IAT NEWSLETTERJanuary 2003
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Calendar of Events | Environmental News | For Sale | Fundraisers |
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"IT'S ABOUT TIME WE BEGIN IT,
TO TURN THE WORLD AROUND . . . "
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ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
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Co-Founder/Former President - Marcelle Orswell
(notmartha2@yahoo.com)
Co-Founder and Secretary -- Theresa Shea (Tree1A@aol.com)
Co-Founder/Webpage Designer-Sandy Clark (tybrenn@attbi.com)
Co-Presidents -- Ann Schnitz (aerie01@sprynet.com)
and
Mary Ledford (eagleshorses@yahoo.com)
Web Site -- -- http://home.attbi.com/~tybrenn/iat/
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Dear Friends,
Happy New Year to all and welcome to 2003! I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and that Santa brought you everything you had hoped.
One thing I wish Santa could have brought me was a magic wand to zap those I see doing harm to our planet and her inhabitants. And I wish I had had it to use on two young girls I saw at a movie I attended last weekend.
It was obvious that they were there to drool over one of the actors in the movie. Their presence was conspicuous -- they sat in the front row and actually stood and applauded when his name came on the screen during the credits. But it was what they left behind that infuriated my mother and I. On the floor, directly below where they were sitting, were discarded bags of popcorn and soda cups. True, the ushers clean the garbage away before the next showing. However, my guess is that if these girls leave their trash on the floor in a movie for others to clean, they probably also dump trash on the ground outside. Worst still is knowing that these are the children of my generation. I was surely taught better than that. Then why aren't we teaching OUR children that?
So "zap zap zap" to them, and to those who aren't teaching their children to respect our precious, finite resources. After all, it is in their hands that the future rests.
My heart to yours,
Ann
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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Two wonderful quotes this month from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in honor of his
birthday:
Our nettlesome task is to discover how to organize our strength into compelling power.
*
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight
of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become
reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final
word.
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FUNDRAISER
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DON'T FORGET.....
If you know of a John Denver memorial site in your area, please send details
to Todd Barker (TheDenverRealtor@aol.com) and/or Jennifer Hunter (jenden1099@yahoo.com)
to include in our IAT Fundraiser. Please see the May edition of the
newsletter for more information, and contact Mary (eagleshorses@yahoo.com)
with any questions-- AS
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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Jan 25, 2003 * Encinitas, CA / Phil Christie in Concert, 7:30pm 170 Calle Magdelena
/ San Dieguito Methodist
Church. Admission: $12.00 (858) 566-4040
March 16, 2003 * Australia / Virtual Concert screening of "The Wildlife Concert"
/ Royal Perth Yacht Club /
Tickets: $27.50 http://www.bocsticketing.com.au Christine Egli <ausjdclub@hotmail.com>
April 5, 2003 * Stafford, England / "Friends of John Denver" in the U.K.'s
"Denver Day" at Walton Village Hall
http://www.fojd.org.uk <president@fojd.org.uk>
May 2-4, 2003 PA Friends of JD Retreat / Lebanon, PA Gretna Glen Camp, 87 Old Mine
Road $50 payment to
Patricia Liddic / 533 Lexington Road / Lancaster, PA 17603 by March 5, 2003. <liddic@lancnews.infi.net>
REMINDER::: The John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth is available for all JD-related
events. Please email
peaceclothinfo@yahoogroups.com for more information, or see our website at www.johndenverpeacecloth.com
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LETTERS
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From Cathy <Starluv4@yahoo.com> :
JD fan in NJ looking for a female JD penpal in Colorado. Have been searching for
that special friend for
sometime now. Interested in snail mail and email. I know you are out there somewhere,
someone to connect with, chat with, talk about JD and life.
If interested please email me at Starluv4@yahoo.com
Be well..
Cathy~
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From Nancy <JDEN1951@aol.com>:
If there is anyone else living in Arkansas that would be interested in starting,
has already started or is trying to start a "Windstar Connection Group",
please contact me privately.
Thanks and Peace,
Nancy
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From Betty Keutzer <mountain_mumsie@hotmail.com>
Dear IAT,
I just opened my email and was so inspired by the wonderful letters and poems that
were included in this past
month's newsletter. Such great news to hear about the Peace Cloth, Windstar and Aspen,
especially since I wasn't able to attend this year or any since John's passing. I
want to thank all that have contributed to this newsletter and for keeping me abreast
of what's going on. I only hope that this new year, 2003, I will be able to help
in some small way.
