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IAT NEWSLETTER
June 2000
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"IT'S ABOUT TIME WE BEGIN IT, TO TURN THE
WORLD AROUND..."
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ORGANIZATION INFORMATION:
Co-Founder/Former President - Marcelle
Co-Founder and Secretary -- Theresa (Tree1A@aol.com)
Co-Founder and Webpage Designer -- Sandy (IATMail@aol.com)
Co-Presidents -- Ann (aerie01@sprynet.com)
and Mary (eagleshorses@yahoo.com)
Newsletter Editor -- Marcia (mport@netnitco.net)
Web Site -- http://members.aol.com/tybrenn/
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Dear Friends,
Someone reminded me today that it was 15 years ago that John Denver was in the Soviet
Union for a nine-concert "Heart to Heart" tour. As many of you know, he
was the first U.S. entertainer to perform for the public in the Soviet Union since
the cultural exchange had been lifted three years earlier. While this was a great
milestone for John and for the Russian and American people, it also happens to be
a day of personal celebration for me as well, because on the night before he left
for the USSR, I met him for the first time (after a concert at what was then called
the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey).
Over the years, Iíve discovered that anyone who ever met John will relate pretty
much the same story. He listened to you as if you were telling him the most important
thing heíd ever heard and he tended to hug you as if you were a cherished family
member. He had such genuine warmth and compassion and good humor. So it was quite
sad to see none of that resonating in the recent TV portrayal "Take Me Home:
The John Denver Story".
Luckily, others have been quick to jump into the breach to try to make the public
aware of the man that John Denver really was. I have many to salute who put together
or performed at such events this past month, including bench dedication organizers
Judy Gabriel (Hawk Mountain, Kempton, PA) Joan Kurtz (Long Island, NY) and JoAnn
Smith (Central Park, NYC), Max Langstaff, who spoke so eloquently of John at Hawk
Mountain, and our wonderful musician friends Charlie Zahm, Chris Westfall, Kevin
Yeargin, John Adams, Frank DeLaMarre, Carol Sullivan and Michael Dennehy. See below
for highlights of some of these events, and my sincerest apologies to anyone I inadvertently
missed in this list. Iím proud to know all of you and I thank you for your hard work
and dedication in keeping Johnís legacy alive.
Iíd like to draw your attention to some other items youíll find below. I was privileged
to receive an article for our newsletter from Johnís clothing designer in the 70s
and early 80s (thanks to Deb Chilton for putting her in touch with us). You might
remember Johnís exclamation of "Thisí an Anna Zapp Original, man!" from
his second US TV special in 1974, in regards to the outfit he was wearing on the
show. Well, Iíve come to find out that Anna Zapp is not a design corporation, folks,
but a very gracious lady with a wonderful tale to tell us about her career with John.
Iím sure youíll enjoy reading her story.
We also have some great pieces of environmental news to relate this month, concerning
grey whales, orcas and otters. People like us DO make a difference, and I hope that
seeing these stories of progress encourages you to get involved.
Thanks to all who have signed the petition for Johnís Lifetime Grammy award. If you
havenít completed one yet, you can download a copy at http://members.aol.com/tybrenn/petition.html
. And lastly, please join with me in congratulating our editor, Marcia Porter, on
the renewed health of her daughter, Susan. While it was touch and go for a while,
Susan is now on the mend and Marcia will be back with us next month.
Keep up the great work, everybody!
My heart to yours,
Ann
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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Hi again, folks,
Look for a letter from Marcia next month. This month, here's an announcement about
Mary's event in Aspen, this coming October -- please keep checking back for additional
details as they become available
Also, a very Happy Birthday to Pete Huttlinger, June 22.
+++++++++++
Charity Auction - Mountain Challet Ballroom
(333 East Durant Street) - 11AM-2PM.
Oct 14, 2000
Entertainment will be provided by Mack Bailey, Pete Huttlinger, Ken Covington and
others. We will have deli platters for lunch so anyone wishing to participate, please
let me know. The cost will be between $5-$10 which will include the lunch and room
rental. Money will be collected at the door.
Proceeds from the auction will go to Long View Media to help Sandy Ostertag (producer
of "Let This Be A Voice") with the environmental projects she and John
were going to do together. Gloria Otter, who is on the board of directors, will be
at our auction and will talk about the projects.
Anyone wishing to donate auction items, please contact
Pam Beasley at pamela.beasley@airmail.net . Also, contact
Mary for more information (eagleshorses@yahoo.com).
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"IT'S ABOUT TIME WE START TO MAKE IT,
THE DREAM WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN..."
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Rejoice in the creative spirit that lives in you. Use it consciously to create the
life and the world you want.
-- John Denver
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FUNDRAISING
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Just a reminder that we're still collecting ideas for the environmental suggestion
book. Go to the IAT website and fill out the online form: http://members.aol.com/tybrenn/ideaform.html.
We'll compile the cyber book and let you know when it's available for purchase. The
funds raised will be donated to The Hunger Project,
naturally.
Also still available are our Cyber cookbooks! The order form is at: http://members.aol.com/tybrenn/ccorderform.html.
It has to be printed and then filled in (or the requested info copied) and snail-mailed
along with a check (made payable to The Hunger Project).
Once the order is received, the cookbook(s) will be e-mailed. The address to send
it to is:
IAT Family
IAT Cyber Cookbook
c/o R. Holmes
P.O. Box 357
Wilton, NH 03086
Thank you in advance for your support, The IAT Staff
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For more information on the One World John Denver Peace Cloth, please contact
Debra Chilton at wilco@paclink.com or check out our website at http://john-denver.org/web/cloth.html.
I want to thank everyone for their support and invite all of you to participate,
all it takes is a moment of your time, a peace of cloth held in your hand with thoughts/prayers
of peace. Send your cloth to me at
Debra Chilton
2817 NE 48th Street
Vancouver, WA 98663.
