IAT NEWSLETTEROctober 2002
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Events Reviews | For Sale | Fundraiser | Letter from the President |
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Newsletter News | Organization Information | Quote of the Month |
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In Loving Memory of John Denver; and for Neva Faye Anderson. May you rest in
Peace.
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"IT'S ABOUT TIME WE BEGIN IT,
TO TURN THE WORLD AROUND . . . "
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ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
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Co-Founder/Former President - Marcelle Orswell (notmartha2@yahoo.com)
Co-Founder and Secretary -- Theresa Shea (Tree1A@aol.com)
Co-Founder/Webpage Designer-Sandy Clark (tybrenn@attbi.com)
Co-Presidents -- Ann Schnitz (aerie01@sprynet.com)
and
Mary Ledford (eagleshorses@yahoo.com)
Web Site -- -- http://home.attbi.com/~tybrenn/iat/
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Dear Friends,
Unlike many of you, I was unable to participate in the Annual Celebration of the
Life of John Denver. Because of financial difficulties, Aspen was out for this year,
but unexpectedly, the life of my best friend's mother was cut short, and I flew to
Portland, OR to be with her as she said goodbye. October 12th found us nearing Mount
St. Helens to observe the devastation wrought by the March, 1980 volcanic eruption,
much of which is still visable today. And despite the grandeur of the spectacular
scenery I saw, it is only now, as I write this, that I realize how symbolic it was
that we visited there on that day.
It is simply stunning to think that in an instant, all of life can change. The
tops of mountains can blow off, covering miles and miles of the surrounding area
in magma and ash. Great buildings can topple. Loved ones die. And suddenly, nothing
is ever the same afterwards. But somehow...out of the mayhem and despair, something
new rises up that while never a substitute, helps to fill the void. A corny cliche,
perhaps, but apt, that life is indeed like a river flowing, and the rocks simply
cause the stream to divert. It doesn't stop.
For me, losing John Denver was a pivotal event in my life, as I know it was for many
of you. Throughout those terrible first days, it seemed impossible to imagine that
anything would ever feel the same...and yet, here we are five years later, still
smiling and still singing. We will always miss John. That's a given. But look
around you at the wonderful friends you have, many of which were people you didn't
even know before 10/12/97...amazing, isn't it? And look at how much we have accomplished
together -- the resurrection of Windstar, highway cleanups all over the world, environmental
foundations created in his name, the Peace Cloth...it goes on and on. Don't ever
forget for a moment that John Denver's greatest legacy is not his music, or his films,
or his humanitarian efforts. It is all of us.
Thanks to all of you who contributed your stories and poetry for this month's IAT
newsletter. If you haven't yet, but would like to send in something about your remembrances
of October 12, we would love to have it for next month.
My heart to yours,
Ann
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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October 25, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland - 2nd Annual "Music From the Mountains"
concert honoring John Denver. Hard Travelers. (410) 849-3220 $32.50 / VIP $85.00
Concert is a benefit for: http://www.horsesthatheal.org
December 14, 2002 -- Christmas Concert with
Chris Westfall, Doylestown, PA
REMINDER::: The John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth is available for all JD-related
events. Please email peaceclothinfo@yahoogroups.com
for more information, or see our website at www.johndenverpeacecloth.com
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SEE DETAILS ON CALENDAR EVENTS (except those from Emily's newsletter) BELOW
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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Thanks to Chris Westfall and Donna Pinto for this month's quote:
Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another
human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this
inner light.
Albert Schweitzer
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FUNDRAISER
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DON'T FORGET.....
If you know of a John Denver memorial site in your area, please send details to
Todd Barker (TheDenverRealtor@aol.com)
and/or Jennifer Hunter (jenden1099@yahoo.com)
to include in this year's IAT Fundraiser. Please see the May edition
of the newsletter for more information -- AS
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EVENTS REVIEWS
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ASPEN
From Steve Jones, Steamboat Springs, CO (KSJSBS@aol.com):
I attended some of the weekend (in Aspen). I couldn't get there until late Saturday
afternoon. The highlight of our time there came on Monday. We hiked up to Cathedral
Lake--near the ghost town of Ashcroft. It was one of those typical Colorado days--sunny
and no clouds. We saw three people on the trail and had the lake to ourselves. We
watched the sunshine sparkle on the water below the rocky peaks and some snow on
one side of the lake.