We are living in Blue Ridge, GA and will be leaving soon. We are just miles away
from Hiawassee, GA and
Rabun County, GA...an area that was mentioned in John's movie, "Foxfire".
I know there has just got to be other
fans in this area that could help me with locating the area where this movie was
filmed. If you could pass this
request on to the rest of the gang, I'd truly appreciate it. I'd love to see this
beautiful spot before leaving this area. If anyone has any photos that they took
during the filming, that would be great too!
May the love you share with others, be yours today!
Betty
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From Melanie Trondson <PeacefulEagle@aol.com>
Hi folks. I would like you to check out this link and help us help Windstar by recycling
inkjet cartridges.
www.angelfire.com/co4/wstar/recycle.html
Love ya
MEL
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From Sandy Clark <tybrenn@attbi.com>
I recently received an e-mail from an old high school friend who now lives in Utah.
It kind of made my day and
your letter in the last newsletter reminded me of that e-mail....he said:
"I thought of you yesterday. I'm in Phoenix and I was driving my folks out to
the Apache Reservation
yesterday. The road is harsh and desolate. But, there on the signpost - the highway
clean-up crew had
dedicated a stretch of that highway to John Denver's memory."
Sandy
(See folks -- it works! -- AS)
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From Deb <PixieDmyr@aol.com>
We've submitted our application to hold the 6th Annual John Denver Memorial Tribute
and Beach Cleanup in
Pacific Grove this coming October 11-12, 2003. We'll let you know as soon as we hear
from the city so everyone
can start making plans (last year, it took about 3 months). We'd like to try and
fill up the Butterfly Grove Inn back building this year - so we can have a singalong
and not worry about the people upstairs going to bed early! We need about 24 people
in order to make it cost effective for everybody. The rooms are large, but the building
is old and is not especially handicapped-accessible (although it can be managed).
Email Debra at PixieDmyr@aol.com if you'd like to be on the list for a room. We would need
to book the rooms no later than May 1st and pre-payment is generally required, although
we might be able to reach a deal with the owner.
Peace, Love and Understanding -
John Denver: The Legacy Continues...
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Hello family!
Well, the holidays are past us now, and we are settling in to the rut. It is time
to start really thinking about the
year ahead, and what lies before us.
I have been reliving some of the wonderful memories of being in Aspen, most specifically,
my time volunteering at Windstar. I was fortunate enough to get to chat online with
Ron Deutschendorf and Sue DiCicco in December, and my mind keeps wandering back there
as well. I was a little concerned at the small number of folks who got to be there,
yet saw the many questions asked. I know that a lot of you are members of Windstar,
and I know a lot of you have joined and askedÖ"What now?" I also know many
haven't joined, for various reasons, and one of those is "What happens after
I join?"
Well, I think that depends on YOU. Any organization can have members who are simply
names on a roster. But, Windstar needs us to be more than that to survive. This World
Family is full of INCREDIBLY talented people, people with HUGE hearts and expansive
minds, many of them nurtured by what John had to say in his life. I also know that
many of you are very humble and shy people, ones who do not "wave their own
flag" because it is not in your nature. I am asking you to wave that flag. What
do you do? What is your talent, gift, and strength? Tell me. I would like to see
what this group has in it, and I would like to see the folks at Windstar realize
this. Possibilities are endless for ways to help Windstar. I don't just want to hear
from the members either. I want to hear from EVERYONE. Even if you think you have
no talent, I want to hear from you.
Windstar is about a sustainable future. Windstar is about people working together
for a future for our children, and theirs for generations beyond. So, please, email
me. Let me know who you are and what you do. Let me know if you are a member or not.
Let me know if you have questions. I would really love to be able to send something
to Windstar, to show them what we have. Deb did a fabulous job in co-coordinating
the many volunteers for the Open House. Let's keep that rolling by getting a roster
up, so we know where to go for what we need. Windstar and the World Family cannot
utilize you if we don't know about you.
So, take a few minutes and email me. MP996@aol.com or
RavensChild@john-denver.org. This is something I
really would like to see happen.
Have a great day family!
