On Sunday, my family and I met Jillian-- a UNCW student-- at Johnnie Mercer's Pier to do our 130th beach clean up! I met Jillian at the end of the WB public hearing on the proposed ordinance to ban smoking on Wrightsville Beach. The vote didn't turn out the way I had hoped and I was all shaken up and frustrated... Jillian immediately brightened my spirits by asking if she could join us on a beach clean up and interview me (as a local activist! who me?! yes. me.) for her "Writing & Activism" class. Acknowledging me as an "activist" is a compliment that did something for me... gave me a nudge.... and since that night, I am working at wholeheartedly embracing the fact that I am an "activist." (Thanks Jillian!!)
Oh wait... back to the public hearing. Have you heard there's big news on Smoke-Free WB?!? Oh yes. BIG news. There is currently a petition circling Wrightsville Beach for WB registered voters to sign stating their support for a smoke-free beach ordinance. This petition could have the POWER to nudge the WB Board of Alderman to revisit their March 8 decision to vote against the smoke-free beach strand ordinance. This is HUGE.
If you're reading this and you are a registered voter at WB or have friends/family who are WB registered voters, please have them stop by Sweetwater Surf Shop or Lighthouse Beer & Wine to sign the petition. Also, we'd love to have you, your family, your friends... your friends of friends... join us on April 12 at WB Town Hall at 6PM.
Questions? Please don't hesitate to ask me or contact Cape Fear Surfrider
20 minutes on April 1, 2012 at Access 16
Cigarette butts: 278
Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 130 days:
43,014
Dear Danielle,
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile... it is so true... picking litter-making friends all over the world, growing awareness-making even more friends... it is amazing, isn't it? You have changed the life's of many... i wonder if you truely realise that. People from all over the world, like me. I feel so fortunate to have met you. Your message truely rippled across the ocean :) You're an activist if ever i have met one :) Hope the interview with Jillian turned out ok and I keep my fingers crossed for the WB ban... if I were a registred voter...man! I would vote my bleep off ;) Greetings, Eef xxx
Eef... it is so amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that we have connected... I am grateful for your support and friendship... doing what we do is so much more rewarding knowing that we're all out there doing our part in our own communities... across oceans and continents... we're connected by our common efforts. :)