Later that afternoon, we went to the sanctuary. Although I have been to Aspen several
times, I had not seen this memorial. Except for one other woman, my wife and I were
the only ones there late on that afternoon. As I walked around the boulders and came
upon the other woman, she said, "Take your time, I am meeting someone here".
I said, "OK", but what I should have said is what I felt at the time: "No,
he is here already". I felt John's spirit there among the rocks bearing the
words to some of his songs.
Later, we went to the John Adams concert, which was very good, and then, to the Mountain
Chalet for the sing along. That was still going strong after midnight. The final
highlight of the day, for me, was sharing my song, "Henry John, Where Have You
Gone?", with others that still miss John so very much.
The last great reward of the weekend was going home. I feel so blessed to be able
to live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The drive home was just beautiful. And, that
evening I played a private birthday party and got to sing some songs for another
audience!
*****
From Georgiann McDaniel (RockyMtnHaven@aol.com)
Hi! This is Georgiann McDaniel. I would like to share with you my trip to Aspen.
First let me say that it was one of the most perfect week's I've spent. The weather
was as beautiful as you could ever imagine. The sky was a most perfect Colorado Blue
and the Aspen leaves this year seemed to shimmer an even shinier gold than years
before. The synchronicity of the week was incredible. Thursday started with a beautiful
gathering of about 200-250 people at the John Denver Sanctuary for a Meet and Greet
and Memorial service. It was wonderful to see so many people attend and reunite with
people you haven't seen in awhile.
I always love the Sing-a-longs at the Mountain Chalet. And I'd like to thank Paul
Swanton for allowing me to stay up to wee hours in the morning to sing along with
him and to all the people who were at the sing-a-longs. It is always a great get
together with loving people surrounding you.
Before I left for Aspen, I received an e-mail from James Twyman. He has written a
book called "Emissary of Light". He has taken prayers from the 12 major
religions and set them to music. He then performs these as a "Peace Concert"
in areas of unrest. He has performed at the United Nations, in Croatia and I met
him and attended one of his Peace concerts in Washington, D.C. in 1998. It was NO
coincidence that on Oct. 12, 2002, James Twyman was asked to do a Peace concert in
Iraq. He e-mailed me a prayer and asked that at the time of his concert, he was requesting
that people gather to pray for peace and hold love in their hearts. this was going
to be done all around the world at the same time.
When I got to Aspen, I checked the schedule to see where I would be at the time this
was to be done. I was going to be at the Auction/Concert. How perfect. The night
before, I had heard Ron Rich sing the song he wrote for the Peace Cloth. So I decided
to see what I could do to organize our participation in this Global Prayer Vigil.
I want to thank Pam Beasley for getting me in contact with Mary Ledford, who was
in charge of the Auction/concert. I told her about the prayer and asked if I could
read it. Thank you so much Mary for the Honor and blessing of reading that prayer.
I especially want to thank Ron Rich and his wife Linda for changing their schedule
so Ron could sing the Peace Cloth song right after the prayer...unknown to me at
the time, Ron was not scheduled to sing until about 2p.m. We did the prayer at 11a.m.
Mountain Time...at the exact time it was read all over the world. And thank all of
you for being a part of something that John had wanted so much...Peace for our peoples
and our earth.
The concert at the Wheeler on Saturday night was great...lots of different songs
this year. And of course, on Monday night, the John Adams concert was fantastic.
I attended the first concert John Adams did in a school in Carbondale two years ago.
And to see how they have grown to the Wheeler last year and ever bigger and better
this year, is great. John really sings from the heart and allows you to sing along
with him.
Oh! The Open House at Windstar and the statue dedication was FAR OUT!!!! The statue
is beyond words. And the feeling you get when you are near it is incredible...and
of course, an Eagle or Hawk flew over it to let us know John was there and giving
his approval.
I volunteered to work in the Windstar kitchen the day of the Open House. I would
like to thank Wolf and Carolyn for teaching me how to make hummus and for all the
volunteers that day. Great memories.
And thank you to all those people that I talked and shared with, worked with, sang
with and cried with. John Denver Week in Aspen is like no other. You are surrounded
by people with similar interests and loves. And the love that we all share is something
that we should share with everyone every day. We would truly have Peace if we did.
