Hello everyone. I want to apologize for the lateness of the newsletter. However, due to time conflicts the new staff has had a delay in starting. Please welcome the newest addition to newsletter staff. Paul has been a very big help this month by stepping in at the last moment as editor. Thanks Paul! For the most part it seems that all has been quiet out there. Most of the efforts are going into the plans for this year's events. As spring approaches we are ready for a new start. Let's take this time to make a renewed commitment to the work we do keeping the vision of John Denver alive. *********************************************************************** Quote of the month: This month's quote is from Paul in MA: ...something that Milt Okun said about John... that he never wrote a song in a minor key... and how that's exactly the way that John lived... his modus vivendi if you will... John lived his life in a major key. It certainly speaks to John's unflinching optimistic view of human nature... always seeing the possibility of living up to the dream in me;... that reaching for higher ground concept. I think it's a fitting aspiration for all of us. *********************************************************************** 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 be accepted until the end of March. Price and ordering information will be available in the future. From Julie B in Texas: T-shirts commemorating the John Denver Nature Exhibit are now available. Proceeds from the sale of the shirts will help build the memorial which will be placed in the Birds of Prey Sanctuary at the Austin Nature Center. For more info about the memorial, visit our site at: http://john-denver.org/web/events/austin.html The T-shirts are 100% cotton shirts by Haines, color is stone-washed (light) green with (dark) forest green ink. On the front left breast, are the words Remembering John with an etch of a mountain range and a flying eagle above the words. On the back is a sketch of the image of the memorial (see our website for that image) along with the shadow of a flying eagle. The following words appear under this image: John Denver 1943-1997 Musician-Poet-Humanitarian- Environmentalist John Denver Nature Exhibit - Birds of Prey Sanctuary - Austin Nature and Science Center - Texas Sizes are: Med 34-36, Large 40-44, and XL 46-48 Cost including shipping and handling: $25 each. Checks should be made out to John Denver Memorial and mailed to PO Box 2663 Austin TX 78768 Include number of shirts, sizes, your mailing address, and phone number. Purchases in quantities of 5 or more are $20 (which includes shipping and handling). Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. From Elaine Byrne: We're accepting bids for a John Denver memorial in the Bird of Prey exhibit at the Austin NatureScience Center. Please go to: http://john-denver.org/web/events/austin/auction.html More items will be added to the site. Keep checking!! *********************************************************************** Adopt-A-Highway There is an effort started by Evelyn Pinney and the Colorado Friends of JD 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. *********************************************************************** Gatherings: From Donna Pinto in NJ: I received a note from the Together Inc. Childrens' Shelter (located in Glassboro, NJ) to thank the It's About Time Massachusetts people for their Holiday donations. ...Thank you for your generous contribution of Christmas gifts. Our youth enjoyed themselves immensely and were grateful for everything that they received. For many, it was their first traditional Christmas gift experience and something they won't soon forget... we would like to thank you once again. Your kindness is appreciated. Thanks to Marce, both Glorias, Miriam, Melissa, and all the It's About Time gang : ) *********************************************************************** 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 : The International Center for Tropical Ecology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis ATTN: Dr. Patrick Osborne Department of Biology 8001 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis MO 63121 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 more information, the website for the International Center for Tropical Ecology http://ecology.umsl.edu/~biology/icte. 3,000 ACRES DONATED TO CONSERVANCY An anonymous land gift of 8,000 acres was donated to the Nature Conservancy of New Hampshire, 3,000 acres from New Hampshire, and 5,000 from Maine. The land will remain undeveloped open space for wildlife habitat and recreation. ROADTRAIL CLOSURES IN THE TARGHEE NATIONAL FOREST There is an ongoing effort by the Forest Service to restore a particular part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in eastern Idaho. The proposed Targhee Forest travel management plan includes closing the Targhee National Forest to indiscriminate cross-country off-road vehicle use, instituting a closed unless signed open to motorized use policy for the Targhee's trails, and develop effective measures for road closures and enforce them. Roadbuilding and clearcutting have riddled the forest with a dense network of roads that fragment wildlife habitat and erode sediment into world famous trout streams. The new plan would close old, unneeded logging roads and motorized trails as part of the effort to restore degraded wildlife and fish habitat BREAKING NEWS -- 400,000 ACRES WITHDRAWN FROM MINING U.S. Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck announced Wednesday in Missoula that the Forest Service will prohibit hard rock mining activities in 400,00 acres of the Rocky Mountain Front for two years while the agency gathers public input for withdrawing the Front from hard rock mining activity for up to 20 years. While important to wildlife and conservationists, the area also is sacred to the Blackfoot Indians and other Native American tribes. PAWS FOR CONCERN: The pet shelters of most counties in every state have too many animals; and too few people willing to give them homes. Across the country about 3,200 kittens and puppies are born every hour, compared to 215 humans. The incredible birthrate, which has reached epidemic proportions, is blamed mostly on pet owners who don't neuter their animals. It is worsened by thousands of others who simply abandon their pets every year. Hundreds of pets are destroyed by lethal injection every morning in pounds and shelters throughout the country. The carcasses are later cremated. Spaying and neutering pets can help spare other animals from a fate of homelessness, abandonment, and possibly destruction. PAWS is desperately in need of more spay volunteers and participating veterinarians to help combat the pet overpopulation problem. Currently 19 veterinarians participate in the PAWS program to help reduce the numbers of pets being destroyed in pounds and shelters. If you would like to join PAWS corps of volunteers or can suggest veterinarians in your area to participate in PAWS spay/neuter program, please call: (717) 957-8122. *********************************************************************** Press Releases: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: