Obama does nothing without a tremendous grassroots push to get him to
act.  For more than two years the Alaska Coalition has blasted him with
letters, post cards, emails, etc to ask him to make the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge a National Monument.  Obama has hand written letters from
scores of elementary and university students asking him to protect the
Arctic Refuge--the result of more than 20 programs this year.  In Iowa
the Alaska Wilderness League has been the lead organization, supporting
the Iowa, Sierra Club  Alaska Wilderness Committee with materials, kites
kits, Arctic Bird seed, post cards, flyers, DVDs of the Refuge, etc. 
Lois Norgaard, Upper Midwest Regional Director has helped us with events
in Ames and Des Moines.  The boots on the ground have been Sierra Club
activists like Karen Tigges, Co-Chair of IA SC AK Wilderness Committee,
finding news schools for programs, and members like Debbie Neustadt, who
arranges Arctic Refuge programs for her classes and volunteers at events,
activists like Dennis Nicholson, who cthe IA Arctic 50th birthday part
with post cards signed, Sharon Johnson, Donna Balzer, Jane Clark, Pat
Fuller, Student member Kevin Marquardt with his awesome Op-ed in the
Register and help with programs at ISU, just to metion a few activists
who helped get the message to Obama this year.  Always thanks to Neila
for her support always--she broke her ankle helping at one event & Jane
Clark took her to the hospital.  Even the polar bear almost passed out
from the heat but we got the message to children.

When the Arctic Refuge is made a National Monument it will be the tens of
thousands of activists accross America who can take the credit for their
passion and their relentless efforts  to educate the public and let
lawmakers know we want our wilderness protected.   Iowa activists have
done and continue to do their part!  Phyllis


At Sierra Club meetings last weekend, an observation was made that Obama
will do something for "the other side" just before he does something
bigger "for us"...  Maybe... 
Donna

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]

Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp

Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship
e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's
latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent
editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/