Together we are making a difference. DEB
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LETTERS
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Dear Friends,
I first want to say that Iím sure it must be a very difficult job to portray someoneís
persona. I was sad that Johnís essence was lost. Personally, he had a quiet greatness
and depth to him that was felt by everyone, whether they knew who he was or not.
He was refined, intelligent, quick-witted, funny and gracious. He had class, charm,
charisma, and was good looking to boot! Not to speak of his great talents. Mostly
what I saw was a shallow, goofy kid. Wrong! Like I said, Iím sure it was a hard job
to show all his qualities, but more of his depth could have been shown.
On a personal note, I couldnít believe the wardrobe people didnít at least try to
copy some of my work. I would have helped them.
Anna Zapp
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Hello! I moved to San Diego from Idaho recently, and I would love to get together
with other John Denver fans in the area. Please email me if you are interested.
Also, just a reminder, if anyone is interested in receiving a free email copy of
"101 Ways To Keep John Denver's Memory Alive," just email me with "John
Denver" as the email subject.
Annalisa Berns
aberns@hotmail.com
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Dear Friends,
It is with great joy and tears in my eyes that I share this news with you regarding
the One World John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth. Saturday, Erma Deutschendorf called
me and we talked about the John Denver Memorial Cloth. Today in the mail I received
Erma's contribution.......from clothes that belonged to John. The impact of this
has hit home for me, John's cloth will join with all of ours and together we will
all stand as family while the One World John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth is wrapped
around the UN on September 19th. WE have stood together with John as our center,
now we physically stand together through our cloth with John at our center. As John's
cloth joins ours, we are now truly standing together face to face, arm to arm, we
are standing on the threshold of a dream........and now John stands with us......
I told Erma about our desire for her to receive a portion of this cloth and the scrapbook
as a gift from us to her in John's memory, she is pleased to accept this.....If any
of you wish to send a card or letter for Erma to be added to the scrapbook, please
send them now..........And please let us show our support in making this magnificient
cloth in John's memory as beautiful and large as possible by sending in your cloth
for peace and for John's memory.....We are making a difference.....Thank you all.........and
thank you to Erma, for this gift beyond measure.........
Debra Chilton
Christine Smith
Directors, One World John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth
(see Kelly's letter below for information about sending donations for the scrapbook)
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Hi everyone!
I am just now getting started on the development of the Peace Cloth scrapbook, but
am having a wonderful time getting things all put into place! What's even more, is
that now I'll be able to include the poem I'd written for Erma nearly two years ago.
The poem I'd written exclusively for her, thanking her for the gift of John! I had
sent it to her shortly after writing it, but when asked her about receiving it when
I met her in Aspen last year, we came to the conclusion that she somehow missed it.
Okay, so..........for those of you who would like to include a card or letter for
the One World John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth Project scrapbook, please send them
to ~
Kelly Robison
c/o One World John Denver Memorial
Peace Cloth Scrapbook
15225 S. E. Tibbetts Street
Portland, Oregon 97236
Thanks you guys! : )
Kelly
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(to Judy Gabriel, for the bench dedication at Hawk Mountain, June 18,
2000 -- see below for two more reviews of the day)
Judith,
I wanted to write before the week gets any older to let you know that even though
the weather didn't cooperate for us on Sunday, I believe that everyone enjoyed the
days events. It was especially interesting to hear Max Langstaff speak and the performances
were outstanding. This was the first time that I have heard Charlie Zahm and all
I can say is, why aren't people with his obvious talent heard of more often? I for
one will be starting a collection of his work. After the performances I walked out
to the lookout where the bench is located and I was not prepared for the emotions
that I experienced. I had no idea that it would affect me that much. I hope that
someday the gentleman that objected to the use of the money for this project last
year can one day sit on John's bench and take in the view from that vantage point
and then I'm sure that he will feel the same as I did. Sitting there with only the
sound of the breeze around me, the song "The Eagle and the Hawk" began
filling my mind. I only hope that it has a similar affect on others who visit Hawk
Mountain and sit to take a rest on his bench. Unfortunately because of my long drive
to get home, I had to leave before the final video presentation but I left with a
good feeling just the same.
Thanks for all of your efforts on this project. I have regularly contributed to several
conservation organizations, but I will now have to add Hawk Mountain to the list.
Thanks again.
John LaShier
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STORIES
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My Rocky Mountain Dream Come True
By Anna Zapp
When I started sewing at the age of 12, my dream was to design and sew for
famous people. My sewing career actually started at age 13 when I began
sewing for my classmates. (They actually paid me!)
My dream of creating clothes for famous people was always with me. I had no
one particular in mind, but when I met John Denver in the summer of 1973, I
knew this was the beginning of my life dream come true! I was right.
In 1971 at age 22, my former husband Rennie and I moved to Boulder from
Memphis. When I saw the Rocky Mountains for the first, I knew I was home.
The following year, we moved back to New England because of family
circumstances, but we both knew living there wasnít a fit. Then one day I
heard "Rocky Mountain High" for the first time. It was a loud, clear
message that it was time to come home to Colorado. I knew in my heart it
was a serious message for me. We were back in five months. Luckily I got to
share that story with John. Then we all laughed and said, "there are no
coincidences"!
Upon returning to Boulder and being good hippies, Rennie and I made our
living traveling to craft fairs. I sold my western designed shirts, and
Rennie did custom woodwork. John was in attendance at the Aspen Mining Days
Fair in the summer of ë73 where we displayed our handmade items. I spotted
him standing out in the field and got very excited! I had a feeling my
shirts were just the style he needed for his very fast rising career. I
thought heíd never get around to our booth as he took his time visiting all
the booths, being sure to see everyoneís wares. Just as I had given up hope
I would get to meet him, I turned around and there he stood. "Who made
these shirts?" he asked. I told him I did, he shook my hand and said, "Hi,
Iím John and Iím interested in some of these!" My heart was pounding.
