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FORCE - Friends of The Rivers Coalition eNewsletter |
P.O Box 2627, Stuart, FL 34995 ~ 772-225-6849 www.RiversCoalition.org
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| LET'S LEAP FOR OUR ESTUARY AT THE RIVERS COALITION NEXT MEETING - FRIDAY FEBRUARY 29, 2008 11AM! |
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Plan to attend the Rivers Coalition meeting Feb. 29 for important news and updates as we roll forward in '08 with more determination than ever. Your support and participation are vital.
The meeting is at 11 a.m. on this Leap Year day, at the Realtors Auditorium at the northwest corner of Monterey Blvd. and Colorado. Plenty of free parking. We'll be done by noon. The river pleads for our help.
Coffee, donuts and drinks for this one.
Realtor Association of Martin County
43 SW Monterey Road, Stuart
Corner of Monterey Road and Kanner Highway
Business Matters
• Chairman’s Comments - Leon Abood
• Florida Forever Successor Program - Kevin Henderson
• Banquet Update - Karl Wickstrom
• Legal Update - Karl Wickstrom
• 2008 Strategic Planning - Leon Abood
• Special Events- Helen Harralson
• Fundraising - Karl Wickstrom
• WRAC - Ted Guy/Ed Fielding
Coalition Committee Reports
• Water Quality - Mark Perry
• Local issues - Mark Perry / Ed Fielding
• State / Federal Issues - Kevin Henderson / Paul Gray
• IRL / CERP - Kevin Henderson / Paul Gray |
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| SAVE OUR RIVER CAMPAIGN ALREADY MAKING PROGRESS FOR FLOWWAY SOUTH! |
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It's a long, hard struggle, but the battle to save and restore our St. Lucie estuary is making progress.
Not only is the federal lawsuit (see homepage and links) moving forward but more and more public officials and government staffers are seeing the crucial need for a new outlet south from Lake Okeechobee to relieve the estuaries from the damaging discharges they suffer in wet years. Most of them realize that even though we've had a dry year, the wet times will return and trigger more harmful releases of too much dirty fresh water into the St. Lucie.
Recently, a top official of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reported to have said that revised plans for Everglades Restoration will include the option of flow south from the lake, perhaps the Plan Six type of project which the Corps itself had presented and praised strongly back in '94.
Remember, just two years ago, the Corps and Water Management District officials simply sneered, in effect, at this same Plan Six concept (see RC paper on Plan Six). |
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Click Here for Our Website. |
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WHAT A BANQUET! THE COMMUNITY STANDS TALL. |
If anyone doubts the dedication of our community to bring back our pristine estuary, he or she should have seen the tremendous turnout at the first Save Our River banquet.
Citizens had a great evening and raised significant funds (see homepage link) and leaders are talking about a follow-up event for next year, though volunteers sigh at the idea of that much work again. But the river deserves it, many say.
We can win this fight, simply because protecting the estuary as our "natural wonder" is the right thing to do, and do now. |
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Click Here to View our Success. |
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| PUBLIC COMMENTS AND LETTERS REALLY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! |
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Some folks are tired and stay on the sidelines of the estuary controversy because the pollution abuses have gone on for so many decades that it's difficult to believe we can change it.
But, no, we can force change if we'll be stronger than ever and unified. Everyone's input in the form of public appearances, letters to the media and officials, and other supportive actions can cause strong action. When very few citizens appear at government sessions, it's somewhat understandable that the officials think the public doesn't really care that much.
The fact is that turnouts of a few dozen people can, and often do, influence important decisions. |
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DRIVE FOR FUNDING MUST CONTINUE. |
How long will the Rivers Coalition Defense Fund raise money? Until the estuary gets real help instead of lame promises and bureaucratic spin.
It's crucial that we press forward with the lawsuit and with advocacy through government to halt the destructive releases into what is naturally the most biologically diverse estuary in Florida (and in all North Amercia for that matter).
Most folks can't even envision what this estuary was and can be again, loaded with filter-feeding oysters and sea grass communities supporting a myriad of estuarine life.
Our million-dollar goal is very little compared to the potential benefits or compared to so many other non-profit causes that are certainly no more important.
So dig deep. And if you gave before, consider giving a fresh amount for 2008. |
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| Get Your Name on the Honor Roll! |
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Don't forget to go to www.RiversCoalition.org and make your pledge today and we will post your name on the honor roll.
The lawsuit and campaign to stop the discharges is going extremely well but it is costly and time-consuming. But it's worth every penny and hour we put into it. Imagine a clean estuary full of wildlife and plants.
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Click here to view the Honor Roll. |
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A SPECIAL THANKS!!! |
A special thanks to our volonteers from the banquet. We couldn't have done it without you. The estuary also thanks the host of volunteers who made the banquet click, handling a mountain of details. They include:
Jim Harter
Mike Conner
Paul Strauss
Jessica Briske
Karl Wickstrom
Rufus Wakeman
Henry Caimoto
George Mittler
Dave Osborne
Drew Wickstrom
Patty Gibson
Ace Tschud
Helen Harralson
Jay Honan
Bob Voisinet
John Warren
Brian Gorsky
Grayson Kyte
Chuck Locke
Ben Swann
Bob Washam
Jim Langone
Kristin Carbone
Sam Hudson
Ron Romano
Holly Wickstrom
Terry Gibson |
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THANKS FOR All YOUR SUPPORT!
Editor: Jessica Briske |
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Click here to visit our website and donate! |
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