IAT NEWSLETTERNovember/December 2005
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Calendar of Events | Environmental News | For Sale | Fundraisers |
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Letter from the President | Letters & Poetry | Newsletter News | Organization Information |
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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@comcast.net)
Co-Presidents -- Ann Schnitz (aerie01@comcast.net)
and
Mary Ledford (eagleshorses@yahoo.com)
Web Site -- -- http://home.comcast.net/~tybrenn/iat/
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Dear Friends,
I'm sitting here in my home office, looking out at the first real snowfall of the season -- 6 inches on Friday morning. This was already the third time we've gotten snow and it isn't even officially winter yet. A harbinger of things to come? Perhaps. Does it usually snow this much in Pennsylvania in December? Not usually.
Global warming (aka climate change) or simply a normal, cyclical event, it's obvious that *something* is happening. And whether we're driving it or exacerbating it, for me, isn't the point. We should do everything we can to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. Can you walk to the store instead of hopping in the car? You should. Can you take public transportation if it's available to you? Definitely. Our old pal John Denver always talked about "conscious choices" but what does that really mean? Exactly this, folks. We can choose to deplete all our resources by continuing our greedy lifestyle or we can choose to live lighter. We can drive less, walk more, buy fuel efficient vehicles, support green businesses where we can, etc. etc. It's up to us. And hey (yes, this *is* my cunning, annual plea for your newsletter support – you knew I'd get around to it eventually, didn't you? : ) ), if you do something – make a change in your own life, plant a tree, join a fantastic new environmental organization – whatever -- won't you please let us know?
And of course, while you're at it, say a prayer for the wind and the water and the wood...and those who live there too. A very happy holiday season to all!
My heart to yours,
Ann
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A LETTER FROM MARY
Greetings Everybody!
This has been quite a year of turmoil ... from the war in Iraq to the major disasters - Katrina and Rita both hurricanes of extreme magnitude that have caused devastating destruction and despair throughout our country. In the face of this, people from all over have come together to help our fellow countrymen in this great time of need which is what I think makes our country great. I would ask all of you to keep those affected by these disasters and the war in your prayers and let's hope that this new year will bring our troops home for good.
Have a safe, happy holiday and a healthy New Year!
Mary
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A LETTER FROM SANDY
To all my JD friends,
Such a busy time of year. We put up our outdoor Christmas lights (I decorated my ‘little’ JD evergreen tree which is now taller than me!) and we decorated our indoor tree this weekend. I put my JD ornament on the tree and pushed the little button on the back to hear “Annie’s Song” play. My 14 year old son gave me a strange look and I quickly told him that I was sorry, there wasn’t an ‘off’ button. He laughed and said “that’s ok, I don’t mind John Denver.” He may not have thought anything of that statement, but it meant so much to me. To have a teenager who only listens to groups like Green Day say that JD was ok, I know I must be doing something right!
It’s a scary world out there for our kids and for us parents. Our high school principal recently pointed out an internet site called myspace.com where so many kids are now posting personal information as well as photos, making themselves potential targets for internet predators. There are hundreds of kids just from my small town. We need to watch what our kids are doing and keep them safe. Not just during the holidays, but all year round. They are such a precious gift that need to be treasured and protected. So at this special time of year, I wish all of my JD friends a safe, healthy and happy holiday. And keep JD in your heart (and your stereo!) to help you get through the holiday stresses!
Love,
Sandy
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. The lasting pleasures of contact with the natural world are not reserved for scientist but are available to anyone who will place himself under the influence of earth, sea, and sky, and their amazing life."