I almost forgot, the first night that I returned home, I had a dream. I DO NOT WRITE
or KNOW anything about poetry. This is what came to me in my dream, or what I remember
of it.
|
A Nighttime Visit |
Love, light, peace and joy,
Georgiann
P.S. for all of you who took my catalogs from www.mountainangelspecialtygifts.com -- THANKS.
*****
From Melanie Trondson (PeacefulEagle@aol.com):
I want to thank all those who participated in the Singing at the Assisted Living
Center in Aspen. It was a success and a memory that will live on in all of our hearts
as well as the hearts of the seniors. They truly loved the concert we put on and
I saw such joy and peace in their smiles and their eyes. There is no greater joy
than the giving of one heart to another. You all truly sang with such beautiful spirits
and I knew John was with us that day. There was no doubt about it, especially during
the singing of Calypso. I think we all had goosebumps when it was being sung. So,
thank you from the bottom of my heart for participating and here's looking forward
to next year's trip to Aspen.
Peace and blessings,
Melanie
*****
MICHIGAN
From Leslie Glaza, Grand Rapids, Michigan (pandabrown@worldnet.att.net)
In memory of John Denver on 10/11, WBLV-FM, our public radio station remembered him
to all West Michigan listeners as my day sponsorship. This not only supports public
radio, but in a special way keeps John's memory
alive.
*****
ENGLAND
From John Atherton (john.ath@ntlworld.com)
Here in Derby, England, I did a 15 minute spot about John Denver on the Radio Derby.
The spot started off with let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?) and concluded
(after a 5 minute 'chat') with Its A Possibility.
Cheers,
John Atherton
*****
AUSTRALIA
From Janette Frawley, Australia (jfrawley@bigpond.com)
This year, a small group of 9 intrepid travelers journeyed to the magnificent Barrington
Tops region of New South Wales (NSW). Our accommodation and meeting place was at
a large property in a valley at the base of the Barrington Tops, called Riverwood
Downs.
Our group was evenly represented from Victoria, Queensland and NSW. We arrived on
Friday (some of us quite late due to the long trip from Sydney, the last 30kms were
of unmade road). Friday night was an informal meet and greet of new and old friends.
Saturday was largely at our leisure, with the Peace Cloth and campfire events being
organised for later that evening. After a shared BBQ meal, we each viewed and discussed
the Peace Cloth as we signed our own panel, which will be posted back to the Peace
Cloth committee this week.
An auction of John Denver related items followed, the proceeds of which will be donated
to the Birds of Prey exhibit at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. This decision was made
by all participants.
The 'campfire' sing-a-long followed.
As you all know, there is a substantial time difference between Australia and America.
At 9:27am, Sunday 13th October, at exactly the same time as the gathering at both
Pacific Grove and the campfire at Maroon Bells our group gathered once more. After
observing a moment's silence, we read the emails from Sandie Tyler (Pacific Grove)
and Harold Wilson (Maroon Bells). A poem was also read by one of our group.
The last event was our annual tree planting. We have planted five red gum trees
as well as an Acacia tree, all of which are native to the region. The Acacia is
affectionately known as John's Tree. A plaque dedicated to John was also placed
near our trees.
Our trees are planted in a beautiful spot near the bank of the river that runs through
the property. During our tree planting, a kookaburra flew very close to a couple
of the ladies before settling in a nearby tree. Although kookaburras are known for
their distinctive (very loud) laugh, this one sat on a branch quietly watching the
proceedings (and hopefully for the odd snake). John felt very close at that moment.
Not quite an eagle, but the very next best thing.
October 12th 2002, the fifth anniversary of John's death was also marred by the terrorist
bombing in Bali, Indonesia. Lest we Forget
Next yearís event will be held in near Melbourne, Victoria in the beautiful Dandenong
Ranges.
*****
PACIFIC GROVE, CA
From Sandie Tyler (lighthousegtr@juno.com)
Another tribute has come and gone, leaving all of us new memories of times spent
in special places where we have made new friends, caught up with old friends and
the sharing of the love and loss we all feel for John Denver. I spent this year as
I have the past five in Pacific Grove, California. Joining me were my husband , David,
and about forty others. Of those forty , many have returned each year as we have,
and others were new from various parts of the world. The weekend started on Saturday
with a gathering at what we call JD Beach. (For those of you who wonder why we call
this JD Beach, it is just off the coast of this beach that John's plane went down.).
