The Loma Prietan
April 2003
Chapter News: 70th Anniversary, BOD Elections, Staff Changes, and More!
by Rafael Reyes, Chapter Chair
As we head into April, I wanted to update everyone on the many activities we have going on at the Chapter. It is the Loma Prieta Chapter's 70th anniversary this year and we are embarking on key initiatives in many areas, not the least of which is celebrating this anniversary. When this Chapter was founded in June 1933 with 60 members, the country was in the depths of the depression and the concept of conservation was in its infancy. The Loma Prieta Chapter went on to take a leading role in bringing people to nature and countless environmental protection efforts, beginning with successfully protecting Butano Forest.
Seventy years later the Chapter now numbers over 23,000 members and has statewide recognition within the Sierra Club for its impact on forest protection. It is also a leading force in protecting the Bay. Now we look to lead the charge to protect Henry W. Coe State Park. We are also a constant fixture in the world of recreation, bringing people a means for safe, enjoyable appreciation of the outdoors.
Many great things are in the works for our Chapter. Please make note of April 5 for our political training, June 7 for our anniversary celebration, and the end of June for the Chapter picnic (date TBD). Please note too that the Club's Board of Director's elections are this month. You should receive your ballot soon or may have already. The Sierra Club is unique in the degree to which volunteers decide on policy. Your vote is essential--vote by April 23. More information is available at .
Here's a brief summary of what's happening at your Chapter:
70th Anniversary Celebration
We are very excited about the opportunity to celebrate the Chapter's long distinguished history. We will be holding a reception at Hidden Villa on June 7. Carl Pope will join us and we will recognize Senator Byron Sher for his extraordinary achievements on behalf of the environment. Please mark your calendars and look for the invitation in next month's Loma Prietan.
Staff & Operations
We've had a tremendous response to our organizer staff opening and are beginning to identify strong candidates. Special thanks to Terry Andre for leading this effort with the help of several members of the leadership team. Your support here is more important than ever. Despite reducing expenses we still face a budget shortfall this year. Your direct support to the Chapter is what enables us to hire and retain staff. Having an organizer on board will be crucial in our campaign to protect Henry W. Coe State Park. Please give generously.
We have been working with Carrie Hudiburgh and Belle Marino to define roles and assist in identifying areas where we can improve on the Chapter's operations (one notable side note is that Hiker's Hut information is now on our website). Carrie is continuing in her role as office administrator and volunteer coordinator. Belle is assuming the responsibilities of Loma Prietan Ad Manager, fundraising operations support, and some event support (primarily for the anniversary celebration). Carrie's hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. These are the Chapter office's operating hours.
Activities
Dick Simpson, our new Activities Chair, hosted a very enjoyable reunion of all the activities leaders recently. And among the initiatives we have in this area are: updating the Chapter's first aid policy led by Caralin Adair, improving Singles section operational integration led by Clyde Lerner, and our Chapter picnic scheduled for late June led by Shirley Sampson.
Political & Conservation Development
We play a unique role in providing political support, which most environmental organizations are restricted from doing. We've had great success in the past couple years drawing activists into our process and turning their enthusiasm into concrete impact for good candidates. Stephanie Schaaf has assumed the helm of the Political Committee and the Conservation Committee continues to be jointly headed by Karen Maki and Michael Stanley-Jones. These are some of their key activities: formation of an activist team to work on protecting Henry Coe; defining Chapter priorities led by Karen and Michael; second annual political training event on April 5 (led by Ann Schneider); a modest but hopefully important outreach effort to the Green Party (led by Stephanie) with the intention of collaborating on local races; and an initial survey of some of the all-important 2004 state level races (led by myself).
Conservation Council
We continue to increase our close cooperation with our environmental allies through the informally named Conservation Council, which meets quarterly. This group includes Committee for Green Foothills, Acterra, Greenbelt Alliance, Audubon Society, California Native Plants Society, and Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. The emphasis of the Council is on land use issues. It has resulted in valuable communication, including quarterly Political Breakfasts with elected officials.
All of these activities and advancements are made possible by your support. Thanks!