Church of Novato, Lynwood Elementary School, the Hamilton History Museum, the Gary Gates Foundation, Novato Ecumenical Housing, the City of Novato Design Review Board, and the Marin County Fair.

Some of his volunteer work took place during his professional career in architecture, and much more took place since his retirement in 2003. The East Bay native and Cal graduate has deep roots in Marin, dating to his first job in the early 1960s. He first came to Novato in 1970 to work with civil engineer John Hill, moved his family to Novato in 1973 and by the mid-1970s had his own office near Grant Avenue and Seventh Street. That’s the time when Dunham really got involved in local volunteer projects.

Marty Wickenheiser of the Novato Rotary Club nominated Dunham, a past president of the local club, and said, “He is a remarkable person who has dedicated service to Novato since moving here.”

Dunham loves helping kids on behalf of Rotary. He was instrumental in securing more than $11,000 in Rotary grants for scholarships and other academic projects and helped start the club’s Books and Arts Around Town monthly program for young children. It’s no surprise that Dunham participated in the construction of the Novato Youth Center and served on its various boards for many years. Kids who have gobbled pancakes at the Presbyterian church’s annual Fourth of July Buckaroo Breakfast can thank Dunham, who helps run it each July.

“His passion for community service has been an unwavering inspiration to me,” Wickenheiser said.

Look around town and you’ll see examples of Dunham’s work.

• The Novato Police Department headquarters on Machin Avenue, designed in collaboration with another company.
• The pedestrian-friendly stretch of Redwood Boulevard between DeLong Avenue and Olive Street, which was transformed after Highway 101 was moved a few hundred yards to the east.
• All three Nova-Ro senior housing complexes, including community rooms and gardens.
• Six units of affordable housing on Encino Court.
• The Gary Gates Announcer’s Booth at the San Marin High School softball field.
• The Stafford Lake County Park gatehouse.
• The new patio area at the Hamilton History Museum.

Even though his talents were concentrated on creating structures, Dunham has developed a passion for helping those without homes, too. He’s been the Rotary club’s lead in its participation in the Rotating Emergency Shelter Team, otherwise known as the REST Program, which is set up as a seasonal countywide shelter for the homeless. Houses of worship rotate in hosting the overnight guests, who are bused in for an evening meal and sleeping quarters, then bused back to San Rafael in the morning. Making the guests feel warm and welcome is a Dunham specialty.

“He champions the under-represented, such as seniors, youth and the homeless,” said longtime friend Kay Jones, another past Citizen of the Year. “His involvements have always been with the idea of bringing people together for fellowship and support. … He volunteers selflessly without any thought of recognition, and he finds joy working with people in all their diversity and commonality.”

Dunham thinks globally, too, mostly through his Rotary service. He initiated a world community service project to provide clean water to the Mactan area of the Philippines. He’s been Peace Fellows Chair for the local Rotary District and a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. He and Roberta have visited or hosted many of the past Peace Fellows around the world.

“He is still totally immersed in contribution,” Jones said. “I don’t know anyone who has given for that length of time and that deep of a commitment to this community like Alan has.”

The Novato Citizen of the Year has been awarded since 1971. See photos and biographies of past recipients at paintthetownred.org.