The Chair's Corner

By Mike Sappingfield

Chair, 2008 Angeles Chapter Executive Committee

It's March Madness! No, not the basketball tournament; i's time for the Chapter's Annual Appeal for funds. Once a year, the national Sierra Club allows the chapters to send out a fundraising appeal to our members. Now is that time. Why do we do it? Our mission is to Preserve, Protect, and Enjoy the Earth. This is not an easy task, nor an inexpensive one. Yet, helping financially can do wonders in preserving a park from conversion to a condo, in ensuring the air we breathe and the water in which we drink, swim, surf, etc. are clean, and helping educate our members and the public as to ways and means each of us can utilize to improve the environment.

Examples of the uses made of the funds include our monthly Southern Sierran Newspaper with its many informative stories and articles about the environment, our tri-annual Schedule of Activities, listing thousands of outdoor activities to enjoy the earth, and providing training for our activists, be they hike leaders, conservationists, or both. During 2007, we were able to support twelve different committees on topics ranging from Air Quality & Global Warming to Transportation to protection of wildlife and endangered species. In addition we were able to field 22 different task forces addressing specific environmental issues ranging from urban sprawl, river and wetlands preservation/restoration, and preservation of open spaces/wild places. Our outings program supported and conducted over 3,000 outdoor outings ranging from day hikes and cultural walks to backpacks, mule packs, river rafting, and snow trips. We also sponsored a significant number of Inner City Outings for youths at risk in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties. You do make a difference. Therefore, we ask that when the letter arrives, you read it carefully and consider partnering with the Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club in helping preserve our wild places and the Earth. Any amount, large or small is a help. If you helped us last year, could you help even more this year? If you weren't able to help last year, even a small amount this year would assist us in protecting and preserving this wonderful, beautiful Earth, while allowing all of our members to enjoy it.