People started arriving around noon and the sun was shining but the air a bit cool.
As the late afternoon came upon us, we could see a fog bank coming in from the ocean
and the air got even colder. John's music was playing as someone had thought to
bring a "boom box". We all talked and reflected as we watched flocks of
pelicans fly by every few minutes.
Candles were passed out to everyone and at around 5:10 p.m.(PST) we gathered around
as letters were read from Australia and Aspen. That was special as it created more
of a bond with all those gathered in those places doing and feeling exactly as we
were. At 5:28p.m. we had a few minutes of silence and then the roar of the planes
coming in from Monterey Bay could be heard through the now much closer cloud and
fog bank. Finally, we could see 3 Long-EZs fly directly overhead and out over the
ocean. Seeing these planes always brings so many emotions to the surface for all
of us. They truly are a sight to see though and every year this has been done at
this moment of our program. Some times there are more of them and they fly in the
missing man formation. We thank those pilots for coming up from So. Calif. (and anywhere
else they are from) to do this for us each year. The last couple of years, they have
raffled off 2 rides in these planes that are usually done the next day. From talking
with people that have taken the flight, it is an awesome experience. They say it
is very peaceful and quiet up there and you can't help but realize the view that
John saw on his last flight out over Monterey Bay. It is really magnificent and although
my mentioning this could be taken as a morbid thought, it is really meant to express
the fact that John seemed to be surrounded by all things he loved on that last day
(no matter how much we hate the fact that he has left us) such as golf, the ocean
, good friends and just pure beauty.
Anyway, after the fly by, we hung out at the beach for another hour just talking
to everyone and a few people who brought guitars started playing a few songs and
we all sang. It was getting dark and really cold so as some headed home, many of
us gathered at a local pizza parlor and had dinner. It is always fun for me to socialize
with all the friends I have spoken to online or met previous years. After dinner
we all went back to a motel called the Butterfly Grove Inn. ( Next to this inn is
the famous Monarch Butterfly Grove where there is a bench there dedicated to John.).
We had a sing-a-long and raffle which we all enjoyed. There were two guitar players
and my husband played mandolin and we all threw out names of our favorite JD songs
for them to play as we all tried our best to sing-a-long. This is always fun because
lets face it, who of us doesn't like to hear and sing John Denver music more than
anything else !!!
On Sunday, we gathered at a different location. This place is right on the cliff
of the bay and it is called, Lovers
Point Park. Just the name of it and the location is the perfect spot to remember
John !!! We had a beach clean-up and information table set up for anyone wanting
to know more about him or the various projects and tributes going on in the world.
In the afternoon, several of us went to a restaurant called the Tinnery for lunch
and then back to JD Beach for the closing candlelight vigil. It is always sad when
these weekends end and we say our good-byes. Although our event in Pacific Grove
is not as grand as what is done in Aspen, it is still special to those of us who
show up each year to keep his memory and legacy alive in this area that he loved
and lived. Although I would love to go to Aspen one year and see where he lived
there and wrote music about as well as meet many more fans that I only know through
the internet, I feel compelled to keep coming to Pacific Grove . It is a very spiritual
place and since the governing officials of Pacific Grove do not support our group
or cause, (they don't stop us from coming , they just aren't very helpful or supportive
of the events. The towns people have shown otherwise though with interest and thank
yous being said to us when we do the beach clean-up, etc. ) we feel it is in the
hands of us fans (our JD family) to keep his legacy alive and to be there for anyone
who wants to know what he was all about. So, I invite any and all of you to come
out to Pacific Grove, to share in our humble but no less love filled tributes. Come
eat dinner at the Rio Grill where we have heard that John ate almost daily when he
was in town ( this is actually in Carmel Valley closer to where he lived ) and see
for yourself just why John chose to live here when he was not in Aspen. You won't
regret your time here.
Well, it's on to planning our 6 year tribute and if you are anything like me, those
plans are already forming in my head !!! Can't wait to be there again.