It took a few months for us to make a connection however, in the meantime, I
made him a shirt and sent it to Aspen. He loved it and thus began our very
exciting work of creating his stage wardrobe. What a blast! Early on, we
would meet at Stapleton Airport (in Denver) for fittings and design
meetings. There would always be a group of people traveling with John, but
when we worked, he always gave me his undivided attention. Talk about
feeling important and special.
On our first meeting, after heíd picked out 5 shirt combinations, we started
planning something he would wear to the American Music Award Ceremonies. I
convinced him he needed a denim tux made of old jeans with tails. He
thought heíd pass on the tails, but I told him it would be outrageous; he
got a twinkle in his eye and said "far out"! Done deal!
As our relationship grew, I would add little touches to the shirts I thought
heíd like, and so our style developed. We went into the highly decorated,
fancy styles with appliquÈ motif, rhinestones, fringe and satin. Sometimes
he would ask for a certain theme, other times he would tell me to just use
my creativity. Given free reign with design was such a gift. One year we
did 13 American Indian motif outfits, then some Southwest, then Oriental.
Some times it was just great flowers.
He ordered shirts for everyone he knew including the band members, all the
managers, producers, other entertainers he was affiliated with, plus
friends. He wanted Annie to have anything she and I dreamed up. He even
ordered shirts for Jacques Cousteau.
One day John called and told me he had spent the weekend with Bob Redford.
He mentioned that Bob was interested in having some shirts made like Johnís.
John and I talked a bit and then he said he had to call Redford and give him
my number. The phone rang about 10 minutes later and it was indeed, Robert
Redford. Doing my best to keep cool, he and I set up and appointment to
meet the next weekend. That was the beginning of a five-year working
relationship with Bob, thanks to John. More work came from knowing Redford,
as he ordered shirts for his celebrity friends. What a whirlwind!
When John filmed his first TV special, he flew Rennie and me to LA because
he wanted me to be in the audience so he could surprise me when he mentioned
my name in the monolog. He said "Hey! My mom didnít make this shirt, this
is an Anna Zapp Original, man". Then he introduced me and asked me to stand
up.
On his next special, the Christmas special, he invited friends to
participate in the filming and be the audience. It was filmed in a plastic
bubble erected on top of one the Aspen mountains in Oct. or Nov. We nearly
froze to death, but had a great time.
One year, he flew me to Lake Tahoe for a concert so I could see my new
outfits on stage. I was picked up in a limousine and given a beautiful
suite. He insisted I attend all the concerts and visit back stage.
Three years after we met, I started a western shirt manufacturing company.
This was due largely to Johnís popularity and the western shirt fad. He and
I would talk about how we started the fad, Iím not sure thatís all true, but
we certainly had an influence on the style. He endorsed my shirt line by
allowing me to put his name on the back of my shirt hangtag. He acted as a
mentor during that period and was very supportive of everything I did.
Creating for John was the most special time of my life. The work was the
most exciting and rewarding Iíll even know. His support, encouragement,
enthusiasm, generosity and love during those years made doing the work a
sheer joy. The deadlines were even fun!
With all this in mind, I am planning to publish a book with more stories and
photos of the art John and I created. I want to share more memories,
stories, and tell of the great influence he has had and is still having on
my life. I am truly blessed to have been lucky enough to have known him and
had the great opportunity to be a part of his life.
(We'll look forward to more of those stories too, Anna -- thanks! -- AS)
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EVENTS REVIEWS
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NYC CENTRAL PARK BENCH REDEDICATION
Guided by His Spirit...
by Donna Pinto
Wow... what a magical day June 3rd was!!! The sun was bright, the humidity
was low, and there were no nasty clouds in sight! This bench dedication
anniversary had an awful lot of planning involved but it all ensured a
lovely afternoon truly deserving of the memory of our favorite singer and
visionary!
The bench in JD's name is located in Central Park West in New York City by
a gazebo / lake area. If you don't pay attention to those skyscrapers in
the background, you would never believe it was the capital of the world!
People flew in from all over the country for this.
The morning started off with various speeches and JD's recordings echoing
around the park. Milt Okun of Cherry Lane Music were there. Event
coordinator Jo Ann Smith's opening remarks were so moving, Cherry Lane asked
for a copy to use on their web site.
The afternoon concerts were a bit delayed due to sound problems, but John
Adams entertained the crowd for two one-hour sets. The next artists were
New Jersey's Christopher Westfall backed by North Carolina's Kevin Yeargin
on guitar!!! The guys clearly had as much fun as us folks in the audience
did! The highlight for me was Chris' composition "No Difference"... "We
celebrate this day, the life of just one man"... oh, my. I've watched the
show six times on video since then and cried every time! Hearing that song
alone in New York City was worth the trip.
And speaking of which, would you like to hear about the trip? With good
friend Pat Hough along to navigate, I drove Chris and Kevin to the gig. It
was the first time I ever drove in New York City and it will be the last!
Every yellow cab on the road was "out to get us," and the rest stopped
right
in front of us, killing the lane. At one point, we were hopelessly lost
and stuck in a "dead lane" for the 19th time that afternoon. Chris looked
to the right at the other lane, and there was a van with the jumping
double impala insignia of the Wildlife Conservation Society! Windows were
rolled down and not only did the man give us accurate directions, but he let
us in front of him... in New York City!!! We were truly "guided by his
spirit" and arrived on time!
After the Park, many went to a fancy Italian restaurant on 50th Street for
an evening meal... the
ground level floor was taken up by John Denver fans. It was a lovely way to
cool down after the day's
emotional events. Thanks to Eve Kleinfeld for organizing that.
Special thanks to Jo Ann ("Falling Rock") Smith and her wonderful spouse
for
putting the Central Park event together. What a privilege it was to attend.
