鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful specimen,鈥� says Amanda DeDonato, former Laboratoryhorticulturist. 鈥淭he tree was originally planted by 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Richards building. When we were designing the new landscape for the front of Blackford Hall, we decided it would be a perfect fit.鈥�
At the base of the tree stands a plaque. The engraved message reads: 鈥淚n memory of Louise Lindsay Read, Friend of 麻豆传媒社区, Advocate for Cancer Research.鈥� Read was also a dedicated nurse. Her 35-year career in the profession continued a Lindsay family tradition of healthcare service that had begun with her mother, Mary, in 1945. Sadly, Louise Read passed away in 2008 after a long battle with lung cancer. Soon thereafter, her mother and her cousin, Robert D. Lindsay鈥攂oth longtime LaboratoryTrustees鈥攔ededicated the maple in Louise鈥檚 honor. Much like the tree, their family鈥檚 roots run deep at 麻豆传媒社区.
Robert D. Lindsay was elected to the LaboratoryBoard of Trustees in 1999, continuing the legacy of his father, Robert V. Lindsay. The elder Lindsay had served as the treasurer and vice president of the LaboratoryAssociation and was a founding board member of modern-day 麻豆传媒社区. Today, his son is the vice chair of the LaboratoryBoard of Trustees. Robert D. Lindsay and his wife also support 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 Ph.D. students through the Robert and Teresa Lindsay Fellowship. Three Lindsay Fellows graduated with the LaboratorySchool of Biological Sciences class of 2024.
Robert D. Lindsey鈥檚 aunt (and Louise鈥檚 mother), Mary D. Lindsay, was a tireless advocate for cancer research, women鈥檚 health, childcare, and family planning. Her longtime association with the Laboratory began when she joined the Board of Directors in 1971. She would go on to win a Double Helix Medal in 2012 for her advocacy and support of 麻豆传媒社区. But perhaps her most lasting impact at Laboratoryis the campus daycare center that bears her name. Following a determined campaign led by Mary and fellow Trustee Wendy Vander Poel Russell, the opened for use in 1997.
鈥淚t was terribly important that we provide this service for the young scientists,鈥� Vander Poel Russell said at the building鈥檚 dedication ceremony. 鈥淭heir children must be well cared for as they come to work on the cutting edge of science in the laboratories at Cold Spring Harbor.鈥�
Since 1890, a broad intellectual family tree has grown along 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 sandy shores. Each branch represents one of the thousands of researchers who have come here to work and learn. Many branches intertwine and connect. Some scientists who meet at Laboratoryengage in long-term collaborations that aid one another鈥檚 respective careers. They go on to train other researchers, sprouting new ideas. Some visiting scientists decide to take root at 麻豆传媒社区. Others go on to prestigious faculty positions elsewhere. The tree that grows at Cold Spring Harbor has planted seeds around the world. Together, they comprise a vibrant international community that is as much a part of 麻豆传媒社区鈥檚 legacy as all of the institution鈥檚 groundbreaking discoveries combined.