Peace, Sandie Tyler
*****
From Carol Campisi (carolacampisi@yahoo.com)
A short poem re 10/12
| Five years ago John left this world to soar with eagles. Time is so precious and yet taken for granted. My mom has since left, and dad is now leaving. I want to hold on to people in my life that mean so much and yet time does not allow us that luxury. Only memories remain in our hearts ó times shared together ó Let me forever live in the peace of knowing such special people. |
Carol Campisi
10/12/02
Pacific Grove, California
5 Years Later
*****
Other reflections of the Pacific Grove weekend (PixieDmyer@aol.com):
Friends:
Many thanks to all who participated in this year's beach cleanup and tributes in
Pacific Grove! Although we had typical Monterey Peninsula weather for the first time
(fog, clouds and overall damp, cold weather) we had an excellent event, absolutely
perfect in every way.
During the candlelight tribute on Saturday, people read letters from Aspen, Australia
and Pacific Grove John Denver fans - letters that were being read at each event location
that day.
Maria Gil de la Madrid read a poem she wrote in tribute to John.
Leslie Newman spoke about the John Denver Remembrance at EcologyFund.com,
where by clicking once a day, you can save forest land and wildlife refuge areas
around the world. Go to
http://www.ecologyfund.com/registry/ecology/ecology.html?noheader=-1
To join, clink "Join" on John Denver
Remembrance
http://www.ecologyfund.com/registry/ecology/groups_listing.html?catserial=2090
Suzanne Spisszak spoke about the campaign to
get John Denver on a U.S. Postage Stamp (it has to wait another 5 years by law, but
the petitions are already being circulated). The petitions are not available online
yet; only hard copies are available. I have a few copies I can send to people who
are interested in collecting signatures in their area. You can contact the Eagle
Spirit Skies Foundation for more information: contact Linda Riviello at
MontclrGrl@aol.com, or Suzanne Spisszak at eaglespiritskies@webtv.net for
more information, or you can contact them by snail mail or phone at Eagle Spirit
Skies Foundation, PO Box 963, Fogelsville, PA 18051, 610-392-5766.
Despite broken low clouds and an offshore fog bank, three Long EZ pilots from Southern
California flew the Missing Man formation over John Denver Beach for us! If you've
never seen these planes fly, you are missing an exceptional experience; and the Missing
Man formation is an incredibly moving tribute to a fallen pilot.
After the tribute (taped by Channel 46, if anyone local happened to catch their 6:30pm,
10:00pm or 11:00pm newscasts), most folks adjourned to Gianni's in Monterey for dinner,
and then gathered back at the organizers' hotel room at the Butterfly Grove Inn for
the singalong.
Two of the pilots joined us after the flight and dinner, answered questions about
John's plane, and offered up EZ flights on Sunday morning for auction. Almost everyone
won at least one item during the raffle, there was a little after-raffle bargaining
being done over certain items, and our flight winners were Annalisa Berns (San Diego,
CA) and Merit Weber (Berlin, Germany)!
Sunday morning was cold, damp and foggy - we were afraid the flights over the Bay
would have to be scrubbed. But the weather cleared up a little further south, so
Merit and Annalisa flew out over Pt. Lobos and down around the Big Sur area - and
as some of you may know, John's song "Perhaps Love" was written as he was
driving up the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur!
The weather was so damp we couldn't display the 2 John Denver Peace Cloth panels
we had - one panel that had been at a Washington DC prayer vigil, and one that had
just been displayed at a Pennsylvania Christopher Westfall concert - so we'll hope
for dryer weather next year. Plus, the weather was so COLD that only about 10 people
showed up for the beach cleanup. Despite the challenges, we collected about 20 gallons
of trash, and then went to The Tinnery for lunch to warm up!
People gathered for the Sunday evening tribute at John Denver Beach, we listened
to music, chatted about John and what we all remembered about his concerts, and what
we were all doing now to move his work forward, then held a moment of silence.
The Sunday evening tribute's moment of silence was commemorated with a formation
flyby of pelicans, which was greatly appreciated.
Those of us who braved the damp and cold at the beach on Sunday evening were rewarded
with one of the more spectacular sunsets most of us had seen, and some truly remarkable
cloud formations, including the word "Love" and a Pegasus. If you don't
believe me, ask anyone who was there!
It was hard for everyone to leave, but most people had to work on Monday. As the
sky darkened, we said our goodbyes, and knew we'd see each other there on the beach
again next year.
And it is with great excitement that I am able to report that, thanks to the *incredible*
generosity of everyone who participated in the raffle and auction, we raised $468
to donate to our three groups this year: The Arbor Day Foundation, Plant-It 2000
and Friends of the Monarchs!