Next year, you MUST get there any way you can.
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CONNETQUOT STATE PARK AND PRESERVE, OAKDALE, NEW YORK (LONG ISLAND)
My bench dedication out here on LI was held yesterday (June 11, 2000) in 88
degree, humid weather but with a delightful breeze to keep it somewhat
comfortable. About 35 people attended. I was SO nervous as I HATE, DETEST
and LOATHE doing presentations....so I usually don't and everyone
knows that. My hubby volunteered to do it for me but I knew that wouldn't be
right. So I dug in my heels and did it. It wasn't so bad after all as I
introduced myself to everyone ahead of time and felt
more comfortable about it. Then again, it wasn't like Jo's in NYC where she
had over 100 people. I was happy with my smaller group.
Anyway, back to the dedication. Next to the bench were a bouquet of flowers,
a beautiful drawing of John with him holding the basketball and the
snowflake logo on his jacket (for the actual image, go to:
http://www.geocities.com/sandy2164) Miriam from Switzerland made me the
drawing in exchange for a tape. We also had a guitar to finish the picture.
Very touching and pretty. The bench itself is teak and beautiful. Now I know
that teak comes from the rainforest and is endangered, so to say, but the
company from where we purchased it harvests their own trees so it's cool.
We had music playing before the ceremony - all nature songs - as people were
arriving. Once they showed up, I grabbed them to sign in so they could be
"official participants" of the ceremony, had them sign the petition to
get
John a lifetime achievement award from the Grammy's (thanks goes to Elaine
Byrne in Texas for this endeavor), gave them a program and songbook and also
sold t-shirts. We had 25 made up and sold all of them. (More on this below)
The ceremony itself was about 35-40 minutes. In between some of my
paragraphs and the other 2 speakers we played John's music. The president of
the LI Greenbelt Trail Conference spoke very movingly about how John's music
has always played an important part of her life and wished he could have
seen the beautiful hiking trails we have out here. She also related how she
sang RMH to her mother as she lay dying. It was very touching. A
representative of the park also spoke about the history of the land and how
important it is to conserve our open spaces. My hubby was taking pictures
the whole time, my son was videotaping it and my daughter controlled the CD
player/boom-box. A true family event.
To top it off, the photographer for the newspaper which interviewed me last
week showed up and took pictures, pictures, and more pictures. He also
bought himself a t-shirt!!! He even took a group photo at the end. Don't
know which will show up - have to wait for next Sunday's paper.
I found out after my presentation that a hawk flew over the group at one
part. Guess who must have paid a visit!!!!! The few people who saw it got
all choked up but I didn't know what had happened till after. I did see
osprey and geese...but missed the hawk.
After the ceremony, there was a 3 mile hike in the park with 6-8 people
participating. Since I have done that hike before and, at this point, was
completely wiped-out, I begged off and just hung around
with a few others. That was when the president of the Greenbelt Trail told
me that we would have a scheduled yearly hike in Connetquot to commemorate
the bench dedication. So....if you missed it this year, there's always next!!!
All in all, I think the dedication was successful. The bench will be seen by
anyone using the park for hikes or tours. It's protected on the porch by the
overhang....and should last a very, very, very
long time.
Thank you to all who donated both financially and spiritually and made this
a reality. You people are wonderful, as all JD fans are.
Shalom - Peace
Joan Kurtz
(PS -- information on ordering t-shirts or songbooks can be found below in the Memorabilia
section)
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HAWK MOUNTAIN, KEMPTON, PA
Tribute to John Denver: The Man and His Music
"Usually in the morning, I'm filled with sweet belonging, and everything is
beautiful to see. Even when it's raining, the sound of Heaven singing is
simply joyful music to me." Yes, that's the way I felt also
on Sunday morning, Father's Day, at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, PA,
as John Denver's voice filled the trees of this mountain sanctuary for
raptors. People drifted in like the fog, people of varying ages, and quite a
few that were not known to regular JD groups.
I organized this event not only to honor, remember, and celebrate John
Denver's life, but to educate those who knew John less than we about the
man, what he stood for, and what his art was all about. I think in a small
way, I succeeded. After sharing my thoughts and experiences of John with
the small but growing crowd, I sang "The Music Is You." The crowd was a
delight as they helped me sing "Farewell Andromeda," and the muppet song
"It's in Every One of Us, ending with everyone standing and singing "All
This Joy." A video collage of John's career followed. My hope was to get
out of the 70's to show all the other great things that John did, but I
didn't succeed. We were overtaken by the rain and had to fold up and move
indoors. Hawk Mt. presented their live raptor education program showing a
beautiful redtailed hawk and an owl as the video techs and musicians moved
equipment indoors.
We then heard Frank DeLaMarre give heartfelt renditions of several JD
favorites such as "Fly Away" and" Rocky Mountain High," later
playing his
newly recorded CD version of "Take Him Home" which still brings tears to
my
eyes.
Max Langstaff, JD's executive producer for the WildLife Concert, gave a
wonderful speech, stating strongly that John Denver was not a "pop" icon
but
a "cultural" icon who will last because art with substance remains long
after the trendy stuff of today has vanished just as Ralph Waldo Emerson,
the nineteenth century author, nature-lover, and philosopher remains and is
read and studied by all who wish to know concepts of value. I especially
loved that Max read portions of Emerson's "On
Nature" because if you listened closely you could hear echos of John
everywhere (or did some of Emerson's ideas fly past John as his Muse picked
up a song floating by?). He then played some outtakes from the WildLife
Concert, allowing us to hear John joke around on stage between takes. I was
glad that Max talked about the "real" John and not the media image of him.
Next Charlie Zahm, with his magnificent baritone, entertained us with
"Wrangle Mountain Song," "Alaska and Me," " The Garden Song,"
and several
other beautiful JD favorites.. Carol Sullivan and Michael Dennehy rounded
out the day with several songs that are not often sung at gatherings but are
some of my favorites such as "Opposite Tables" and "Relatively Speaking."
