Force Newsletter - January 2017 :: Rivers Coalition

FORCE
Friends of the Rivers Coalition E-Newsletter

January 2017

The Rivers Coalition meeting is Thursday, January 26th at 11:00 am at Stuart City Hall. The meeting is open to the public and there is plenty of free parking available. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided.

The presentation topic for the January meeting is:

"FY 2017/2018 Legislative Session; How the sausage gets made! How you can track and participate in the process."

Get the facts! Stay informed! Be involved!

Missed a past meeting? Go to our Youtube channel!

Agenda for Thursday, January 26, 2017

11:00 am - 12:30 pm at: City of Stuart Commission Chambers:

121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL 34994

Please Silence Your Cell Phones!

Business Matters

Chairman’s Comments, Call to Order: George Jones
Current Action Items: Government Officials Email and Call Blitz/Other Business
Special Presentation by George Jones:

"FY 2017/2018 Legislative Session; How the Sausage gets made!"

George will guide us through how to navigate the Florida Legislative Roadmap.”

River Kidz of Martin County: Nic Mader/Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Speakers Bureau: Todd Weissing

Government & Agency Progress Reports

Martin County: Deborah Drum/Don Donaldson
South Florida Water Management District: Kathy LaMartina
FDEP

Coalition Reports

Local Issues & Estuary Water Quality: Mark Perry
WRAC “Water Resources Advisory Commission”: Mark Perry
Indian Riverkeeper Update: Marty Baum
Federal & State Issues-CERP/IRL & Lake Okeechobee: Kevin Henderson / Dr. Paul Gray

Highlights From October 2016 Meeting

Howard Marder of Felix A. Williams School presented a donation check earned from “Solutions for Pollution” t-shirt sales that his school designed and sold to support Rivers Coalition.

Thank You Students and Staff of Felix A. Williams Elementary for your generous donation and River Spirit.

Jacqui Thurlow-Lippish presents “2016 River in Review Using Social Media and Blogging”.

32nd Annual Everglades Coalition Conference

"Three Extauries; One Solution"

Jan 5-8, 2017

Fort Meyers, Florida

The Rivers Coalition was well represented at EVCO

Col. Kirk, ACOE, Marjorie Shropshire, Maggy Hurchella

Gayle received the John V. Kable Grassroots Organizing Award

Cara Capp, Gayle Ryan and Mark Perry

Mark Perry with Gary Goforth and Jennifer Brand at EVCO

Dr. Paul Gray speaks at EVCO

Mark Perry with Bob Graham, Former FL Governor and US Senator

Blessing of the Fleet

Private donations or sponsorships for this event will benefit the River Kidz!

Speakers Bureau

On January 9th Kevin Henderson addressed a large gathering at Ballentrae in Pt. St. Lucie.
Thank you Ballentrae Members for your concern for our River and your warm welcome!

If your group would like the Rivers Coalition to speak at an upcoming gathering, please contact Todd Weissing at ctodd_weissing@ml.com or info@riverscoalition.org

Get informed, be active and be part of the solution to help our river!

RIVER KIDZ

Nic Mader and Jacqui Thurlow-Lippish collaborate with Southeastern Printing on the upcoming 3rd edition of the River Kidz Workbook.

Thank You Knopf Foundation for your generous support for the River Kidz Workbook, 3rd Edition

River Kid, Jack Maldanado, spoke to VICE-TV and did a fantastic job explaining why YOU should HELP SAVE OUR RIVER!!!

A special message from River Kidz:

Hello! My name is Nicholas Leonard, and I am rewriting the River Kidz song as my Pine School Senior Capstone project. This is a call for all musicians, both instrumentalists and vocalists, to show your support for saving the river! Any member of the River Kidz can join! The goal is to perform the song three times; once at the Lyric for the Youth Driven Cinema show on April 21, for the Earth Day show on April 22, and one final show sometime in the month of May to celebrate the release of the third edition of the Workbook. In order to be ready for these shows, there will be three rehearsals. These are March 5, March 26, and April 16. All of these are Sundays, and will be from 3:00 to 4:30 at a location soon to be found. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you talented musicians, and I hope you all come out to support your local river!

Nicholas can be reached at: 772-349-4548

Upcoming Events:

"Watch for a River Kidz "Don't Trash It" event this spring, where kidz can decorate 5 gallon buckets to have their very own bucket to collect trash in along our waterways!

Youth Driven Cinema: April 21, 2017