As a side note, there was a column in the Monterey Herald that expressed dismay that
John Denver was not being remembered in the Monterey/Pacific Grove area. ("It
was five years ago today that singer John Denver plunged into the Monterey Bay in
an experimental aircraft, but his fans around the world still remember. Web sites
dedicated to the singer are gaining popularity and pay homage to his work and legacy
by posting poetry, songs and random words of kindness. One group, the World Family
of John Denver, will hold a series of tribute concerts and memorials this weekend
in Aspen. The Professor hasn't heard of a single activity planned for the Monterey
Peninsula. How soon they forget. Three years ago, fans were flocking from as far
away as Berlin to visit the closest shore to where Denver's plane crashed. Should
anyone have an impulse to take a moment of silence, officials say it was 5:28pm when
Denver's craft fell.") Now, the paper was sent a press release, but the announcement
didn't make it into the paper this year. For anyone who was there, who would like
to send the writer(s) of the "Professor Toro" column their report about
this year's gathering to remember John Denver's life and work, here's the email address:
proftoro@montereyherald.com
The organizers are looking forward to seeing you all again at next year's event.
Peace, Love and Understanding -
John Denver: The Legacy Continues...
*****
SALIDA, CO
From Christine Smith (christinesmith@amigo.net)
The Fourth Annual John Denver Celebration held in Salida, Colorado October 5-6, 2002
was the best celebration yet. Two words come to mind to describe it-- wonderful and
beautiful.
178 persons made reservations to attend, with 156 in attendance from across Colorado,
Georgia, California, New Mexico, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wyoming, as well
as from Canada and England. Held in the Great Hall, and with 9 outstanding musicians
and guest speakers, the Celebration provided a variety of musical styles and renditions
of Johnís music, as well as a focus on how each of us can be part of continuing Johnís
legacy.
All guests were again greeted by the magnificent John Denver Mountain. Every night
the mountainside was lit with a huge red heart and large white lettering of "JD"
meaning "We love John Denver." Made up of small lights carefully positioned
on the side of a mountain, the display is so large it can be seen for miles around
and from the sky. The long part of the "J" is over 40 feet long with the
top part of the "J" over 25 feet across.
Highlights of the weekend included the awarding of The John Denver Memorial Peace
Prize to Colorado volunteer firefighter James Easter whose home burnt to the ground
in one of the tragic wildfires in Colorado. Easter, father of 4, despite the loss
of his familyís home reported first on duty to defend the homes of his neighbors.
Throughout the days of fighting the fire (which resulted in 100 families losing their
homes), Easter was there for others, providing emotional support to those in need,
as well as courageously fighting the fire. Three of Easterís comrades, fellow firefighters,
spoke of his love for others both during that tragic time and year-round.
The awarding of the John Denver Memorial Peace Prize was very emotional, as the recipient
accepted the Prize, tears flowed in his and his friendís and familyís eyes. Every
year, the John Denver Memorial Peace Prize is awarded to an individual who has shown
great love for humanity or EarthÖsomeone who exemplifies the love John sang of and
committed his life toÖsomeone who has brought peace.
Throughout the day, the audience was treated to beautiful performances of Johnís
songs from musicians across the United States: Steve Jones, Bailey Jester -- Matt
Young and Young Stryker, myself, Veronique Van Pelt, Christopher Hawley, Heather
Ogren, and Alex Merklinger. In addition, I presented a speech "Continuing Johnís
Legacy," and guest speaker Alex Merklinger presented a speech "Creating
the Life You Dream Of" based on Johnís beliefs. All performers shared their
story of how their lives had been touched or influenced by John.
The music was powerful and movingÖlaughter and tears filled the audience throughout
the programÖtimes of clappingÖand times of silence.
This Celebration truly honors John--his music and all he stood for. Our youngest
guest was 9 years of age and our oldest 82. Johnís music crosses all generationsÖit
brings us together as a familyÖand inspires us to go out and make a difference. My
heart is filled with joy to see this event creating friendships from people worldwide
and to see it sharing Johnís message that each of is a giftÖonce you realize that,
you cannot help but want to get involved in issues in lifeÖyou realize it is up to
you. Thatís what my greatest hope is--that people go away from this Celebration each
year with a better understanding and deeper appreciation of John--and that they begin
sharing his music and message with others--and then they begin putting his words
of love into action. Thatís what John most wanted--that his life be a catalyst to
inspire us to make a difference--each year at the Celebration, I see his dream is
being realized more and more by people worldwide and that people are beginning to
understand his significanceÖthat he was more than a singer/songwriterÖhe was a communicator
of an important message, that love is the answer.