Although weary from a day that spanned eight hours, everyone looked happy as
they left. Many braved the rain and fog to walk up the mountain to see the
placement of John's bench at the South Lookout and in the Native Plant
Garden. I was lucky to have them move it closer to the lookout and now
people can sit right there and look out over a fantastic view. Wait til the
birds come! The second bench is beautifully situated also. I couldn't get
it near the fabulous metal eagle, but the garden manager thought that right
in front of the wildlife blind is a beautiful spot, and when you sit there
you will agree. Especially in fall, you can see the whole plant garden and
the pond. It is very serene. I invite you to participate in Hawk Mountain
Sanctuary or at least to visit this wonderful place.
I want to thank all the singers, Mr. Langstaff, and friends who donated
their time and talent on this Father's Day , traveling distances and being
away from their families on this holiday to honor John and his music. If the
weather had been nice we would have had at least twice the crowd, but it was
wonderful to have close to two hundred people there to acknowledge not only
how much they loved John and how much they miss him, but also that his music
will continue to provide beauty, joy, and
inspiration forever.
Peace To You All
Judith Gabriel
flyangel@early.com
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Commemorating an American Hero on Father's Day at Hawk Mountain : "All That
We Can Be and Not What We Are..."
By Donna Pinto
I want to send out a special thank you to Judith Gabriel for organizing the
lovely day at Hawk
Mountain, Pennsylvania. Yes, it rained all day. But it was absolutely
LOVELY! I would guess that about 150-200 people attended this all-day FREE
event. It took a great deal of coordination and work to put together all
the equipment and volunteers... sound system, video system, performers &
song lists, poetry and speeches, plus our raptor demonstration... all for
free!
We started the morning with about three dozen people in a low drizzle
hearing JD's CDS, watching videos, listening to poetry, and joining Jude in
song. Listening to her speak, I was amazed at how frequently I've heard her
exact words and feelings expressed by so many other close JD friends. We
all empathized with her "cornering your friends because they HAD to hear
THIS song" stories. Watching videos on the projection screen was fun! We
got to hear "Rocky Mountain High" in performance from the 70's, 80's, and
90's; the 90's version was from the "WildLife Concert," which premiered
on
A&E TV on Father's Day five years almost to that very day!
Then the rains got heavier and we moved indoors for a raptor demonstration.
We saw a beautiful red tail hawk and owl ... it was not only awesome but
educational! To top the day off, FRANK DELAMARRE, CHARLIE ZAHM, and CAROL
SULLIVAN with MICHAEL DENNEHY played John's
music for us.
Frank played us a track from the "CD in progress" of a newly-recorded
Nashville version of "Take Him Home," his marvelous tribute song to John.
WOW! I can't wait until the disc is complete! Frank's presentation and
audience repartee keeps getting better and better every time I see him.
What a guy!!! He drove all the way from Michigan (after driving home from
Nashville the day before) to sing for us AND bring the sound system!
CHARLIE was, as usual, marvelous! What an incredibly powerful voice the man
has! "Ponies" sent shivers down my spine. He magically combined "Alaska
and Me" with "Wrangle Mountain Song" resulting in great fun and probably
his
biggest crowd pleaser. Charlie came with his lovely wife Andrea and
four-year-old daughter Julia to spend most of Father's Day with us. When
Charlie first met his wife, he asked her what kind of music she listened to
(he specializes in Celtic music). When she replied, "John Denver," they
were hooked!!! Charlie calls JD his "secret weapon" against the other
Celtic singers :)
Carol and Michael provided us with a great deal of fun! They work on their
church choir together and
rediscovered JD's songs. They include as much Denver music as they can
humanly get away with :-) Michael had a more "pop music" take on John's
songs. Carol performed "For You" solo on the keyboards and it was my
favorite part of their set. I met her a year ago at the bench dedication
dinner no idea she sang and played keyboards!
There was a speaker, too, Max Langstaff, and I fear this is the closest
we'll ever come to having a symposium again... WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!!! Thank
you, Judith!!! Although her email name is "flyangel", I had a different
angel that day.
While leaving the parking lot in the pouring down rain, I had serious
problems with my windshield
wipers. A wonderful gentleman named Chris helped fix them, then I found
out he also helped pull another woman out of a ditch (hooray, Kathy!). This
fellow only came to hear John's music and ended up "saving" us that evening.
Another great guy!
It was also marvelous to spend the day with many JD friends... Sue Wells
flew in from Missouri, Kathy
Grimm with the CDs, Ann Schnitz was helping out, Cathy Nole, Karen was the
only Gawlik, the Flowers, Ann Marie, Bill, gosh, just about everyone was
there! Things ran long but we did see some vidoes at the very end of the
day.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the benches, which were our purpose in being
there! Judith organized a fund-raising drive last year to memorialize John
in one of her favorite places. Hawk Mountain is located near the Poconos
and about two hours from Philadelphia. Despite intial fears that the
needed $1,000 couldn't be raised, $2,500 was the final total! This resulted
in dedicating two park benches in John's name and the adoption of five
kestral nesting boxes. What a worthwhile facility. Because of the rain, I
never did visit them ... perhaps next year! Please let there be a next
year!
(PS -- details of ordering the commemorative video from this event is presented below
in the Memorabilia section)
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAPPENINGS
First up is a concert at the Coffee Gallery Backstage with Ellen Stapenhorst and
her brother Steve (the team behind the "All My Skies" tribute to John Denver).
They'll be performing 2 shows at the Coffee Gallery on Friday, June 30th - 7:30pm
and 9:30pm. Address: 2029 N. Lake, Altadena, Ca. 91001; Reservations/Information:
(626) 398-7917. Here's their website for more information.
