2026 Potluck: November 7, 2026, 5:30pm - 9:30pm. Garden House at Shoup Park in Los Altos. RSVP is encouraged: cnps-scv.org/potluck-rsvp.
Our chapter's annual potluck and Brenda Butner Lecture is a fun social evening where we celebrate our Chapter's remarkable yearly accomplishments, enjoy delicious food together, and experience the Brenda Butner Memorial Lecture. It is open to all.
Our 2026 lecture features Stu Weiss sharing his presentation, Hands-on Scientific Adventures on the Serpentinite, which highlights Creekside Science's restoration work on various imperiled plants of our local serpentine grasslands, including the white-rayed pentachaeta, Tiburon paintbrush, jewelflowers, Santa Clara Valley Dudleya and San Mateo thornmint. Stu Weiss, Ph.D. (Stanford University) is Chief Scientist of Creekside Science, which provides scientific and conservation expertise to diverse organizations as they cope with the rapidly changing 21st Century environment.
The evening is a great opportunity to meet fellow native plant enthusiasts, Chapter leadership and other volunteers. It also includes a fun silent auction and shopping for books and other items from the Chapter store. Members are encouraged to bring guests. This popular dinner potluck is held at the Garden House at Shoup Park in Los Altos. Bring your favorite dish to share, or bring beverages, including wine.
An RSVP is encouraged so we can plan accordingly. You can RSVP and sign up to help with setup or cleanup here: cnps-scv.org/potluck-rsvp.
Book and Silent Auction Donations Welcome! Is it time to clean out your library? Although we are ordering fewer new books for our Chapter sales, we welcome your used books to sell at our potluck and other events. We’re looking for native plant field guides, floras, gardening books, hiking guides and natural history books. For the potluck silent auction, we also welcome art, textiles and other nice items. Contact Judy Fenerty at