Christine Smith
*****
LIMERICK, ME
From Christine Weaver (weaver35@charter.net)
Well, we just returned home from a wonderful weekend in Maine at Tom and Kyle's B&B.
The house was full the whole weekend, and "a great time was had by all."
And the food, as always, was fantastic! The JD Night at the
coffeehouse on Saturday, October 12th, was a success and both our hosts (the Jeremiah
Mason House and the Village Green Coffeehouse) provided dinner for a small charge.
A nice touch to warm up the night! The company was friendly and cozy and the music,
warm and touching.
Tom brought some of us to tears with his rendition of "Perhaps Love". He
tried to blame it on how he was
"butchering" the song, the modest one! I not sure if it was the emotion
in his singing of it that got to me or how I saw his vision glance past his family,
wife and both beautiful daughters, in the audience as he sang a particularly loving
part of the song. He's a very lucky person, as is his family. And Mike, though very
shy about performing, pleasantly surprised those of us who had no idea that he was
so talented with his beautiful playing of "My Sweet Lady". And Denise,
the true trooper of them all! I love these musicians who tell you, "but I only
play in church!" Hum, and how is that NOT DIFFICULT! Once she got up and started
playing, you could tell that she enjoyed being "on stage."
A moment of silence was held at the Eastern Standard Time equivalent of the accident
five years ago in Monterey Bay, CA that made the whole day so important to many of
us. In some way, he left us one more gift before he was gone; a reason to come together.
For that, John, I thank you.
To conclude, it was a wonderful weekend that would have made John proud. Thank you
everyone who participated or who wished they could have joined us. And to all of
you who went to Aspen, we thought about you as well. I hope everyone had a wonderful
time and made it home safely.
Sincerely, Christine (EclipseJD)
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COMING EVENTS
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CHRIS WESTFALL IN CONCERT
December 14, 2002, 8PM
Chris will be having a Christmas Concert at the Salem United Church of Christ on
December 14th (Saturday night) starting at 8. The next afternoon, December 15th,
Christopher will be doing a few songs as part of the church's annual Live Nativity
which starts at 4 PM! Why not plan a weekend in lovely Bucks County? Please write
Dottie Honer (honer@erols.com) or Donna Pinto (donnapinto@yahoo.com)
for more information.
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FOR SALE
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Peace Cloth Items!
Don't forget to check out www.johndenverpeacecloth.com
(Peace Cloth Store) for exclusive John Denver items. All proceeds benefit The John
Denver Memorial Peace Cloth.
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
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From DENlines, 10/16/02
1. EVICTING WILDLIFE: Proposal strips protections from animals in national forests
Defenders of Wildlife has obtained an as-yet unreleased Bush administration proposal
that would undermine the crucial law protecting wildlife in our national forests.
Under the proposal, the administration would evict bears, big cats, wolves and millions
of other animals from their homes -- all because the timber industry wants to increase
logging beyond what our national forests can sustain and remain healthy. Under the
long-standing National Forest Management Act, forest habitats are supposed to be
protected for the wildlife that lives there. But the administration is preparing
to gut wildlife protections. That would throw the forest's animals to the mercy of
timber-industry profiteers. What's more, the proposal would severely curtail the
public's ability to comment on how these public lands are used.
To learn more, go to www.saveforestwildlife.org.
2. ANOTHER BISON SLAUGHTER? Annual killing starts early outside Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is home to our last wild, free-roaming herd of buffalo.
But the state of Montana has killed about 3,000 of these bison in the past decade
on federal public land just outside Yellowstone, and fears are mounting that this
winter will bring another slaughter as the buffalo venture to lower-elevation pastures
to forage. The state slaughtered three bison last week -- the earliest start to the
annual killing. Montana claims buffalo might infect cattle with the disease brucellosis.
But there are no cattle grazing on the public land just outside Yellowstone and none
will be there for another 10 months. Besides, there's never been a single documented
case of wild buffalo infecting cattle with brucellosis.