Coffee House Gallery Back Stage
(http://www.coffeegallery.com).
Please note that there is one error in the information: due to a recent city code
revision in Altadena, the number of seats available at the Coffee Gallery has dropped
from 60 to 49 - making reservations even more of a necessity than usual.
A good time will be had by all, with Ellen performing her incredible folk-inspired
songs of life, love, hope and spirit, many of them based on her work with Tom Crum's
Aiki Works seminars on conflict resolution.
Steve will be doing his thought-provoking story and theme songs, including "I'm
Not On the Internet Yet" and "Old Folks-singers." Appearing with Steve
will be a couple of guys he performed with during his early career with the group
The Men, who re-formed as a little group called The Association. (You may have heard
of them, or their songs "Never My Love" or maybe "Windy.")
Catch Steve after the show, and maybe he'll tell you stories about playing songs
with John Denver, producing one of John's first Aspen concerts at the Wheeler Opera
House, or listening as John worked on a little ditty that turned out to be "Take
Me Home, Country Roads." Steve will deny it, but there's some evidence to suggest
that John moved to Aspen because of Steve's influence.
Next up, after the July Fourth holiday, is the monthly Windstar California/Friends
of John Denver Redondo Beach Highway Cleanup on Sunday, July 9th at 1:00pm. We have
the entire stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway that runs through the city of Redondo
Beach, with the northern boundary at the triple intersection of Agate/Irena/Guadalupe,
and ending at the shopping center between Avenues G and H.
This month, we'll be starting at the South End - so park in the shopping lot next
to the Chevron Gas Station/Car Wash at Avenue H, and gather near the Adopt-A-Highway
sign near the car wash (note: there's often a semi parked right there, and it makes
the sign hard to find). We will have helmets, vests, gloves and picker-uppers available
for folks. We do recommend bringing water, sunglasses and sunscreens.
No prizes for the most trash picked up - but we will be keeping about 6 bags of trash
from ending up in the Bay, and that's quite an achievement.
For more information, contact Debra at PixieDmyr@aol.com.
Till next time - Peace!
Debra
John Denver: The Legacy Continues...
**********
TRIBUTE TO JOHN DENVER -- ALMOST HEAVEN FARM, WEST VIRGINIA
TOM PAXTON Headlines an All Star Lineup of Folk Musicians at the Country Roads Folk
Festival in Kearneysville, WV (70 miles from metro area)
Folk Legend Tom Paxton and Bill Danoff, (co-author of the hit song ("Country
Roads") will perform at the County Roads Folk Festival on Saturday, July 15th
which begins at 12 noon and goes until 9PM. It is being held at the beautiful 10
acre festival site of the Almost Heaven Farm; located only 10 minutes from Shepherdstown
and Charlestown, VA. A special tribute to John Denver by local favorites Mack Bailey,
Side by Side and other surprise guests, will be one of the many highlights during
this day of fun for the whole family.
Also performing at the festival will be Lena & Sanford Markley, Tom Prasada-Rao,
Andrew McKnight, Sue Trainor, DeDe Wyland & Friends, LEA, Mary Byrd Brown, Christina
Muir (of Hot Soup), Garth Ross, Jerry Bresee, Lisa Taylor, Eric Schwartz, and many
others to be confirmed. The entire community will enjoy this folk festival which
will also feature: children's activities, hay rides, a juggler, food, crafts, antiques,
an open flea market, a nearby creek for cooling off, and camping for the diehards.
An informal campfire song swap will begin when the festival officially ends at 8PM,
with everyone welcome to participate. Folks are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and
blankets, and make a day of it with their friends and family. For more information,
tickets and directions please contact Maureen at 301-933- 5265 or go to the festival
website at www.mofolk.com. This event is rain or shine!
Phone 304-267-7963 Metro 301-933-5265
Fax 304-263-8895
maureen@workings.com ... www.mofolk.com
**********
COOK OUT/CONCERT -- GREENSBORO, NC
North Carolina Friends of John Denver are proud to announce a "free" Cook
Out /Concert featuring JD's music on Saturday AUGUST 5, 2000 from approximately Noon
- 8 PM at the Hagam Stone Park just outside of Greensboro. Performers will play for
three hours and include Darryl Clark, Christopher Westfall, and Kevin Yeargin! The
park is convenient to I-85. Details are still being worked on but we do know you'll
have to "bring your own" picnic (the parks wants us to stress that this
is a family facility with no alcohol allowed). Our site has electricity and is near
a lake / gazebo. We'll have a backup plan if the weather doesn not cooperate. More
info donnapinto@yahoo.com
**********
COOK OUT/CONCERT -- GREENSBORO, NC
North Carolina Friends of John Denver are proud to announce a "free" Cook
Out /Concert featuring JD's music on Saturday AUGUST 5, 2000 from
approximately Noon - 8 PM at the Hagam Stone Park just outside of
Greensboro. Performers will play for three hours and include Darryl Clark,
Christopher Westfall, and Kevin Yeargin! The park is convenient to I-85.
Details are still being worked on but we do know you'll have to "bring your
own" picnic (the parks wants us to stress that this is a family facility
with no alcohol allowed). Our site has electricity and is near a lake /
gazebo. We'll have a backup plan if the weather doesn not cooperate. More
info donnapinto@yahoo.com
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NEWS
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(from The Aspen Times)
City crews are busily working on the second phase of the John Denver Sanctuary, a
small park established to commemorate the spirit of the deceased singer-songwriter
near Rio Grande Park.
Denver, who died in October 1997, had lived in Aspen since the early 1970s. As he
achieved fame as a musician, and wrote about his adopted home in many of his songs,
his name became synonymous with Aspen and the Colorado Rockies.
