When most people retire, they tend to slow down and take on fewer responsibilities. For Logan Cross, that was simply not the case.
Once he retired from his position of director of research and institutional effectiveness at Jacksonville University (JU), he fully leaned into volunteering in the San Marco community he loves and where he has lived for more than 40 years.
“When I’m traveling elsewhere, I am pretty happy when I return,” Cross said. “I realize San Marco and Jacksonville are pretty good places to live.”
His first foray into volunteering was with the Jacksonville Community Council Incorporated, which was known as Jacksonville’s think tank. They initiated focus studies on issues the city was facing and then submitted recommendations to the city on how to address them to the city. During the recession, one of their focuses was on healthcare and how they could capitalize on Jacksonville being a hub for different healthcare institutions, Cross said.
Eventually, he gravitated toward the Sierra Club, where he is now chair of the Northeast Florida groups. He started as an outings leader, guiding groups on hikes or other outdoor activities to different parks in the region, as well as urban hikes to familiarize people with the green spaces available in their backyards.
“It comes back to my roots,” Cross said. “I grew up outside of Jacksonville in a rural area, and part of growing up out there, I was exposed to nature. I developed an appreciation for nature in my youth, and it stuck with me.”
Once someone becomes immersed in nature and exposed to vegetation and wildlife, they also start seeing the challenges facing them, he said. A large driver in North Florida is sprawling and unrestrained development.
“A lot of your wild spaces are being challenged,” he added.
A big undertaking the Sierra Club is involved with is the Renew Jacksonville campaign. The goal is to get Jacksonville to commit to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
“We feel that it would be a win-win for Jacksonville to make such a commitment,” Cross said. “It would not only help Jacksonville do its part to address climate change, but it would also be a way to renew Jacksonville’s image within the state and region, and around the world.”
The goal is to try and influence the direction JEA will take and to modernize its energy practices. They also hope to get the city council on board.
“I try to remind the board members that they’ve got a responsibility to the city and you’ve got a responsibility to the underserved population where they’re more exposed or impacted by greenhouse gas emissions,” Cross said. “The upshot would be for JEA to become a utility that delivers not just affordable and reliable electricity, but clean electricity. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
Cross is also on the board of the San Marco Preservation Society, where he’s the head of the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee.
“We’re trying to do some good things to increase and retain the charm of San Marco and what makes it such a special place,” Cross said.
A cause Cross would love to get involved with is epilepsy awareness. He was diagnosed with epilepsy in college. After moving to Jacksonville, his seizures became more frequent. Before he had brain surgery in 1995, he was averaging 150 seizures a year.
“It influences your life, of course, and it did mine,” Cross said. “I was fortunate, if you can call it that, that my seizures were operable.”
He’d love to start advocating for awareness about seizures and educate people about them. When he was first diagnosed, there was a bit of a stigma surrounding epilepsy.
“I didn’t wear it on my sleeve,” Cross said. “I’m encouraged by how the research is going and hopefully solutions will continue, whether it be medication or surgical.”
In his spare time, he enjoys road cycling. He tries to do 30 miles each time.
“It keeps me in good physical shape and it’s a good release,” he said.
Cross also has a house, built by his parents, in Nassau County on the St. Mary’s River that he tries to visit as often as possible.
“That’s my escape,” he said.
Cross handled renovations at the home and, during that time, he also got into woodworking. He now has a shop at the house and builds furniture, cabinetry and gifts for friends and loved ones.
“I get a lot of enjoyment out of it,” Cross said. “I’ve gotten to be a fairly good woodworker. I don’t want to buy any furniture anymore. If I need something, I’ll just build it.”
Cross also enjoys backpacking, attending the symphony and concerts at Daily’s Place. He’s also an Atlanta Braves and a Jacksonville Jaguars fan.