To learn more, click here. http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/new/bison.html
3. WOLF AWARENESS WEEK: Time to bring better understanding of el lobo
It's National Wolf Awareness Week, a time to dispel misconceptions about wolves and
educate the public about their importance in maintaining healthy ecosystems. This
year, 22 states proclaimed Wolf Awareness Week, and Defenders is sponsoring activities
across the country. There are presentations by wolf experts, children's activities,
guided tours of wolf facilities and more. "The history of the wolf in the United
States has been one of misunderstanding and persecution, long shrouded by myth and
superstition. This week provides an important opportunity to set the record straight"
said Yvonne Borresen, education associate for Defenders. To learn more, click here:
http://www.defenders.org/waw/.
4. HOWL ALONG WITH YOUR OWN WOLF: Adopt one today
America's wolves face continued deadly threats from influential politicians and corporate
special interests who would remove their protection under the Endangered Species
Act. You can help save their lives by adopting a wolf today. It's a wonderful way
to celebrate National Wolf Awareness Week or make the perfect gift for someone special.
You'll receive our six-inch howling wolf plush toy, Defenders' award-winning magazine
and other benefits. Click here to adopt a wolf: http://www.defenders.org/adopt/wolf/adopt.html
5. HELPING WORLD'S WILDLIFE: Defenders works for
new protections at international conference
Elephants, sharks, sea turtles and parrots are threatened, and Defenders of Wildlife
will be at the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
to push for new protections for these animals and other wildlife. In Santiago, Chile,
we will also work to curtail international trade in mahogany. Known as "green
gold," mahogany is made into luxury products that are sold to the wealthy around
the globe. But the excessive logging of these magnificent trees is leading to the
destruction of forests that are important to wildlife such as the jaguar. As CITES
is about to begin, the World Conservation Union has added 121 kinds of plants and
animals to its list of 11,167 species threatened with extinction around the world.
To learn more about our efforts at CITES and visit our CITES action center, click
here: http://www.defenders.org/cites/
6. SAVE THE PRAIRIE DOGS: Lawsuit seeks to stop extermination of colony
The city of Lubbock, Texas, is preparing to exterminate one of the Southwest's largest
remaining prairie dog colonies. But Defenders of Wildlife and other environmental
groups have filed suit to stop the eradication. The city claims the estimated 50,000
prairie dogs in the colony are contaminating groundwater. But there is no scientific
evidence to support this claim. After Texas DEN members bombarded the city with e-mails
last winter, officials delayed their plans, but only for a few months. Black-tailed
prairie dogs are known as a keystone species because of their importance in nature.
An estimated 170 species of wildlife rely at some level on prairie dogs for survival.
We'll keep you posted on the progress of our lawsuit.
7. RETURN OF FISHERS: 10 more freed into wilds of Tennessee
With help from Defenders of Wildlife, 10 more fishers are back in the wilds of Tennessee
today, 200 years after they were eliminated here by trapping and logging. The 10
fishers were freed in the 80,000-acre Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, joining 20
of the members of the weasel family that were released into the same area a year
ago. "The mountains of East Tennessee are a little bit more natural than they
used to be, now that fishers have returned here," said Defenders of Wildlife
Vice President Nina Fascione, who went to Wisconsin to help capture the fishers that
were freed in Tennessee. Defenders is helping pay for this project. To read more,
click here: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/new/meso/fisher.html
Defenders of Wildlife, meanwhile, joined other environmental groups in filing a lawsuit
to extend Endangered Species Act protections to another forest carnivore -- the wolverine.
There are now believed to be no more than 750 wolverines in just four states -- Montana,
Washington, Idaho and Wyoming.
Defenders of Wildlife
1101 14th Street, N.W.
Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20005
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NEWSLETTER NEWS
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If you would like to submit articles, news items, stories, poetry, or any other pertinent
information to IT'S ABOUT TIME, please e-mail any of the IAT staff. The submission
deadline for the next edition is November 19, 2002. Please be sure to include
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The content of this newsletter is entirely at
the discretion of the "It's About Time" staff. Contributions, as always,
are welcomed, although inclusion is not guaranteed.
All contributed material may be subject to
editing for content and length.
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". . . IT'S ABOUT TIME WE START TO LIVE
IT,
THE FAMILY OF MAN,
IT'S ABOUT TIME
AND IT'S ABOUT CHANGES . . .
AND IT'S ABOUT TIME."
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