REDWOOD NEEDLES Presented by the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Newsletter, The REDWOOD NEEDLES Return to Article Menu Sonoma Group Report Peter Ashcroft, Chair, Sonoma Group The latest round of elections saw the selection of Will McAfee and Keith Kaulum on the Sonoma Group ExCom. Will and Keith replace Dick Day and Jim Finn. On behalf of the rest of the committee, I’d like to thank the outgoing officers and extend our welcome to Will and Keith. Peter Ashcroft and Len Swenson were re-elected. As we look toward another year of environmental activism, it is essential that we strengthen our issue-related Conservation Committees. The four committees that should be our foundation are Forestry, Water, Transportation, and Land Use. Each of these is currently staffed by a small number of dedicated stalwarts, but they can’t do it alone. In each of these four areas, important issues pass by unaddressed due to lack of volunteers. Committee work is the best way to learn about local issues. It’s rewarding, and it’s one of the most direct ways that you can make the Sonoma Group a more effective tool for protecting the environment. Another great way to learn about local issues is to sign up for the Sonoma Alerts electronic mailing list. (Detailed instructions for joining the list are located on page 2 of the newsletter.) The message volume of the list is modest (just a few items per week), and the focus is local. In the future, the Alerts list has the potential to be a very effective tool for informing and mobilizing Club membership in response to rapidly developing political events. Whether you choose to join a conservation committee, or whether you merely sign up for the Alerts list, the ExCom is looking forward to hearing from you. Group ExCom meetings are at 5:30 pm on the second Monday of each month at the Environmental Center. Thanks. Return to Article Menu Last updated on 2/01/99 Comments or suggestions? Drop us a line at heyneedles@aol.com