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Land mine activism has roots in San Rafael Dec. 26, 2003 (San Francisco Chronicle) Like many people, Heidi Kühn remembers exactly where she was and what she was doing when Princess Diana died. But what she recalls most vividly about that moment with her children at their San Rafael home was not so much the loss of a princess, but a remembrance of Diana's compassion for those less fortunate. After watching TV newscasts and reading articles about Diana with land mine victims, Kühn realized that Diana had been an international catalyst for public awareness of the devastating effects of land mines, and for giving a face to their victims. Diana's death inspired Kühn to found Roots of Peace, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to creating awareness of land mines, raising money for their removal, helping victims and returning land to productive agricultural use. Kühn, 45, had long held an interest in international relations. At 17 she was a Rotary Club exchange student in Japan, then a political economics major at UC Berkeley, and later owner of Newslink International, a TV news service specializing in U.S.-Soviet relations. Watching her healthy toddler playing with his toys and knowing that her other children were happy in their pursuits, she stared out at her well-tended backyard. Looking at the soil and the plants and flowers made her think of the even more robust earth of Sonoma and Napa -- and how the ground should provide food and solace, not pain and destruction. Kühn wanted to honor and continue Diana's work with land mines, but wondered what she, as a suburban mother, could do. “In some small way, I wanted to reach out and reach into my backyard and just try to help,” she recalled. So she called people she knew at the United Nations Association, a nonprofit group that supports the work of the United Nations, and asked if there were any way she could be of assistance. Indeed, there was. In less than two weeks, a group would be in San Francisco to conclude a nine-city land mine awareness tour. Could she host a reception in her home? Kühn went through her Rolodex of area businesspeople, vintners and politicians, culled from years as a journalist, and also invited family and friends. More than 100 people attended. They were told that: -- Someone steps on a land mine every 22 minutes. -- Land mines kill or maim about 26,000 people a year. -- There are more than 70 million land mines in more than 70 countries. -- It costs $3 to $30 to produce and plant a land mine, but up to $1,000 to remove it. One story told that evening particularly affected her: A young, pregnant mother in Angola saw a beautiful mango tree. As she reached for the fruit, a land mine went off. Her leg was amputated at the same time she was giving birth. It was hard to listen to all the facts and stories and not be moved to tears, Kühn said. As people were toasting the speakers, Kühn spontaneously raised her glass of wine and said, “May the world go from mines to vines.” The room fell silent. “You could have heard a pin drop,” Kühn recalled. “I knew from the moment those words came out of my lips, that it was destiny. Everyone said you have to take that out of the living room of your home and do something with it.” Shortly after the reception, Kühn called Napa and Sonoma vintners and invited them to fly with her to Canada to witness the signing of the Mine Ban Treaty in Ottawa. Representatives of Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Beringer Wine Estates in Napa and Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville attended. “It was important to bring the California vintners there,” she said. “The United States hadn't signed. So it was vitally important to have them there to show our passion to step forth to eradicate the seeds of destruction.” Margrit Mondavi and her husband, Robert, owners of Robert Mondavi Winery, have since hosted several fund-raisers for Roots of Peace. “The idea of converting mines to vines really appeals to us,” said Margrit Mondavi. “Many vintners are simpatico to the idea. It's such a wonderful idea to convert to something gentle and peaceful. When you think about children losing lives and limbs, it breaks your heart. If they could de- mine all these fields and plant vines or vegetables or trees, then it is conducive to a better life.” Having gotten the vintners on board, Kühn then resolved to cultivate influential women, too. She wrote a letter to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's wife, Nane, and asked her to attend a Roots of Peace land mine awareness breakfast in San Francisco. Annan said yes. So did Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Democrat who is now House minority leader, as did several Bay Area businesswomen. “I simply sat down and wrote letters because women should carry the torch, too,” Kühn said. Kühn's goal of building a groundswell of awareness for the issue of land mines with a consortium of vintners, politicians and business leaders was coming together. “It was the sowing of seeds,” Kühn said. “And it took root and it grew like wildflowers.” Since it began in 1997, Roots of Peace has raised more than $1 million, some of it matched with donations from other groups, and hundreds of thousands of land mines have been removed all over the world. Roots of Peace has coordinated the removal of land mines