A number of fans and family members have contributed to the development of the sanctuary,
and continue to work with city officials on the project. The sanctuary, which is
the main part of a city parks department project that will ultimately cost $250,000,
runs along the edge of the cityís kayak course between the Rio Grande Trail and the
Roaring Fork River, adjacent to the Theater in the Park tent.
Originally dedicated in the summer of 1998, the sanctuary is to be a passive place
of boulders, wildflowers and solitude, said Parks Director Jeff Woods, designer of
the sanctuary.
Although the area currently looks like a moonscape, Woods said this phase of the
project is expected to be done within a couple of weeks, after which it will be reopened
to the public.
Boulders have been brought to the site from other parts of the city. Two massive
rocks have been split down the middle and will stand on either side of sections of
a path through the sanctuary. One will also provide a kind of frame for looking back
up from the waterís edge toward Aspen Mountain.
Woods said there will be inscriptions on some of the rocks, including a "vision
quest" statement that Denver reportedly wrote shortly before he died when his
private plane crashed off the coast of California.
In addition, a large spruce tree was being planted on Wednesday. The rest of the
grounds will be covered in wildflowers and other plantings, Woods said.
Woods denied a citizenís complaint that the earthmoving work at the park was fouling
the Roaring Fork River with silt, pointing to a special plastic "silt screen"
set up at the riverís edge to prevent dirt from getting into the water.
The final phase of the project, Woods said, will take place next year. At that time,
city crews will restore two drainage ponds on the property, and use them as part
of the landscape of the small park.
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS and INFORMATION
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Keiko: Days from Freedom
By Angela Swafford,
Discovery.com News
June 12, 2000 ... In a matter of days, Keiko, the orca star of Free Willy, will be
released back into his native Icelandic waters, said Jean-Michel Cousteau, whose
Ocean Futures Society is sponsoring the effort to return the killer whale to the
ocean. "Today Keiko is ready to go," said Cousteau on Saturday at the Ocean
Fest annual dive show in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Fla. "We are in the process
of fixing a satellite tag on the interior in the bent part of his dorsal fin. All
we need is good weather and a pod of whales coming by, which we know are near. And
that could be next week, the week after, but itís a matter of days."
Provided that there is no attack from the wild orcas, Keiko will be free at last,
after an odyssey that began more than 20 years ago when he was captured off Iceland
at the age of two.
Taken to a marine amusement park in Mexico City, the young whale languished in a
small pool for years, until he became the star of the movie that would move children
all over the world to demand his freedom.
The final stages of Keikoís release into the wild began two years ago with his move
to an enclosed bay in Klettsvik Harbor, Iceland. His rehabilitation culminated in
late May with a series of "ocean walks."
Following a boat with his trainers on board, the whale explored the ocean for up
to three hours a time, returning back home on command.
"Each time he took a walk it was harder for him to get back to the bay,"
said Cousteau, the son of famed French aquanaut Jacques Ives Cousteau. "He had
tasted freedom and at one point he even disappeared for 20 minutes. He just didnít
want to go back. This is when we knew the time was right."
There is only one thing Cousteau still lacks in order to free the whale: a permit
from the U.S. National Marine Fisheries, which considers Keiko under its protection.
Though he has applied for the permit, Cousteau said he does not plan to wait in line
for what he considers a lengthy revision process that could take several months.
"So weíve made the decision to keep them informed, provide them as much material
and information as we can because they were very helpful, but Keiko comes first,
and we believe heís ready to go, and if thatís what it takes, thatís whatís going
to happen."
**********
California Otters on the Rebound
By Discovery.com News
June 12, 2000 ó Following five years of decline, the California sea otter
population is on the rise again. According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey,
the California Department of Fish and Game and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the number
of adult sea otters in the state has risen by 10.5 percent since the spring of 1999.
During the same period, the number of sea otter pups have increased by 13.8 percent.
It may be too early to break out the champagne, though.
"While we are encouraged by the larger numbers, it is too soon to know if this
signifies a true increase in population size," USGS scientist Dr. James A. Estes
warned in a statement.
Sea Otters once ranged over most of the Pacific Ocean. But fur hunting brought the
California population to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century.
About a dozen colonies remained in the state by 1911, when the first protections
for the species were put in place.
Afterwards, the stateís population increased by about five percent per year until
the mid-1970s. Then, the otters began to decline again. Fishing nets that accidentally
ensnared the marine mammals were blamed. These were banned in short order, and otters
were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1977. Soon, the otters were recovering
once again.
This kept up until 1995, when California's otter numbers reached a high of 2,377.
Then, the population began to decline again. This time, disease, contaminants and
starvation were all fingered. But autopsies of dead otters turned up no solid leads.
The new survey, which relied on observations from both airplanes and the shore-based
volunteers, covered about 375 miles of California coast, from Half Moon Bay south
to Santa Barbara.
According to the survey, there are now 2,317 sea otters in the state.
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Federal appeals court overturns Makah's rights to whaling
06-09-2000
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal appeals court Friday overturned a ruling that allowed
Washington state's Makah Indians to resume whaling for the first time in more than
70 years.
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the environmental impact
had not been adequately considered. The case now goes back to federal court in Tacoma,
Wash., for additional proceedings, including a new environmental assessment to be
done by the government.
Tribal officials in Neah Bay, Wash., did not immediately return calls for comment.
The Makah had hunted whales for generations until the 1920s, when commercial whaling
decimated the whale population. Gray whales were removed from the Endangered Species
List in 1994, and the Makah moved to resume hunting, claiming whaling rights under
an 1855 treaty with the U.S. government.
In 1997, the International Whaling Commission ruled that the 2,000-member tribe could
take up to five whales a year from 1998 through 2002.
In 1999, the Makah finally hunted and killed a gray whale after U.S. District Judge
Franklin Burgess in Tacoma rejected an attempt by environmentalists and Rep. Jack
Metcalf, R-Wash., to block any whaling.
