Hello everyone.

Welcome to the New Year! This is always a quiet time of year when we can stop and take a good look at where we came from over the past year and to make plans and resolutions for the future. IAT has had exceptional growth during the past year, well beyond the expectations of Sandy, Theresa and myself. Last year at this time we had just startedl ooking outside of New England, this year we have members in most states and at least 10 countries. As an organization we have raised money for The Hunger Project (~$1000), The Windstar Land Conservancy (~$500), and Plant-It 2000 ($250). We produced our first Cyber Cookbook which was a big success and we had many fun gatherings where we got to know eachother and had a great time singing and eating as well! My hope for the coming year is that we continue to grow and be strong, that we are able to contribute more to JohnÕs charities and do even more to keep his vision alive. Here's to a great 1999!

Every January we will be going through a membership drive. If you know of anyone that would be interested in being on the IAT mailing list but isn't currently, please have them contact either Sandy (IATMail@aol.com) or myself (morswell@earthlink.net). Remind them that it is free to join and all we need to know is name (first is fine), email address, andwhere they are from.

Starting next month, the newsletter will be produced by a staff! I asked for help and boy did I receive it! The staff will consist of Nancy Jurka from CO, Kim Baker from NY, and myself. Others are always welcome to contribute anything they want to the newsletter. Submission from now on should be sent to both Nancy (WhsprngSky@aol.com) and myself (morswell@earthlink.net).

Well, I guess we aren't going to get any other submissions for an IAT logo. Therefore, I'm going to ask Sandy to display the different versions. You will be able to see them on the webpage, (http://members.aol.com/tybrenn/index.html). You are hereby encouragedto vote on your favorite logo. Let's start 1999 with our new image, chosen by our members.

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Quote of the month:

The month's quote is from John's song "It's a Possibility":

"You can take a look around you and you can see how far we've come. All the separate parts, all the hundreds of hearts that are beating together as one." - John Denver ©1985, From the "One World" album

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Fundraisers:

Get those recipes out! We are eagerly awaiting submissions for "Cyber Cookbook - The Sequel". Last year's cookbook was a big success and raised almost $500 for The Hunger Project. Let's make this cookbook an even bigger success. We can do it with your help. Please submit all recipes via e-mail to Sandy (IATMail@aol.com) and include the word "Recipe" in the subject heading. If the submitted recipes are not your own original recipes, please include a reference to your source. Recipes should be in text format and should be cut-and-pasted into your e-mail message. Please do not attach files. (We ran into a lot of problems with this last year.) You should also include your name (first is sufficient), your e-mail address, and your location. Please let us know if we may include this information in the cookbook along with your recipe. If you would like, you may also include a brief thought, poem,tribute, etc. about John Denver. It will be placed in the cookbook just after your recipe. Recipes will most likely be accepted through the rest of the winter at least. Price and ordering information will be available in the future.

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Adopt-A-Highway

There is an effort started by Evelyn Pinney and the Colorado Friends ofJD to have a national highway cleanup in May 1999. Let's see if we can include all states. Please consider looking into adopting a section of highway, a visibility site, etc. for this coming spring.

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Gatherings:

From Val in CA:

The California Friends of John Denver meeting for January has been canceled. Please keep an eye out for upcoming information regarding their February meeting.

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Environmental Issues:

INFORMATION ON THE JOHN DENVER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP If you wish to donate to this endowed scholarship in memory of JOHN DENVER, please send a check to :

Please make the check payable to The International Center for Tropical Ecology and under the memo portion of the check, please indicate that this money is to go to the John Denver Endowment Research Scholarship.Each donation is tax deductible and a receipt will be sent back to you.For mor einformation, the website for the International Center for Tropical Ecology is http://ecology.umsl.edu/~biology/icte From Miriam Gross in MA: (*Note from Editor: I know the date has passed, but itÕs worth a shot if you havenÕt already made your voice heard.) EDITORIAL BLASTS BISON DISASTER: A recent editorial by Slyvia Torvik in the Seattle Post Intelligencer criticized Montana and federal officials for their "numbskullery" in managing bison around Yellowstone National Park. Officials are proposing to build a $2.1 million quarantine facility to prevent the spread of brucellosis, and "to protect a mere 1,000 head of cattle whose owners collectively...pay the US Treasury less than $5,000...a year to graze their cattle." Public comments on the proposed bison capture facility are being accepted until January15th. For more info see <http://www.wildrockies.org/PlanB/>.Visit our web site at: http://www.defenders.org/grnhome.html