~Rachel Carson
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FUNDRAISER
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Nothing to report this month
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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December 17, 2005 - Doylestown, PA - Christopher Westfall will present "Sounds of the Season." 7:30pm Salem United Church of Christ / 186 East Court Street <PAHough@aol.com >
December 21, 2005 – Rahway, NJ – Christopher Westfall Christmas Concert 7:30pm St. Mark’s Church, 287 Hamilton Street $14; 732-382-3108
December 31, 2005 - Haddonfield, NJ - Christopher Westfall will play at the First Night town celebration. 7:00pm
<www.firstnighthaddonfield.org>
January 23, 2006 - Largo, FL - The Rocky Mountain Memory Show, a "Tribute to John Denver" starring Ron Rich and the Stone Tree Band / Shows at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, Largo Cultural Center / 105 Central Park / Largo, Florida Tickets: $15 (727) 587-6793
April 28-30, 2006 - PA Friends of John Denver – Annual Spring Retreat - Bitter Goose Lodge $55 - Deposit of $20 required. Make checks or money orders payable to Susan Spohn / 628 Hemlock Street / Pittsburgh, PA 15202 Info: < spohn@infionline.net >
June 17, 2006 - Baltimore, MD * 2nd Bi-Annual "Nightingala" "A Musical Tribute to John Denver" Concert for John Hopkins School of Nursing. / Peabody Conservatory of Music / 1 Mount Vernon Place / Peabody Concert Hall 8:00pm / 6:00 - VIP "Great Chefs" Reception in the Peabody Library * http://www.musicunites.com/Schedule.htm
Weekends - Every Friday & Saturday - Branson, MO * "John Denver Lives" - Dinner 5:00pm & performance 5:30pm-6:30pm $24.95 Hillbilly Inn & Dinner Theatre / Hillbilly Inn Motel / 1166 West Highway 76 / Branson, MO 65616 info@hillbillyinn.com * 1-800-535-0739 www.johndenverlives.com * rodphil549@aol.com
(thanks to Emily Parris and the Rocky Mountain High newsletter for many of these dates; thanks too, to Karen Tupek for keeping us up to date with Mack Bailey’s schedule, Judy Therrien for information on Chris Westfall’s engagements, and Deb Sanderson for news of events in California)
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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LETTERS & POETRY
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From Carole Romanowski (whispjesse@aol.com), a poem honoring John's birthday on Dec. 31st
Birthday Wishing
Wish I could send you a birthday present
Of waterfalls tumbling to rippling streams below
Cascading in cadence with the voice of the wind
In the diamond sparkle of sunshine's glow.
Wish I could present you with mountain tops
to scale
Or bestow on you flowing rivers to fly fish
Edging nearby copious fields of columbine.....
All in your honor......I wish, I wish.
But instead I will celebrate with your
melodic rhymes
You spent your lifetime - and mine -
to compose.
Respect nature and serve the family of man
To gladden your spirit while in repose.
So John let me be a loving messenger
Of birthday wishes to prove I care.
Though your voice is now silent, there's the
truth of your song
That was your being and is now my prayer.
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(Better late than never – this would've appeared last month, but there was no November newsletter – AS)
From Deb Sanderson (PixieDmyr@aol.com):
Friends:
The October 2005 gathering at Pacific Grove, California was another glorious day with friends! We met some new friends, caught up with old friends, sang a lot of songs, and cleaned the beach! There wasn't as much trash lying around as there has been in years past, but as always, cigarette butts were the biggest offenders.
The weather cooperated by being clear and (mostly) warm, if a bit windy. We were a small but enthusiastic group, and it was great to catch up with what people had been doing since last we met, and where peoples' lives were taking them.
As always, it was a bittersweet reunion. As much as we enjoy being together, the truth is that we wouldn't all know each other if we hadn't lost John, and his loss is still an ache that will never completely go away. People have had difficult years in many ways, many of us lost loved ones, some are having medical and other life difficulties, and those life difficulties kept some of our friends from attending the event this year and they were greatly missed.
However, even though only 35 of us attended the event this year, we were able to raise $250.00 for Friends of the Monarchs and their care of the John Denver bench and the Butterfly Grove habitat. Another $250.00 that got added to the kitty went to the Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts (Katrina, Wilma, others).
I've attached a few of the low-res photos from the event, as well as the three letters that were read during the candlelight tribute.
As always, stay well, and we'll see you in Pacific Grove next October!
Peace, Love and Understanding -
John Denver: The Legacy Continues...
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From Sandy Clark (tybrenn@comcast.net):
Hi IAT,
This' to remind people NOT to drink and drive, especially with the holidays fast approaching.
http://www.projo.com/massachusetts/content/projo-20051108-cabral.3ed6954b.html
http://www.projo.com/massachusetts/content/projo_20051107_cabral7.12285339.html
http://www.projo.com/massachusetts/content/projo-20051110-cabral.47e41681.html
The police officer in the above articles is from my town. Our town is broken and devastated. EVERYONE knew him and EVERYONE is hurting, especially the kids ... all because 1 man chose to get behind the wheel after he had been drinking. This man will never be able to comprehend the affects his selfishness and stupidity will have for years to come. The wake tonight will not only include law enforcements officers from all over, it will include our Varsity and J.V. football players, our soccer teams, our Little League baseball players, our high school and our junior high students who graduated from the D.A.R.E. Program (Drug Awareness and Resistance Education) that was taught by this generous man. The funeral procession tomorrow will find the same kids lining Route 6 in Swansea to pay their last respects to a man who made a difference in their lives. It is overwhelming.
If anyone can, please consider some prayers for the tiny community of Swansea, Massachusetts. Its heart has been broken.
Sandy Clark
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From Carole Romanowski (whispjesse@aol.com):
Almost Heaven Review
I had the great fortune to attend the performance of Hal Thau's new two-hour musical, Almost Heaven: The Songs of John Denver, at the New York City off-Broadway theater, The Promenade, on Sat., Nov. 12th this year! John is very much loved - the theater was packed to over 85% capacity.