In its ruling Friday, the appeals court said the government's assessment of the environmental
impact was biased. The court said the government promised to support the Makah even
before it had done the environmental impact study.
The court ordered that the government set aside its finding that the whaling would
have no significant impact on the environment. "I felt that we were right all
the time," Metcalf said Friday.
"It's a gigantic relief," said Margaret Owens, co-founder of Peninsula
Citizens for the Protection of Whales. "We've fought so hard to keep the whales
safe this year, and thank heavens that no whales were killed."
One appellate judge dissented. Judge Andrew J. Kleinfeld said the majority had "no
warrant" for setting aside the environmental impact report.
"Obviously the agency did not prepare the environmental assessment until its
officials had already decided that they wanted to let the Makah Indians hunt whales.
Why else would they have gone to the trouble of preparing an environmental assessment?"
he wrote.
Although the majority said the environmental assessment was performed under suspicious
circumstances, Kleinfeld complained that the other judges never identified anything
specific within the report that was inaccurate or inappropriate.
Indian whalers have been out this spring in the waters off the tip of Washington's
Olympic Peninsula, but have not been successful.
The appeals court said that, because the Makah's whaling was suspended for 70 years,
the delay in redoing the environmental reports is not an undue hardship.
Biologists estimate 26,000 gray whales migrate each year between the waters off Alaska
and Mexico.
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MEMORABILIA
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T-SHIRTS, SONGBOOKS FROM BENCH DEDICATION, LONG ISLAND, NY
We are now offering these t-shirts to those who couldn't attend. Here's the
scoop:
The shirt is $20 and is available in Lt. Beige, size LARGE only. Please send your
check, made out to Marie Lanier, and send it, WITH a $3.20 prepaid, and self-addressed
priority mailing envelope to:
Marie Lanier
17 Munson St.
Medford, NY 11763
Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery as we cannot order any shirts till we have
a minimum of 10 orders. If you have any questions, please email
Marie at: <Kidkampus@aol.com>. All profits will be sent to the LI Greenbelt
Trail office.
In addition to the t-shirt, we have about 25 extra programs and songbooks available.
The songbook has the words to 21 of John's songs which were played at the dedication
(all nature songs)and includes pictures, graphics and photos of John. If you want
your copy of the program and songbook, please send a check for $5.00, made out to,
"L.I. Greenbelt Trail Conference," to me:
Joan Kurtz
7 Villett Drive
East Setauket, NY 11733
**********
HAWK MOUNTAIN VIDEO
If you wish to have a video of the dayís events at Hawk Mt. Sanctuary, Kempton, PA,
in honor of John Denver on June 18, 2000 (for historical and education purposes only),
send a donation of at least $30 (check or money order, international money order
if out of the country, no cash) made out to either Hawk
Mountain Sanctuary association or The Hunger Project.
If you wish to donate to the other charity please write a separate check for whatever
additional amount you want to donate.
Write a second (or third) check of $10 to Donna Pinto for processing and mailer.
Make sure your return address is included on the order form. Please be patient with
the return. We are not a professional setup. We will do our best to get your video
to you as soon as possible.
We will only accept orders up to July 31.
I apologize for the number of checks, but this way everything is legal and your donation
a tax-free contribution.
No video material shown during the day or any of John Denverís unreleased songs will
be included on the tape.
Mail all donations, order form, and check for Donna Pinto to
Judith Gabriel
2271 Hampden Blvd. G5
Reading, PA 19604
(please e-mail me or phone/fax 610-371-9122 if you have any questions)
your name
street
city and state
zip
phone or email
(in case of questions)
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**********
I just wanted to let you all know that my new cd,
"Naked Pop" is finally in. Those of you who made advance
orders --thanks--- they are in the mail and you should have
them shortly. For everyone else the cd is available, as
always, through INSTAR RECORDS or through my new 800 ordering
line. The number is 1-888-772-5512. This number is for
Mastercard/Visa orders only. The address for Instar is;
INSTAR RECORDS
PO BOX 90244
NASHVILLE, TN.
37209
Checks/money orders payable to INSTAR RECORDS in the amount of $17.50
(includes $2.50 shipping)
If you like guitars, you'll love this cd.
All the best,
Pete Huttlinger.
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POETRY
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|
"John's Song"
by Paul Creason
|
You sang about tomorrow.
A world of hope and promise, too.
As we listened to your peaceful words,
We lived to see your dreams come true.
You sang about the mountains,
Their snowcapped peaks and waters blue.
As we listened to your powerful words,
It seemed that we were walking there with you.
You sang about the rivers,
Around each bend, another view.
We listened to your happy words,
And felt as if we had been there, too.
You sang about the oceans,
Sailing ships and explorers true.
We listened to your moving words.
And longed to see new worlds with you.
You sang about the flowers,
Their fragrances and colors. every hue.
We listened to your beautiful words,
And we stopped to smell the roses, too. |
You sang about the lovers,
All their hopes and dreams, brand new.
We listened to your truthful words,
Love is not what you say but what you do.
You sang about the children,
Laughing faces everyone.
You helped us to understand them,
Their new lives have just begun.
You sang about our living,
As each morning dawns anew.
We must love, and we must give,
Until our journey here is through.
I spent some time out walking across hills and valleys in the
sunshine today. As I walked I thought of John Denver and his songs.
These words came to my mind. I hope you can identify with them.
Take Care,
Paul Creason |
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INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS
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We live in a world where many of us have lost sight of our priorities of what is
really important in life. We so often get caught in selfish interests and do an endless
list of meaningless things. So many of us have spent dark nights of the Soul because
we have forgotten that the essence of life comes from caring for each other.
-Jerry Jampolsky & Diane Cirincione
(contributed by Kelly Robison)
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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 June edition is July 19, 2000.
***The content of this newsletter is entirely at the discretion of the It's About
Time staff. Contributions are welcome, although inclusion is not guaranteed.***
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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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