I just received the following email from Lori DeYoung (Dem candidate for Ill. House 104th):
Please join me and my committee as we support Ryce Tuggle's efforts to save Kickapoo. Ryce has started the KICK campaign (Kids Interested in Conserving Kickapoo) and has scheduled a rally/picket from 9 to noon on Saturday 9/6/08 at Kickapoo. There is also a sign up tent to get petitions at Lincoln Square this Saturday at 7 a.m.
Listen to Ryce and I on WITY starting tomorrow - we all can make a difference to save this wonderful park. Many of us have had the privilege of camping, fishing, hiking, listening to music and having picnics/reunions at Kickapoo - don't we owe it to Ryce, her friends, and all children to have this place to enjoy in the years to come?
Please let me know if you can join us -
thanks - lori
Another email this morning, this time by way of Dave Lowe. This appears to be a separate, but complementary, effort to KICK:
Why don't You go to Chicago and picket in front of the Governors home, or His campaign office where He hides out?? This clown that the Dems elected twice has no idea where Kickapoo State Park is and could care less about downstate. You elected Him, now You don't know what to do about Him. Good Luck.
Gregg: I'm assuming that means that you will be happy to join in the effort. Thanks in advance.
Kevin, I have already written to My State Senator, Dale Righter and State Representative, Chapin Rose about the latest ploy of the "Boy Governor" to extort downstate for more money to be sent to the open sewer to the north. Like I said earlier You keep electing these criminals this is what You get. I notice that the Senator from
GiffordChampaign, and the State Rep. from Urbana are not saying much about this other than Frerichs usual " Well I hope We can work with the Governor" Bla Bla Bla !!!"Kevin, I have already written to My State Senator, Dale Righter and State Representative, Chapin Rose about the latest ploy of the "Boy Governor" to extort downstate for more money to be sent to the open sewer to the north."
Good on you. Thanks again.
Kevin, that is something I would like to sign up for myself, What is the best way that I can help? Thanks Bruce
Bruce: Everything I knew so far came in the two emails I've already put up here. There have apparently also been two News-Gazette stories, Aug. 30 and today.
I will post additional info as I receive it.
I am all for saving Kickapoo. It seems more appropriate to have a concerted effort toward all of the threatened entities, rather than this cherry picking. This is a total state budget issue, not a squeaky wheel syndrome. Why is this citizen lead rather than elected official lead? Let us see our elected officials earn their salaries, health care coverage, and retirement plans. If they are taking action to reverse this political decision by the governor, then, for heavens sake, let your electorate know.
Pattsi Petrie
Pattsi: Those are excellent questions. I'm not sure what the answers are.
As I said in another post, the answer is very simple-----our elected officials reamin career rather than job focused. With their passed unbalance budget they left the door open for the governor's action knowing he would make cuts and sales enabling his programs with minimum payments to some of the state bills. This was a 'Brillant' political move by the legistature as it diverting attention away from their job performance failures to the Chicago governor.
The Republicans, Dems, and maybe even Greens on IP banding together against Blago ... a beautiful thing.
dave lowe and friends informational picket will be moving to the ironwood pavilion across the road from the campground entrance where ther is ample parking and to comply with my permit. same time same day sept 6 at 1pm . same location as the kick picket
i think if govenor would LIVE IN THE MANSION THATS PROVIDED AND STOP USING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO FLY BACK AND FORTH WE COULD HAVE MONEY FOR THE PARKS.
I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR THAT LEFT WING NUT FOR OFFICE IF HE WANTS TO GO TO CHICAGO GO TO CHICAGO AND RUN FOR MAYOR SHIT HES STUPID
Kevin,
I just ran across your site. My father is the Kickapoo ranger. I currently live in Austin, TX, but when I got the call last week from my mother that Kickapoo would be closing, I was quite disconcerted. I immediately started thinking of ways I could help, and fortunately with the help of the web, there are many. I immediately started a group a facebook, http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24284812205 , the first and largest with nearly 2000 people joining in the 8 days since. I have also been writing local school districts asking them to write letters to local elected officials. I worked in some of these districts between undergraduate and graduate school, and figured it would be one of the most effective ways to get large amounts of letters written, plus one of the most powerful messages in that it would be children writing the letters. I created a pdf petition which has been widely distributed and is downloadable at http://www.giveakick.org/downloads/petition.pdf . I have been posting regular updates on the facebook group, and keeping track of local support in the numbers of letters mailed and petition signatures garnered. There has been little response directly to me on the letters being mailed by schools, but I have heard through the grapevine that letters are being sent. I just need to call the schools and get the information directly. Last, and most certainly not least, I am in the process of setting up an organization, most likely a private foundation, and a fund that will support Kickapoo State Park by donating items of want and need that are not provided for by the state budget. In the future, we will also look to sponsor special events, grants, and field trips. These activities will promote bringing visitors to the park as well as the practice and education of nature conservation. You might ask why raise funds to support a park that is closing? Well, we are confident the park will not be closed for long, and when it reopens our support will be there.
To address a question raised by another post on this thread. I am focusing my efforts on Kickapoo because it is a part of me. Not only does my father work there, but as a child I spent many days there exploring, and in high school I developed a wanderlust and somewhat of a special bond with the park as a cross country runner as a result of training on the many trails and competing on the main course. I feel that by raising our collective voices that we will not sit idly by and watch this park taken away from us, that we are in effect, although not directly, saying we don't agree with the closing of any of these sites. If we can get the state legislature to review the budget because of our actions regarding Kickapoo, then it is likely to affect the other sites as well. I for one am confident we will see Kickapoo open to the public for years to come, and I look forward to visiting it many more times.
Regards,
Cory Vandenberg