From Gail Bidinger in MI:

AWOOOOO Yellowstone Coming Home!!!!!!!! This is great news. Lets just hope no one tries to test them on this.

NAWA NEWS - http://www.nawa.org

This is encouraging: Interior Secretary Statement on Wolf Kill Case Decision U.S. Newswire 14-JAN-99 WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt on the decision of the Supreme Courtnot to review the wolf kill case: I am encouraged by the decision ofthe Supreme Court Monday, Jan. 11., not to review the federal court of appeals' decision in the McKittrickCase, involving the illegal killing of a gray wolf near Yellowstone National Park. The lower courts in this litigation made clear that the Fish & Wildlife Service's reintroduction of the gray wolf in the Yellowstone region waslawful, and that the killing of one of these wolves was illegal andwarranted punishment of the perpetrator. The Supreme Court's denial of a writ of certiorari in this case leaves that judgment intact.The outcome of this litigation sends a clear signal that our legal system will protect reintroduced wild wolves, that those who violate these laws will be punished, and that, at long last, the howl of healthy populations of wild wolves will once again be heard in their historic natural habitat in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico.

From Richard Holmes in NH:

This is good news....let's hope it comes to fruition.

In a major step for Wilderness and wildland protection, President Clinton last week announced that his FY2000 budget would include awhopping $1 billion to expand federal protection of critical lands across America. The President also called for designation of 5 millionacres of Wilderness in 17 national parks and monuments. LAND PROTECTION The first proposal, called the Lands Legacy Initiative, would increase land acquisition funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund(LWCF), at both the federal and state levels. The LWCF is the mainvehicle for funding federal land acquisition and protection, and was to receive its full funding of $900 million from federal offshore oil leaserevenues, which now generate nearly $5 billion annually. But the LWCF has seldom received full funding, and land protection efforts around the country have been stymied as a result. From Richard Holmes in NH (continued): For years, The Wilderness Society and other conservation organization have been calling on Presidents and Congress to fulfill the law'soriginal intent and fully fund the program. In addition to providingthe $1 billion for next year's LWCF funding, the President promised to push to make LWCF a dedicated fund, so that full funding levels would be guaranteed and yearly legislative battles avoided. Needless to say,this initiative represents a huge leap for wildland protection efforts.Several areas were already targeted in the announcement, including:

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Press Releases:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: California Friends of John Denver

Cindy Doe: e-mail her at CFJDenver@aol.com

DONATIONS MADE TO MONTEREY AREA ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN MEMORY OF JOHN DENVER

Huntington Beach, CA - The California Friends of John Denver will bepresenting checks to three Monterey area environmental groups onSaturday, February 6, 1999 at 1:00pm. The donations will go to the Friends of the Monarchs of Pacific Grove, CA, Friends of the Sea Otter of Monterey, CA and Redwings Horse Sanctuary of Carmel, CA. The presentation will be made at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary in PacificGrove, CA. The Monarch Grove is located on Ridge Road off Lighthouse Avenue. Representatives of all four groups will be on hand for the short presentation ceremony, which will be followed by a tour of the Butterfly Grove. Parking will be available at the nearby school, just off Ridge Road. The general public is invited to attend this gathering to honor the late John Denver and his commitment to local action, as well as wildlife preservation. The recipient groups are three of Monterey Peninsula's most active wildlife preservation organizations.