Peace,
Michele
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From Judith Gabriel <judithgabriel@msn.com>
Hello Everyone,
I'm pleased to introduce to you The John Denver Memorial Foundation, Inc., incorporated
in the state of PA in Oct. of 2002. Although we are being held back a bit by the
slowness of the IRS in granting us our nonprofit status, we have forged ahead in
terms of making important contacts with local and state environmental groups as well
as generally getting known by local business leaders who will be important in supporting
us in the future.
The foundation is not a membership foundation. It exists to keep John Denver's name
alive in philanthropic and musical circles. Its keystone will be yearly weekend fundraising
concerts in order to secure money to help produce the next year's concert (with the
help of corporate contributions, advertising, and patronage), to complete the mission
of the foundation, and eventually create an endowment that will continue the good
works John inspired so many of us to do in perpetuity in his name. Other smaller
fundraising projects will exist throughout the year.
Some questions have arisen from you who have supported the concerts through attendance
or advertising/patrons for the last three years. One of the them was "I can
give to Windstar or The Hunger Project or others on my own. Why should I support
this foundation if that's what you are going to do. Are you just trying to keep John's
name out there or what?" Good question. A general mission statement for the
foundation is at the very bottom of this article. What we will support after a few
years of successful concerts is the following: in the beginning, we will put 50%
of the income away, part for next year's concert and part for the endowment which
we will safely and conservatively invest with a financial advisor. The other 50%
will be divided among the following groups: 1. a rotating list of humanitarian and
environmental groups including John's three foundations, some national and international
groups, and some local groups with whom I'm working to partner. 2. at first, 2 scholarships
to PA students (as we grow, this will grow to include more students and a wider base)
from mid to low income levels in music and environmental studies 3. a percentage
to food banks in SE PA 4. a percentage to PA farmers to make their land easements.
Eventually we will be able to give grants to environmental, educational, or humanitarian
projects that are unique and reflect those ideals that John Denver held dear. After
the board decides that a substantial amount has been put into the endowment, the
amount donated will get larger. As the years go by, some of these groups may change,
but the foundation will always support important environmental/humanitarian issues.
I am now looking for committee members in PA generally and in and around Berks Co.
specifically for fundraising, scholarship development, and advertising. Anthony Russo,
CPA, is Secretary/Treasurer for athree year period. I am currently looking for a
pro bono legal advisor, since legal advice can be very costly,and a webmaster to
build and maintain a website. Local colleges, both students and faculty, have expressed
interest. And as stated local and state environmental groups have expressed interest
in partnering in some way with the foundation. The foundation belongs to the Berks
County Chamber of Commerce and has met with the Earth Day people here and will have
a table this year at the Earth Day festivities in Reading's City Park.
Right now I have beautiful nature art cards for sale as a small fundraiser. I also
have about 8 CD's of Frank
DeLaMarre's tribute song to John "Take Him Home" and 1 cassette. I have
about 20 programs from last year's
concert. If interested in any of these please contact me and of course all funds
go to the foundation. As soon as I
receive my tax exemption, I may also receive outright donations. By next month I
should be able to tell you
whether or not a concert will occur and then if you chose you may again advertise
or be a patron in the program. I will include the levels of sponsorship and patronage
at that time.
So anyone interested in participating in the foundation or in the road cleanups in
Berks Co., please call 610-371-9122 or email me at judithgabriel@msn.com.
It will be exciting to see this grow.
MISSION STATEMENT:
To educate people on and continue to support those issues John Denver found significant
during his lifetime of
achievementñnamely, the environment; the eradication of hunger; ways to accomplish
world peace; and the
education, inspiration, and care of children. In these ways John served the world
when alive and we desire to
continue the good work begun by him.
To share the music of John Denver and his vision of making the world a better place
for all to live through
inspiring individual involvement in the solving of local, national, and international
problems in whatever way he/she feels empowered; of revitalizing the concept of the
brotherhood of man; of educating ourselves on what needs to be done to create a sustainable
future on the planet; of having faith in something beyond our individual stories.
To promote the joy and fun of live musical performance through those performing John
Denverís music specifically as well as through those many friends and associates
of Johnís who will play in benefit of his ideals, and to showcase new and/or young
talent.
Peace To All,
Judith
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FOR SALE
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Peace Cloth Items!
Don't forget to check out www.johndenverpeacecloth.com
(Peace Cloth Store) for exclusive John Denver items. All proceeds benefit The John
Denver Memorial Peace Cloth. Also -- if you shop online, please visit our virtual
mall: www.johndenverpeacecloth.onecause.com -- every sale at a store in the mall
returns a donation to the Cloth.
