THREE SUNDAY RALLIES

from Terry LaPlante of Florida's Water and Land Legacy

Wow this is so exciting to have another day of rallies to effect change and to collect thousands of signatures to get an amendment on the 2014 Florida ballot to restore funding to protect the environment. We need all the help we can get to collect signatures! If you are willing to lend a hand, please use the contact information below to let me know. 

I am sending one email for three events as some volunteers will try to do them all.  Also, I am sending this to volunteers who have not signed up in case they find a way to help out. With only three months left in the campaign we need all the help we can get. So feel free to bring a friend to help. So far these rallies in Stuart have been goldmines for collecting and they have been a lot of fun.

Sugarland Rally 12-3pm   It is located in Sugarland Park 1200 SWC Owen Ave. Clewiston. It is scheduled for 12-3pm but I highly recommend you get there an hour or more early to avoid traffic delays. I plan to be there at 10:30.  I understand the park is without shade and food vendors.   I will set up near the stage for speakers; many speakers 12-3pm. If you get caught in the crowds just start collecting. I understand that people who want to car pool are meeting at Halpatiokee Park at 8am decorating cars and departing for Sugarland at 9am. For help call Terry @ 321-543-2156.

Riverstock: Jensen Public Beach 3-8pm.  This is the main beach with boardwalks, food concession etc. 4191 NE  Ocean Blvd. Limited Parking. I am clueless where the overflow parking is and whether there will be shuttles.

So again getting there early is the best option to avoid parking problems and traffic delays. From 4-4:30 they want everyone to line up on the beach to spell out "FIX IT NOW" for an aerial photograph. There will be 4 bands playing during this time located on the boardwalk near the food concession. We will have one table in this area far enough away that we can hear and one or two on the beach. I encourage everyone to use 8 clipboards if possible to maximize the number of signatures you get. Anyone who can walk the beach collecting please do so because many volunteers are unable to do this. We do need help at the tables. We want to collect as people arrive, while they  are there, and as they are leaving. Most of you who I spoke to on the phone are scheduled from 2-5pm as it was my understanding the rally was moving to Chillin the Most Restaurant at 5pm but that isn't happening to 8pm. It is ok to leave as three hours of collecting is a lot of great work. Hopefully, a new shift of volunteers will magically appear to take over the crowd if they stay.

The Riverstock Rally is a beach event so dress accordingly. Anna, Cora, and Kim plan to set up tables, distribute supplies, and collect signed petitions from you before you leave. 

For help call Kim Taylor 772-418-6193, Cora Douglas  772-408-3058, or Anna Bergalis  772-233-2566. 

Chillin the Most Restaurant Restaurant & Bar 8pm-1am located at 4304 NE Ocean Blvd is within blocks of the beach event. They will have a band and all profits from the concession stand and the restaurant will be donated to the River Coalition. Volunteers are on their own for this event. We currently have six volunteers who plan to be there. I hope to be there between 6-8pm if anyone on the late shift needs petitions etc. I will not be staying past dinner  so you will need to mail the petitions in if you on our the late shift.  For help call Terry @ 321-543-2156.

Info for all three events: 

I highly recommend wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, and bug repellent. Wear your volunteer button. Bring your petitions, pens, and a folder for signed petitions. Leave purses in the trunk of your car before you leave home.

We will have volunteer packages at the tables for new volunteers.  We will have extra petitions for you to collect with 8-10 clipboards.we will have folders for you to use and hopefully have enough for everyone. Bring a folder if you have one.  We will have extra signs if you want to wear one. Please remember to turn in signed petitions from home. There will be paperclips and sticky notes at the table. Just put a sticky note on your folder of signed petitions with your name and number and we will credit your total if you have pledged 1000 or are collecting for a club or organization.  Please turn in extra clipboards and signs before you leave.  We like to get a total count for the day. Otherwise, you may mail the petitions in on your own and send me an email letting me know how many you got. Make sure you take home enough clipboards and petitions for the next few events. Trade in almost empty ones to be recycled and get new ones.

 Please consider wearing a sign to distinguish our petitions from the others who are also collecting petitions.We will be making public announcements in regards to our petitions and urging the crowd to look for our blue and white signs.  Remember our petition is the only one that is going on the ballot (besides the medical marijuana one) and thus requires signers to be registered Florida voters and they must provide a date of birth or voters registration number. Show people the petition if they say they have already signed and make sure it was the same one. If they are unsure have them sign one. No harm in signing two petitions and it increases the chances that one will be valid.

Be advised that the rubber bands are to be left on the clipboards at all times. Once the petition has been signed you check it for missing information, correct if needed,  pull it off and put it in a folder. Well meaning bystanders who want to help take the clipboards, pull off the rubber bands and start handing out petitions. Since people don't have a pen or anything to write on they fold them up and put them in a pocket or purse and that is the last we see of it. That is why you need to be able to hand lots of people clipboards at one time or hand bystanders clipboards to pass out. The goal is to get signed petitions not to pass them out.

Remember this is a great opportunity to recruit new volunteers. You have volunteer sign up sheets in every clipboard under the information flyer or under the petitions.  Once someone signs up you are free to give them a volunteer package. We have the friends and family packages with 20 petitions. And, we have the large packages with 200 petitions for people who want to collect at public events. If someone wants to help but doesn't want to sign that is ok you can give them what they request.

If you have a tent you can bring let me know. If you can bring a cooler of water and/or snacks for the tables let me know. I need someone to volunteer to make public announcements from the band stage about our petitions and signing with volunteers wearing blue and white signs at Jensen Beach.  I will be at Sugarland and hope to be at Jensen Beach by 5pm depending if I can get through the traffic etc.   I will plan to meet the three lead volunteers to collect petitions and restock boxes as needed. Anyone who would like to join me at Chillin's at 6 pm to celebrate the day is welcomed. Whoever gets there first should reserve a table for 12 people.

I may send a short email tomorrow evening with additional information. Please use Facebook to post these three events and let them know Florida's Water and Land Legacy will be there collecting petitions to secure funding for water conservation. www.floridawaterlandlegacy.org  Use search bar in Facebook and search for Sugarland, Riverstock, and Save St. Lucie River for further details.

 I hope that many of you who are not signed up  will help with one event for a couple of hours if possible. You can just show up. We have virtually no one signed up from 5-7pm. Thousands of people have been showing up for these events.

I hope you all have fun and are rewarded for your efforts. Please email me and let me know the good and bad of your day if I don't see you there. Our hotline number is 850-421-3955. Feel free to call me for further details or questions my number is below.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

Terry LaPlante

Field Organizer

tel: (321)543-2156

Terry@floridawaterlandlegacy.org