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Up-Coming Events:

From Ann Schnitz in DE:

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to attend a JohnDenver Tribute Concert in Washington DC at Bill Danoff's StarlandCafe. The concert, which will be a benefit for the John Denver Music Education Fund, will take place on the afternoon of on Saturday,March 20 from 12-4. It will star my dear friend Charlie Zahm and special guest, Frank DeLaMarre (he's coming all the way from Michigan!). The cost is $40 (that includes food, tax, tip and donation to the JDMEF).We have very limited tickets left so if anyone is interested, please contact me immediately at either aschnitz@entrix.com or aerie01@sprynet.com .

From Donna Pinto in NJ:

You are hereby invited! At last! A confirmed date is announced! The 14-year-old "Hearts in Harmony" club will be holding its Spring Celebration from (about) 11 A.M. until 6 P.M. on April 24, 1999 at the Salem United Church of Christ in DOYLESTOWN, PA It will be the usual covered dish deal. Bring along something to feed 6-8 people. The ticket prices will be $10 for adults and $4 for children under ten. Some "profits" will be targeting the Southwest American Indian Fund (the same as Chris Westfall's CD "Kindred Spirits"). Please don't let the entrance fee keep you away... if it is a problem, speak with Dottie! The church is simply a lovely family setting... there's lots of parking! Socalizing will be in the "rec" space downstairs, and the concert area should take place in the sanctuary upstairs... From Donna Pinto in NJ (continued):

Confirmed performers include:

PAUL SWANTON - from Massachusetts! (You've heard Paul's name tied to the It's About Time events - he will try just about any JD song and (to me) "specializes" in songs from the "Forever, John" album like "On the Wings of an Eagle!")

KEVIN YEARGIN - from North Carolina (who will be "sound man" too).Kevin is just an awesome guitarist! Highlights from his past sets include "Ponies" "Catch Another Butterfly" and "For Bobbie"!Perhaps John will "possess" the microphone again during Kev's set!DR.

CHRISTOPHER WESTFALL - from New Jersey - some of you may have histribute CD (made with Kevin) called "Kindred Spirits"... the CD is only half of the picture! Chris is especially gifted at interpretations of "unreleased" material like "Healing Time on Earth" and "WanderingSoul"... his piano selections are wonderful!

Club president Dottie Honer has other "feelers" out for additional special musical guests for the entertainment / concert portion of the day but these three above are the very special people who have already promised they will be there! :) Any one of these guys alone would be worth the trip! This is always a great deal of fun, folks! Just getting together withyour JD buddies is worth the trip! Marce Orswell from MA's It's About Time has also promised to be there, along with all your best buddies. If Marce & Paul can come from MA and Kevin all the way from NC, surely YOU can make it! This will be the fifth gathering (?) at the club president's church... a very lovely place with lots and lots of parking! There is a kitchen for heating up food and a fridge for keeping drinks cool. Bring along your scrapbooks and photo albums to share with other fans. There will be an auction of collectable stuff, too. We'll have the "socialism" from about 11 to 1 (or 2), then the concert from around 2-6! Why not drag along your mother or best friend who is only a marginal fan? For more information, email Dottie "Mom" Honer at honer@erols.com

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A Word from Our Reps:

From Richard Holmes in NH:

Let's try to stop this from happening!

Important Internet Access Information CNN stated that the Government would in two weeks time decide to allow or not allow a charge to your phone bill equal to a Long Distance call EACH time you access the Internet.The address is http://www.house.gov/writerep/ If you choose, visit the address above and fill out the necessary form! If EACH one of us forwards this message to others quickly, we may be able to prevent this injustice from happening!