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Wildlife Creations (http://www.geocities.com/wldlifecreation) would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We hope 2003
will find you surrounded by the comfort and love of family, and may peace be in your
hearts. Although there are over 300 shopping days until next Christmas, it's never
too soon to start shopping! When thinking of gift ideas for next year, come visit
us. We have many items that can be enjoyed by all. Don't forget birthdays and other
special event during the year! And remember, whenever you purchase from Wildlife
Creations, the proceeds go to the Windstar Foundation and also the National Wildlife
Federation, in John's memory, for wolf education. For more information, you can email us at wldlifecreation@wildmail.com.
Diana and Susan
Wildlife Creations
http://www.geocities.com/wldlifecreation
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
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AFTER 13 YEARS, VALDEZ'S OIL DAMAGE LINGERS
Todd Wilkinson, Special to The Christian Science Monitor
10/29/2002
(WHITTIER, ALASKA)With the demeanor of a friendly sea captain, Gerry Sanger loves
leading tourists out of port to spot humpback whales breaching on a glittery horizon
framed by the fjords of Prince William Sound.
Nearly 14 years after the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground here, causing the worst
oil spill in US history, Mr.
Sanger does brisk business with whalewatchers from around the world. But as marvelous
as they find the
oceanscape, the former federal wildlife biologist says their perception of the Sound
as again pristine differs from reality.
"When you look out over the water, everything seems fine. But you can't judge
the health of the environment on
that," says Sanger. "The impacts of the spill are hidden beneath the surface."
A newly released assessment of marine life in Prince William Sound concurs with that
view, highlighting a number of creatures that have yet to recover from the accident.
In the wake of these latest findings, the Coastal Coalition, a group of conservationists
and scientists, is asking a federal judge to force Exxon Mobil to pay an additional
$100 million to address damages unforeseen following a 1991 settlement between the
company, the federal government, and Alaska.
But beyond the issue of monetary awards, the lingering effects have prompted another
question: Can human
environmental remediation really heal landscapes severely tarnished by industrial
mishaps?
How do you define 'recovery'?
For some, like the oil industry, the answer is yes. "Our sense is that Prince
William Sound essentially has
recovered," says Exxon Mobil spokesman Tom Cirigliano. "Of course, it all
depends on what your definition of
recovery is." Exxon Mobil insists that damage awards of another $100 million
are unnecessary until proved
otherwise.
Yet others in Alaska see a bleaker picture and point to evidence of an ecosystem
that, in their estimation, is far from recovered and may never recapture what has
been lost. Rick Steiner, director of the Coastal Coalition and professor at the University
of Alaska in Anchorage, says the insidious effects of pollution present in Prince
William are clear, from oil still visible under rocks on many beaches, to wildlife
populations that remain depressed in number.
A lingering aftermath
"People who spent a lot of time in Prince William before the spill will tell
you it has become the 'Sound of
silence,'" Mr. Steiner says. "There used to be a profusion of seabirds
filling the sky with their calls but their absence is, I believe, symptomatic of
something more far- reaching. The oil spill left the system in a condition ofchaos."
On March 24, 1989, some 11 million gallons of North Slope crude escaped through a
cracked hull into the Gulf of Alaska, spreading a toxic sheen westward across thousands
of square miles of open ocean and soaking 1,500 miles of largely pristine coastline.
Exposure to oil resulted in the deaths of 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 250
bald eagles, nearly two dozen killer whales, and billions of salmon crucial to the
thriving commercial fishing industry.
After the spill, Exxon enlisted a small army of independent scientists to assess
the damage. "Exxon was horrified by this spill, and we are extremely sorry for
it," Mr. Cirigliano says. "We stayed on the scene carrying out cleanup
until the Coast Guard and the state of Alaska told us it was time to stop."
The Alaska Coalition's request for additional damages comes in the wake of an ecosystem
assessment released in August by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. The
council was created to oversee disbursement of roughly $1 billion paid by Exxon in
the settlement aimed at restoring the sound to its former vitality. That fee is on
top of the $2.5 billion charged to the company for cleanup in the two years after
the spill.
But for some, the punative payouts have been insufficient. Mr. Steiner estimates
that the economic and ecological damage is closer to $15 billion.
The council's latest report identifies several species as not yet having recovered.
