VWC Newsletter June 2009
Celebration and Annual Meeting: July 18, 2009
Do a double-dip: come to celebrate the passage of the Virginia Ridge and Valley: AND help plan for the next campaign for wilderness in the George Washington National Forest.
11:00 - Celebration!!!
Welcome - Laura Neale, President
Photo-montage
Remarks on the Passage of VR&V - Mark Miller
Light Refreshments
12:30 - Brown Bag Lunch
1:30 Annual meeting - Laura Neale Presiding
3:00 Short hike around TNC restoration project, weather permitting
Party is at the Murrays in Albemarle Co. - e-mail jjm5a@virginia.edu for directions.
HOMAGE TO JON SOEST: 1938-2008
In the midst of our celebrations of the passage of the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act, we should pause to remember one of our own, Jon Soest. He is a man who has been dubbed, by the Campaign for America's Wilderness, "A Wilderness Hero from Coast to Coast".
At the time of the founding of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, Jon was teaching physics at the College of William and Mary. He and his wife Sally supplied much of the intellectual and physical energy that launched the Committee, and indeed they served as the 4th and 5th Presidents of the group. Jon's presidency coincided with the epic battle over the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1975, and we well remember his impassioned testimony that led to Virginia's first Wilderness, the James River Face. That act established the precedent that has paved the way for a succession of wilderness bills to follow. We mourn the fact that Jon did not live to see the passage of the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act, his continuing legacy.
Like so many of our wilderness advocates, Jon caught the western fever and moved to the state of Washington, but he did not forget his roots. He was instrumental in pulling together many conservation organizations in the Washington Wilderness Coalition, on whose board both he and Sally served. They were instrumental in the passage of the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 and the Washington Parks Wilderness Act of 1988. More recently they spent many hours on the Wenatcheee River Watershed Planning process, a major conservation effort to restore rivers and streams for salmon habitat.
Although many of you never met Jon, we pause to honor his memory. He was a true Wilderness Hero.
SAVING TREES AND POSTAGEWould you be willing to receive your VWC Newsletters via e-mail? It would save paper and the rising cost of postage. If that suits you, let Carol Lena know at clmiller@vawilderness.org
A FINAL NOTE
Julie Simpson's fans should know that she is doing well. You can reach her at:
c/o Gerald Mulqueen, 19749 Fort Valley Road, Strasburg, VA 22657
*************************************
Check the date stamp on your label. It shows the date of your latest contribution. Are you up to date? Checks to VWC, 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22911.
Virginia Wilderness Committee: www.vawilderness.org
President: Laura Neale, 423 Sheep Creek Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 (540-261-1909)
Vice-Pres: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
Treasurer: Juliana Simpson, c/o Jim Murray, 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911
Secretary: Pete Bsumek, 485 W. Bruce St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540-421-4105)
Wilderness Coordinator: Carol Lena Miller, 4939 Ottobine Rd., Dayton, VA 22821 (540-879-2127)
Do a double-dip: come to celebrate the passage of the Virginia Ridge and Valley: AND help plan for the next campaign for wilderness in the George Washington National Forest.
11:00 - Celebration!!!
Welcome - Laura Neale, President
Photo-montage
Remarks on the Passage of VR&V - Mark Miller
Light Refreshments
12:30 - Brown Bag Lunch
1:30 Annual meeting - Laura Neale Presiding
3:00 Short hike around TNC restoration project, weather permitting
Party is at the Murrays in Albemarle Co. - e-mail jjm5a@virginia.edu for directions.
HOMAGE TO JON SOEST: 1938-2008
In the midst of our celebrations of the passage of the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act, we should pause to remember one of our own, Jon Soest. He is a man who has been dubbed, by the Campaign for America's Wilderness, "A Wilderness Hero from Coast to Coast".
At the time of the founding of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, Jon was teaching physics at the College of William and Mary. He and his wife Sally supplied much of the intellectual and physical energy that launched the Committee, and indeed they served as the 4th and 5th Presidents of the group. Jon's presidency coincided with the epic battle over the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1975, and we well remember his impassioned testimony that led to Virginia's first Wilderness, the James River Face. That act established the precedent that has paved the way for a succession of wilderness bills to follow. We mourn the fact that Jon did not live to see the passage of the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act, his continuing legacy.
Like so many of our wilderness advocates, Jon caught the western fever and moved to the state of Washington, but he did not forget his roots. He was instrumental in pulling together many conservation organizations in the Washington Wilderness Coalition, on whose board both he and Sally served. They were instrumental in the passage of the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 and the Washington Parks Wilderness Act of 1988. More recently they spent many hours on the Wenatcheee River Watershed Planning process, a major conservation effort to restore rivers and streams for salmon habitat.
Although many of you never met Jon, we pause to honor his memory. He was a true Wilderness Hero.
SAVING TREES AND POSTAGEWould you be willing to receive your VWC Newsletters via e-mail? It would save paper and the rising cost of postage. If that suits you, let Carol Lena know at clmiller@vawilderness.org
A FINAL NOTE
Julie Simpson's fans should know that she is doing well. You can reach her at:
c/o Gerald Mulqueen, 19749 Fort Valley Road, Strasburg, VA 22657
*************************************
Check the date stamp on your label. It shows the date of your latest contribution. Are you up to date? Checks to VWC, 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22911.
Virginia Wilderness Committee: www.vawilderness.org
President: Laura Neale, 423 Sheep Creek Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 (540-261-1909)
Vice-Pres: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
Treasurer: Juliana Simpson, c/o Jim Murray, 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911
Secretary: Pete Bsumek, 485 W. Bruce St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540-421-4105)
Wilderness Coordinator: Carol Lena Miller, 4939 Ottobine Rd., Dayton, VA 22821 (540-879-2127)