Before entering the theater, the lobby displayed two large colorful canvas wall hangings of John, John's guitars (and guitar case) used during his career, plus album and CD covers and pictures of John. I was so lucky to stop two performers - Nicholas Rodrigues and Lee Morgan - and get their autographs! They both related to me they listened to John's music for years and strongly believed in John's message. So it gave them both a sense of personal pleasure to perform in this musical.
The 6 singers (7 - John was included in the cast in the playbill!), gave incredible performances presenting 28 of John Denver's songs sung against colorful backdrop scenes depicting America during the years of social upheaval when John composed his music - the late '60's and early '70's - i.e. "Country Roads"(Vietnam), "Rhymes and Reasons"(the Martin Luther King shooting), "I Wish I Could Have Been There"(Woodstock),etc. The singers were up close and personal with the audience since the band was placed at the back of the stage behind the performers.
Jim Newman gave an excellent performance of John Denver, and all the performers sang passionately with rich, beautiful voices while keeping eye contact with the audience. Their presentation was professional, riveting and infectious - they had the audience toe-tapping and hand-clapping to "Grandma's Feather Bed" and teary-eyed while singing "All of My Memories."
Near the end of the show, John Denver himself appeared on the backdrop singing the beginning of his musical composition "Yellowstone", while the singers respectfully turned their backs on the audience to view and honor John's performance. The singers then ended the show with performing the rest of "Yellowstone" written after John's demise, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. They received two well-deserved standing ovations!
In conclusion,, Almost Heaven, in my opinion, was a beautiful and sensitive tribute to John Denver, to his music and message, and did him justice. It presented a decent account of John's musical career reflecting American history and culture and his own life during these years. The only change I would have made in this musical, if I had it in my power, would have been to drop Almost from the title of the show and add John's physical presence on the stage. Then the musical truly would have been just pure Heaven!!!!!
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(A wonderful article we had to include – from here: http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=20237)
John Denver an example for all of us
By JEANNINE JORDAN-SQUIRE
12/06/2005
This Christmas, I am coming out of the closet. I am proclaiming my secret passion far and wide: my favorite Christmas album is “John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together.” I’m a purist, though. Some of the recent rereleases of the CD are missing a key song, Denver and Rowlff’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Denver and Rowlf are really something special together. It’s a travesty to cut that song.
I know some stores have been playing Christmas music since they shelved their Halloween decorations, but I waited until the day after Thanksgiving. Then, after digging through the dusty shelves where I’d stashed my holiday movies and music, I found it, Denver’s smiling face surrounded by all his Muppet friends. Let the Holidays begin!
I like John Denver’s music. I sing along when I flip his CD on. I know all the words. I had a very pleasant drive to school today listening to Denver and Miss Piggy warble their way through the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” and it reminded me of a few important truths I had forgotten, or at least misplaced.
John Denver looked like a Muppet. He sounded like a Muppet. When he performed with the Muppets, it was like a family reunion. I admit all that, and know that even his songs deserve some of the criticism they get. But only some of it.
Our society has lost something important if we are too jaded and cynical to believe in magic. Christmas is all about believing that the impossible not only could occur, but did happen — and continues to. Regardless whether we’re considering the magic of Santa making his epic journey around the world, or the sublime story of the Nativity, we are celebrating the illogical and impossible. John Denver and the Muppets blissfully rejoice in all the paradoxes and quandaries of the season, and that sense of play permeates my CD.
Has our society lost all sense of joy and hope? We need to believe in Oz and Tinkerbell, in Santa’s elves and the Tooth Fairy — at least sometimes. Few of us really live in a world where gansta rap reflects “reality” — but for some reason, society chooses to believe that rap shows “real life,” while John Denver is sugary. Maybe so, but I’d rather live in the world Denver writes about than the one Tupac Shakur populated. When Henry David Thoreau wrote about animals beings our brothers and flowers having consciousness, he became a classic; when Denver did the same thing, he became a joke.
However, that’s not my main defense of John Denver. Here’s the biggie: he loved what he did, and worked hard to do it as well and as joyfully as he could. He knew he was the punchline of every would-be comic and cynic — and he sometimes laughed with them. He marched to a different drummer, to continue the Thoreau allusion — or more appropriately, jigged to a different mandolin! How many of us are strong enough to follow our bliss, wherever it may lead? How many of us are even aware of what our bliss is? To those who are, there’s only one appropriate cheer: Far Out!
So I drive down the road singing along with Kermit and Fozzie Bear and their human friend, John Denver, wondering if this will be the Christmas that just for an evening — just for a moment — we can all watch and wait and believe.
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WEBSITES OF INTEREST
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Some good ones for information on climate change and what you can do. Is global warming really occurring? You decide.