From Miriam Gross in MA:

During the Iditarod, the dogsled race across Alaska, a rookie drivercame upon a musher who had stopped his team and was gazing down a hill in rapt attention. The rookie driver stopped to see what the other man found so absorbing.) We were looking down on a frozen lake-one of the Farwell Lakes. But it wasn't the lake that held his interest. Below and to the right, a groupof four buffalo were standing on the shore. Two of them were in the grass at the edge and the other two were out on the ice. "Somebody told me there was a herd of buffalo here, but I hadn't expected to see them along the trail," he said. "Yes," I told the other musher. "Buffalo, I know. They told us...." "No-watch." I turned back, thinking frankly, hewas around the bend. So it was buffalo-so what? Then I saw what he meant. The surface of the lake was bear of snow and the buffalo out on the ice were having a rough time of it trying to stand. One of the buffalo on the shore backed away from the lake, up the sloping side of the ridge, pawed the ground a couple of times, and ran full bore for the lake. Just as he hit the edge of the ice, his tail went straight up inthe air. He spread his front feet apart, stiffened his legs and slid away from shore, spinning around in a circle as he flew across the ice.When he slowed to a stop he bellowed, a kind of "Gwaaa" sound, then began making his tortuous way back to the shore line. While he was doing this, the fourth buffalo came shooting out on the ice, slid farther(also tail up) than the last, made a louder noise, and started backslipping and falling. I couldn't believe it and blinked rapidly severaltimes, thinking I was hallucinating. "No-it's real," he laughed. "I was passing when I heard the bellow and came up to check it out. I've been here an hour, maybe a little more. They've been doing this the whole time. Great, isn't it?" We lay there for another half-hour, watching them play. The object seemed to be who could slide the farthest, and each of them tried several times, tails up, happy bellows echoing on the far shore of the lake as they slid across the ice. Buffalo Games....who would have thought it could happen?

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This is what we are fighting for!!!! Freedom, and the right of our brother and sister creatures to enjoy their lives. May we always walk in balance with our Earth Mother

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Misc:

"Colors in Time" musical memories of John Denver is the title of the CD Pete Huttlinger and Chris Nole recorded in memory of John. It is currently available through:

The price is $15.00 + $1.50 shipping (U.S.A.) Other countries should email for shipping charges. The reviews are extremely good! This is a must have!

"Kindred Spirits" - the new CD from upcoming new artist Chris Westfallis available.You will certainly be pleased with Chris's renditions of JD's songs.This recording features: Boy From the Country, Darcy Farrow, Rocky Mountain High, Follow Me, Guess HeÕd Rather Be in Colorado, WhisperingJesse, Calypso, What One Man Can Do, Give Yourself to Love (by KateWolf), several talking tracks, and "No Difference" - a fantastic original piece by Chris written in memory of John. To order make your payment out to Dottie Honer and mail it to:

Questions: e-mail Dottie at <honer@erols.com>A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this recording will be donated to the Southwest Indian Foundation.

From Ann Schnitz in DE:

If anyone needs it, The Adventurous Traveler Bookstore has the 60-minute video "Winds of Everest" that John narrated during the mid-80s. The cost is $24.95 and can be ordered at 800-282-3963 (Item No. 8854). Their website is http://www.AdventurousTraveler.com.

From Val in CA:

If you would like to see photos from 20th Century's Rose Parade entry of their float honoring Jacque Cousteau and playing John Denver's Calypso all the way down Orange Grove and Colorado Blvd. January 1, 1999 in Pasadena, CA, check out: http://members.aol.com/VetTrek/roseparade.html

From Michael Pushard in Maine:

I am looking for sponsors for the 30 hr famine...anything you donate will go to help children have food and medical care//my address is on the fund site...all checks and money orders should be written to "World Vision 30 Hr Famine". I will be going without food for 30 hrs on the 27 and 28th of Feb... http://www.freeyellow.com/members2/michaelpush/child.htm (child sponsorship fund site)

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One of the biggest pleasures of being the president of IAT has been to watch it grow. However, one of the side effects of this growth has been the impact it has on my free time. It's difficult to no longer have the time for online socializing and even to be able to answer personal emails. One of my New YearÕs resolutions is to be better organized so that I can once again get back to the simple things in life. I know it's possible to achieve this balanceÉ just bear with me as I find the way to do it. I love you all and really want to be able to have more time to spend with you individually.

Peace to you all, Marcelle

"It's about time we start to make it the dream we've always known." -John Denver