Among the wildlife on the list:
loons, three species of cormorants, harlequin ducks, harbor seals, a pod of killer
whales (orcas), and herring, a food staple for more than 20 species.
While the Trustee Council has listed six species - bald eagles, black oystercatchers,
murres, pink and sockeye
salmon, and river otters - as returning to prespill levels, Exxon says its own findings
are more optimistic, reflecting nature's resiliency and ability to heal itself. Cirigliano
says there is ample evidence by Exxon's scientists in peer-reviewed journals to suggest
that ecologically speaking, the marine ecosystem is functioning again.
Irreconcilable differences
Prince William has become the most intensively studied marine environment in the
world, yet the fundamental disagreement between the oil company's scientists and
other assessments is difficult to reconcile.
In truth, there's so much humans still don't know about the ecosystem, says Trustee
Council member David
Gibbons, a fisheries biologist who vividly recalls the smell from the slick on the
day it swamped the area.
If there's one thing that Exxon and environmentalists agree upon, it's that not enough
money has been channeled into restoration. Much of the settlement money has gone
into funding studies and buying up wildlife habitat to protect affected species against
growing industrial development.
Steiner says the additional $100 million could address concerns that have surfaced
only recently, but Exxon says any further payment must be requested by the federal
and state governments, which so far, have been reluctant to act.
For ecotourism captain Sanger, the dispute over money misses the point.
"This kind of experience, in which people can witness the richness of the ocean,
is becoming rarer every day," he says. "Wild nature has a value that you
can't put a number on."
(c) Copyright 2003 The Christian Science Monitor. All rights reserved.
++++++++++++++++++++++
(From The New York Times, collected from 31 December
2002 to 23 January 2003)
ATLANTIC SHARKS FOUND IN RAPID DECLINE
Shark populations in the northwest Atlantic Ocean have plunged by more than half
since scientists began keeping careful track in 1986, with marquee species like the
hammerhead and the great white falling more than 75 percent, researchers are reporting.
Such an abrupt decline in the ocean's dominant hunters could substantially alter
marine food chains in ways that are impossible to predict and might take decades
to reverse, the researchers and other experts said.
The researchers, from Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, ascribed the
drop to intensifying commercial and recreational fishing for sharks, which reproduce
slowly, compared with other oceanic fish. They said that similar declines had probably
occurred elsewhere and that pervasive overfishing of these species may initiate major
ecological changes. They also said that there was no evidence that the decline was
the result of any natural cycle, partly because similar trends have been recognized
in the Pacific and other waters under heavy fishing pressures.
*
OWL PROTECTION
A judge has ordered the Forest Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to review
plans to protect the threatened Mexican spotted owl after saying their current proposal
was not enough. In 2000, the wildlife agency proposed designating 13.5 million acres
in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah as critical habitat, but the final designation
in February 2001 deleted 8.9 million acres, including all 11 national forests in
Arizona and New Mexico. The ruling could result in designating all of the 13.5 million
acres originally proposed.
*
US RULES THAT FOREIGN FLEETS' USE OF TUNA NETS IS SAFE FOR DOLPHIN
The Commerce Department ruled that encircling dolphins with nets a mile wide to catch
tuna does not significantly harm them, clearing the way for Mexico and other countries
to market their tuna in the United States as dolphin-safe.
The decision drew an immediate protest from wildlife and environmental advocates,
in particular, the Earth Island Institute's International Marine Mammal Project,
who said that the ruling was at odds with the department's own scientific findings
and appeared to be little more than a political gift to Mexico. They vowed to take
the administration to court. The group has twice prevailed in lawsuits seeking to
block a redefinition of dolphin-safe.
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NEWSLETTER NEWS
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If you would like to submit articles, news items, stories, poetry, or any other pertinent
information to IT'S ABOUT TIME, please e-mail any of the IAT staff. The submission
deadline for the next edition is February 19, 2003. Please be sure to include
any contact information so that members can e-mail or snail-mail for further details.
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The content of this newsletter is entirely at
the discretion of the "It's About Time" staff. Contributions, as always,
are welcomed, although inclusion is not guaranteed. All contributed material may
be subject to editing for content and length.
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". . . IT'S ABOUT TIME WE START TO LIVE
IT,
THE FAMILY OF MAN,
IT'S ABOUT TIME
AND IT'S ABOUT CHANGES . . .
AND IT'S ABOUT TIME."
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