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/
http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/default.asp
http://www.globalwarming.org/
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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. We now have a shopping cart to make your purchases easier!
Also -- if you shop online, please visit our virtual mall: www.johndenverpeacecloth.onecause.com -- every sale at a store in the mall returns a donation to the Cloth. The Peace Cloth now has eScrip -- please see our website for more information.
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If you're looking for something special for a special someone, come check out what Wildlife Creations
(http://www.geocities.com/wldlifecreation) has to offer!! We have many items relating to John Denver and other items that would make fantastic gifts for people you know and love! Or gift someone who is hard to buy for, something that they will talk about for years! From keychains, snowglobes, t-shirts, potpourri jars and more!!! We're sure you'll find something! And remember, whenever you purchase from Wildlife Creations, you're not only giving a gift to someone you know, but to the Windstar Foundation and also the National Wildlife Federation, in John's memory, for wolf education as all proceeds are given to them. Wildlife Creations is now offering a feature product.
Checkout the website for this month's offering! For more information, you can email us at
wldlifecreation@wildmail.com.
In this healing time...
Thank you for helping to make the world
a better place in which to live,
Diana and Susan
Wildlife Creations
http://www.geocities.com/wldlifecreation
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From Sherry Cook <backhomagain@yahoo.com>
*UPDATE*
Hello friends!
I will still donate a portion of my Mary Kaye proceeds to Windstar, so please contact me directly through my e-mail from now on (backhomagain@yahoo.com).
Peace and joy,
Sherry :)
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
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Follow the link for the latest issue of Defenders magazine –
http://www.defenders.org/defendersmag/issues/fall05/fall05.html
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Effort to Save Endangered Wildlife Moves to Senate
Help Save the Endangered Species Act
Urge your Senators to maintain our national commitment to protecting America's special plants, animals and places...
Defenders of Wildlife is hard at work to save the Endangered Species Act and the special creatures the law protects. Our Senate champions were encouraged by the narrow margins of the House vote, which few Congress watchers felt would be so close. We are working with Senate heroes to ensure that the bill, introduced by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-California), is defeated and imperiled wildlife remains protected.
We are also organizing grassroots activists around the country, recruiting coalition partners and launching a media blitz to educate the public. We have held many presentations to community groups, schools and outdoor organizations and tabled at conferences and events around the country. Attendees at all events had the opportunity to write letters to their elected officials to encourage them to protect the Endangered Species Act.
Here are just a few examples of Defenders of Wildlife's grassroots efforts:
* We recently opened a new office in Colorado. At the open house, nearly 100 people attended to learn more about Defenders' work in the state and how they can get involved with protecting endangered species.
* In Arizona, Defenders hosted a fundraiser in Sedona to raise money for a project with a local school to paint a mural of the more than 70 listed species in the state to raise awareness of the importance of the Endangered Species Act.
* Defenders hosted an event with Atka, an ambassador wolf from the Wolf Conservation Center of South Salem, New York, to help the nearly 100 local members and activists who attended learn how the Endangered Species Act protects wolves and other threatened wildlife.
* Wildlife supporters have good cause to join our fight. Dubbed “Pombo’s Pildlife Extinction Bill” by fishermen, religious leaders and conservationists, the legislation would reduce protection of endangered species from deadly pesticides like the ones that nearly drove the bald eagle to extinction.
The bill would also diminish habitat protections, cut wildlife experts out of the loop on key scientific decisions, weaken the role of science in decision-making about endangered wildlife and require taxpayers to pay irresponsible developers to not kill endangered plants and animals. More than 160,000 of our wildlife supporters sent messages to their representatives, urging them to defeat Pombo’s wildlife extinction bill. We will need that kind of overwhelming support to spearhead our Senate efforts.
Prospects for stopping the “extinction bill” in the Senate are good. Conservation groups and more than 70 religious, agriculture, birding, farm worker and farm safety groups have opposed Pombo’s bill, and many more groups are likely to join in the coming weeks. With this broad coalition, we have a great shot at beating this bad bill. Still, we’ll need as much help as our members can muster.
For more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has successfully protected wildlife like bald eagles, gray wolves and black-footed ferrets from extinction. In fact, only nine out of the 1,800 species protected by the act have been declared extinct since President Richard Nixon signed the act into law in 1973. And, that success has come with little burden on private landowners or developers—less than one percent of development has been stopped by the act.
Please help ensure that special creatures like gray wolves, grizzly bears, wild cats, threatened birds and other species are around for future generations. Visit http://www.saveesa.org/ to learn more about our fight and to take action to help America’s threatened creatures.
Defenders Home | Privacy policy | Contact Us | Donate
© Copyright 2005, Defenders of Wildlife and Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
1130 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
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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 January 19, 2006. Please be sure to include any contact information so that members can e-mail or snail-mail for further details.
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The contents of this newsletter are 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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