and the replanting of rice in Cambodia, cherries in Croatia, grapes in Afghanistan and wheat in Iraq, said Kühn, who now travels extensively in support of the organization. Kühn has coordinated a Roots of Peace luncheon for Kofi Annan at the new Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, overseen land-mine removal in Croatia, participated in a land-mine awareness symposium at a Boston-area college and partnered with Paul McCartney and his wife, Heather Mills McCartney, in a concert to help raise money for land mine victims. Kühn admits that without the support of her extended family it would be hard to meet the demands of volunteering. Since the beginning, Kühn's family has been involved with Roots of Peace. “I have a rock-solid family,” she said. “My cousins will watch the kids. My extended family helps out. All live nearby. My husband's mother, my parents help.” Kühn’s husband, Gary, a former executive at IBM and Adobe, is overseeing the planning and rebuilding of a soccer field and school in Afghanistan for Roots of Peace. Son Brooks, 20, went to Croatia with her; son Tucker, 18, will go to Croatia or Cambodia with Kühn next summer. Daughter Kyleigh, 16, visited Croatia with her mother, and son Christian will go in four years, when he is 12. Kyleigh, who went to Croatia three years ago, said what she saw affected her deeply. “It was a culture shock,” she said. “Most every building had bullets sprayed into the walls. You don't think it happens in a community, but when you see the houses demolished, you can see the effects of war on civilians. It was an eye-opener because I was really able to step back from my life and open my heart to others more in need.” As a result, Kyleigh said she wanted to do more to help. In September, mother and daughter had lunch with KGO-TV News anchor Cheryl Jennings and talked about the importance of getting children involved in Roots of Peace. Knowing that kids do not have a lot of money, but do have pennies, they thought: Why not have children give their pennies to land mine victims? Pennies for Peace was launched, and in just over three months, more than 1 million pennies have been collected. They have since renamed the charity Making Change Work, and accept donations of any amount. Today Making Change Work collection cans are in schools all over Marin County. Some children have also held bake sales to raise money, while others have gone door-to-door to solicit change. Next year the plan is to take the charity national and, eventually, international. Kühn, her daughter and Jennings are co-chairwomen of Making Change Work, but Kyleigh is its public face. She devotes about 15 hours a week to the cause, and much of that time is spent talking to other students. “I try to communicate to them on a level they can understand,” she said. “I speak about the children and (try) to put them in the shoes of kids in Afghanistan. To show them that we are so blessed. And we need to share our wealth and time for those less fortunate.” “Heidi is amazing,” Jennings said. “Once you get into her orbit, you can't escape because she's so persuasive and enthusiastic and never takes no for an answer. Kyleigh is as bright as a penny, too. She's enthusiastic, very well-spoken and is learning a lot from her mother. “Teenagers don't really want to do what their parents want them to do, but Kyleigh wants to do this.” Laura O’Malley, a longtime friend of Kühn's who also volunteers for Roots of Peace, said Kühn has a natural ability to make things happen. “Heidi is very visionary,” said O’Malley. “She leads from the heart, and people respond. She has a vision that most people don't have. She's a catalyst and a mover and a mobilizer who brings people together for a common good.” Kühn may be able to challenge others because she has been challenged herself. Sixteen years ago, when Kyleigh was 6 months old, Kühn was diagnosed with Stage Four ovarian cancer. She was told she would not have any more children, and it would be a struggle to survive. The family had recently moved to Alaska for her husband's job, she was without close friends or family and she was afraid she might die. Kühn had to fly to San Rafael for surgery and treatment, then return to Alaska. She was drained emotionally and physically. “It was a very dark, challenging period of my life,” she said. “It was dicey in the beginning. I thought, ‘What happens if I die? What happens to my babies? Who's going to raise my babies? What legacy do I want to leave?’ And I realized that each day is a gift. That was planted deep in my heart. What legacy can I leave? So that's why I take them (children) to mine fields. Through pain comes compassion.” About eight years after her diagnosis, a persistent stomach ache caused Kühn to visit her doctor. It was not a visit she wanted to make, fearful that the cancer had returned. As Kühn sat in the examination room, anxiously awaiting test results, she tried not to project. When the doctor walked in with tears in his eyes, Kühn had the sinking feeling that her worst fears were realized. Instead, he said, “You've got a miracle. You're pregnant.” “I’d been told I’d never have children again, so this truly was a miracle, ” Kühn said. “So I thought, ‘I'm going to stay home and take care of this baby and be a stay-at-home mommy and do nothing.’ Then I gave birth to Roots of Peace.”
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