Over fifty individuals attended the networking reception on November 16 at the Sunbury Social Club – an event designed to unite progressives, promote progressive issues and share inspiring stories. The event was hosted by the Susquehanna Valley Progressives and sponsored by the Central Susquehanna ACLU.
Speakers included:
- John Childe, Esq., who discussed his lawsuit filed against the Corbett/Rendell administrations for their exploitation of our state parks and forests and misuse of the Oil & Gas Lease Fund plus the implications of a recent supreme court ruling on Article 1 Section 27 of the PA Constitution;
- Dwayne Heisler, Bloomsburg businessman who is promoting equality for the LGBT community in the Town of Bloomsburg discussed his efforts to unite the community and pass an ordinance that ensures the LGBT community the equal rights. He began his advocacy after two women were turned away from a local bridal shop because they were gay.
- Dave Jacobson, organizer and leader of the Tire Burner Team, discussed the grassroots efforts and strategies to protect the community’s air and water from the proposed tire burner and the lessons he learned from the campaign:
- Know your audience
- Don’t reinvent the wheel
- Regularly meet in person
- Don’t rely on one approach
- Communicate with the opposition
- Learn about key players
- David Young, ACLU, discussed the power of right to know requests, lessons he has learned through the process and how to use the information obtained. David gave the audience an opportunity to submit a right to know request topic, handing out forms for the audience to complete.
The event also offered local organizations the opportunity to promote their work and missions. Participating organizations included:
- Central Susquehanna ACLU
- Community Zone
- Otzinachson Group of the Sierra Club
- Keystone Progress
- PA Environmental Defense Foundation
- Red Ash Documentary
- Rivertown Coalition for Clean Land and Water
- Tire Burner Team