PRASPEN@aol.com Its Official! Former John Denver bandmembers and colleagues continue to embrace his memory with another eclectic performance of: A Musical Tribute To John Denver Venue and dates as follows: Wheeler Opera House Aspen, Colorado October 9 &10 1999 Further details regarding this performance will be released at a later date. *********************************************************************** Up-Coming Events: From Donna Pinto in NJ: 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... Confirmed performers include: PAUL SWANTON - from Massachusetts KEVIN YEARGIN - from North Carolina DR. CHRISTOPHER WESTFALL - from New Jersey FRANK DELAMARRE - from Michigan 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 at honer@erols.com From Sandy Willmore in Ohio: Heart of Ohio Windstar Connection presents.... John Denver Summer Celebration 1999 Columbus OH Start planning to attend the next John Denver Summer Celebration! It is scheduled for July 23-25 and is now a 3 day event. It will be held again at Camp Mary Orton. Our main speakers include Lou Gold (Siskiyou Project), Ellen Stapenhorst (AikiWorks), Rainbow Eagle, Steven Newman Worldwalker, Tom Burns (Perkins Observatory) and Chris Reynolds (Creativity, Inc.). We are limiting registration to 160 adults, to keep it small and intimate. The first wave of registration forms will be sent out in March. You can request registration materials through our web site at www.geocities.com/hollywood/boulevard/2376 or email me directly for more information. See you in July! Sandy 74747.667@compuserve.com) I received the following invitation from The Hunger Project. However, I cannot participate. If there is anyone that would be interested in listening in on this conversation and reporting back Sandy and me, please contact Carol on your own and then get in touch with Sandy (IATmail@aol.com) or myself (morswell@earthlink.net). I would appreciate the help. Message for all THP investors and activists -- You are invite to join Joan Holmes and 200 of your colleagues from around the world for a special global conference call: Thursday, March 18, 1999 at 4pm New York time. On this call Joan will announce a unique, one-year only initiative that will be the heart of this year's Africa Prize. Without giving too much away -- the few people who've heard this bold, audacious plan to date have burst into tears of joy. Please use this call as an opportunity for your leadership -- to reach out to people who may discover the same passionate commitment as yours to the critical actions that must be taken for our human family to achieve a sustainable future -- and particularly those who would be interested in unconcealing and transforming one of the most pernicious and entrenched conditions giving rise to the end of hunger today -- the subjugation of women. To participate in this call you MUST confirm by email, fax or phone to receive a bridge number to call. ContactCarol Coonrod at csc@thp.org, +1-212-251-9104, fax to +1-212-532-9785. *********************************************************************** A Word from Our Reps: From Ann in DE: Great news! Mary Ledford just told me -- A Celebration of Life has gone platinum! From Miriam in MA: Florida paramedic who used ambulance for injured dolphin gets animal lovers' support - A Florida paramedic, Roy Longo, who received a two-shift suspension for using his ambulance to transport an injured baby dolphin last month won support from animal lovers as many rallied to protest his punishment. The sick dolphin had been trying to beach itself when Mr. Longo and his partner recovered it and drove it to the Flagler Beach Volunteer Fire Department. Using ambulances to transport animals violates department policy because it takes the ambulance out of service and could jeopardize a human in need of emergency care. Longo's action failed to save the life of the sick creature, nicknamed Little Orphan Annie. The dolphin had been taken to the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute for treatment after the rescue. Hundreds of dolphin and whales beach and die along Florida's extensive coastline each year. Since 1974, more than 3000 such incidents have taken place. From Richard in NH: WILD ALERT ***************************** Several bills to make the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent and fully-funded have been introduced in Congress recently. LWCF is the main vehicle for funding federal land acquisition and protection, including funds designated to states for wildlife and habitat protection. Most promising are two sets of bills -- H.R. 798S.446 (introduced by Rep. Miller and Sen. Boxer), and a bill introduced by Sen. Feinstein. Please call your Senators and Representative and ask them to support S.446/H.R.798, also known as Permanent Protection for America's Resources 2000 Act, and Senator Feinstein's LWCF bill. H.R.798/S.446 would provide permanent and full funding for LWCF. Officially known as Permanent Protection for America's Resources 2000. The Wilderness Society supports these bills. Sen. Diane Feinstein's bill would provide $810 million for LWCF, with an additional $90 million for urban parks and facilities development. Also, Native American tribes would be allowed to purchase land for conservation purposes, which has not been allowed before. The Wilderness Society also supports this bill. The LWCF was created in 1964, and has almost never received its full annual appropriation of $900 million, drawn from royalties of offshore oil and gas drilling. Because the LWCF is not permanently funded, yearly legislative battles are fought over its appropriations. In January, President Clinton announced his Lands Legacy Initiative, which would provide $1 billion for FY2000 LWCF funding. He also promised to push to make LWCF a dedicated fund, so that full funding levels would be guaranteed. For more information, including details on the bills, a two-page LWCF factsheet, and a list of specific projects included in the President's FY2000 budget proposal. go to http://www.wilderness.org/eyewash/lwcf.htm *************************************************************** The Wilderness Society, founded in 1935, is a non-profit conservation organization working to save the last of America's wildlands through advocacy, research, and education. To take action on behalf of wildlands today, visit our website http://www.wilderness.org *********************************************************************** 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: INSTAR RECORDS P.O. BOX 90244 NASHVILLE, TN. 37209 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 Westfall is 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 He'd Rather Be in Colorado, Whispering Jesse, Calypso, What One Man Can Do, Give Yourself to Love (by Kate Wolf), 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: Dottie Honer 5214 Stump Rd. Pipersville, PA 18947 Questions: phone (215) 766-7363 (9am to 7pm) or 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. *********************************************************************** Peace to you all, Marcelle It's about time we start to make it the dream we've always known. -John Denver