Thank you all and blessings on you

Written by: Elaine L. Jones on Dec 23, 2005 11:51 PM EST

Dear Friends,

As I anticipate the joy and chaos that will come with the arrival of my children Marni and Chad and their families - including new granddaughter “Holiday� - for Christmas, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the many blessings in my life - and especially for what you have helped us achieve this year. I know that if I try to thank everyone who should be thanked, I will miss many of you, and I apologize for that.

Recognizing that problem, I still want to try say a special thank you to all who worked to make this a better year than we dared to hope for when George Bush proclaimed his “mandate� in January of 2005. Please allow me to name a few - not in any special order.

Sue Bumbaugh - a huge thank you to you and your environmental task force for all your hard work, but especially for making us all feel we were part of the tremendous victory to save the Arctic Wildlife Refuge

Roger Lund - who steered us to join with Democracy of America folks across the country, and for helping us live out the dream of taking back our country from the extremists who brought us an unnecessary war in Iraq and a war on our own social systems - not to mention his work to host the largest training program given by DFA, and continued training through our own Meetups

Will and Anne Lane - for helping to organize folks in Butler township who this week stoop up to the profiteers and developers, and preserved some open space while we seek adequate environmental protections - and for preparations for our Senate race in 2006

General Sager (and Helen) for a giving Bob Casey a jump start in Adams County with an incredible fundraiser (raising $15,000!) and for his continued guidance on strategies for winning that race

Warren and Evelyn Steen - who participate wholeheartedly in our Steering Committee, chair the Media Committee, write thoughtful papers on strategy, and maintain our database and mailing list for Gettysburg DFA

Lou and Pat Hammann - who bring passion, ideas, and programs, and also make sure we get our newsletter printed every month

Kerr Thompson - who tracks the funds, pays our bills, and reminds us all to give generously to preserve our future

Bert Herbert - who takes notes and writes minutes of every Meetup and Steering Committee to keep us on track

Pat and Sue Naugle - who step up to the plate whenever needed, for DC lobbying trips, for technical support, for expert assistance in planning programs and devising outreach opportunities

Alan Olson - for chairing the Iraq Task Force through innumerable strategy discussions, and making our voices heard, locally and in DC -- and even Rumsfeld is getting the message

Carol and Sherrill Brown - for participation in so many DFA efforts, including numerous trips to DC, organizing the bus trip, working on the highway cleanup and getting out the newsletter

Marianne Crouthamel - for her wise counsel on the Steering Committee and work to involve us in candidate recruitment and development - including the introduction of Phil Avillo to challenge Todd Platts

Jason Townsend - for getting our newsletter off the ground (and out the door!) and inspiring other DFA's to mimic our newsletter

Joanne Udovich - for taking up the challenge to keep the newsletter going, and participating in numerous other ways

Bruce and Jeanne Neylon - for organizing the bus trip and becoming the permanent hosts for newsletter production and mailing

Ruthe Craley - for opening her home to countless meetings of our committees and task forces

Jake Schindel - for welcoming us at his Ragged Edge at every opportunity

Bill Jones - for his constant support, even though he hates to go to meetings!

Who would have thought when we held that first meeting last January in freezing rain and snow, that we would form an energetic and consistently active group of progressives who meet every month to support each other in our efforts to bring peace, justice, and sanity to our country? With a support list of 762 and active involvement with the PA for Democracy and the national DFA, we are having at least some impact at the local, state, and national and even global level. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

Blessings on you and those you love at Christmas, Hanukah and throughout 2006.

Elaine Jones

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Location: Gettysburg, PA 17325