Democratic Women's Club of Walton County   P.O. Box 2507  Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

It's time to act!

On February 13th, you have a unique opportunity to make a difference in our community.  Those of us who live in Walton County cherish its unbelievable beauty and pristine environment.  Rare coastal lakes and waters of crystal purity are blessings that we enjoy daily.  Seasonally, our economy is sustained by travelers who also come to enjoy the panhandle's beauty.

Now we are threatened by an out- of- state group who wants to drill for oil within three miles of our white sandy beaches.  Last year, the Florida House passed a bill which would allow near shore drilling.  The Senate has yet to address the bill.  If you love this place, now is the time to show your opposition to this threat. 

-- Mary Wolfe, President Walton County Democratic Women's Club

What you can do

“Hands Across the Sand” is a NON-PARTISAN grassroots event designed to draw a human line in the sand against near shore drilling.  At 12:00 noon (CST), protestors are assembling at beaches up and down the Gulf Coast, joining hands, and visually protesting drilling. 

You are invited to join the Walton County Democratic Women’s Club (men are welcome) at Grayton Corners, 30-A and Hwy 283, at 11:30 and then walk or take a shuttle to the beach at Grayton. 

If the weather is good, bring a picnic and we’ll have lunch together on the beach.  Wear black or your “Hands Across the Sands” tee shirt. (Click on shirt to purchase or see below for local purchase.) By our presence, we can show our elected officials and those who would despoil our world that we vehemently oppose near shore drilling. 

NOTE:  Did you miss the opportunity to buy your “Hands Across the Sand” t-shirt at the Seaside Farmers Market last Saturday?  Or get there too late to get the size you needed?  No worries!  By popular demand, the “Hands Across the Sand” t-shirts will be back at the Seaside Farmers Market on Saturday, February 6^th from 9 – 1,  We will have more large and x-large shirts, as well as a few xxl’s.  Shirts are $10 each. 

Organize Your Beach

Planning to organize a beach? Email drmail61@gmail.com ("Hands Across the Sand") your contact info (name, email address, phone number) so we can post it with your beach location.  Download posters, ads and web banners to spread the word about "Hands Across the Sand."  Check out beaches already organized►

(Left to right) Stephen Brinker, Matt Jones, Christi Ferry, Dia Sather, and Will Dargavell sell tee shirts

Both Repubs and Demos oppose drilling

Republican Bill McCollum, who is running for Governor, says  "Historically, I've opposed the exploration of oil and gas off Florida's coastline," McCollum said in an interview.  “You've got to show me about the claims that this is going to be something that we can do without danger to the people of Florida or to the coastline — to what's natural out there.”  "I don't want an oil spill between 3 or 10 miles off the coast of Florida, like they had off the coast of Australia," he said."

Democrat Alex Sink, who is also running for Governor,  "My strong bias is to not be supportive. And furthermore, just like so many things in the history of Florida, it kind of reminds me of the lottery. This is not going to be the answer in Florida for the next get-rich-quick scheme. It's just not."  Sink also said the recent rupture of a rig off the coast of western Australia made her even more concerned about the possibility of rigs off the Panhandle coast.

‘Drill Bill’ shortsighted and a danger to economy

by David Pleat, (D) candidate for House Seat, District 7 

(Left) David Pleat with "Hands Across the Sand" creator Dave Rauschkolb

In July 2009 more than 58,000 gallons of raw crude oil spilled into the pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico 30 miles off of the coast of Louisiana. That spill soon spread over 80 square miles, threatening sea life and coastline.
 

Yet, on the heels of that disaster, our Florida elected officials are poised to pass landmark legislation that will forever change our coastline and undo 30 years of bipartisan opposition to invading the integrity of our state sovereign waters.
 

In April, HB 1219 passed the House by 70-43 margin with all Panhandle representatives voting in favor. The bill passed without debate or media disclosure with all but one Republican voting in favor of the bill.
 

It was submitted on one of the last days of the session and was championed by the Florida Energy Associates, a group that refuses to name its members but is supported by oil lobbyists who will only say it is made up of Texas oilmen.  Read all of the story►

"A true grassroots event"

by Christi Ferry

"It’s a beautiful thing to see a community coming together!

"As Democrats, most of us got a chance to do a bit of community organizing during the 2008

campaign.  We all made phone calls, knocked on doors, and did our best to rally people to our cause. “Hands Across the Sand” gives us all a chance to use those skills again.  Organizing for “Hands” is much easier, with recent polls showing 59% of Floridians opposed to near shore drilling, and area Chambers of Commerce endorsing the cause.  

"Selling t-shirts for “Hands” on Saturday, it was encouraging to see members of our community of all ages and political persuasions coming out to get shirts and show their support for the cause.  There were Tea Party organizers, lots of active Democrats, and even a few snowbirds braving the cold to claim their “Hands Across the Sand” shirts. 

A gentleman from Alberta, Canada, having seen the environmental damage resulting from the development of oil sands reserves back home, has organized fellow snowbirds at his condominium to form a line in the sand.  Local Andy Anderson has organized residents of his condo, and even convinced his HOA to open their parking lot to others wishing to take part in the protest to protect our beaches.

"Put those organizing skills to work, and contact your family, friends, neighbors, and random strangers and invite them to join you at the beach on February 13 at noon.  The primary site to join hands is Seagrove Beach to Grayton Beach where there is parking in Seaside and at the Van Ness Butler Jr. Beach access between Watercolor and Seaside.

Additional sites with ample parking include Blue Mountain Beach Access, Dune Allen Beach Access, Ed Walline Beach Access, Gulfview Heights Beach Access, Inlet Beach Access, and the Miramar Beach Access.  For more information, contact Christi Ferry at christicmdr@mac.com

Tell Florida politicians "No"

Click on this link to access emails, telephones, and addresses of Florida's politicians► 

“With tar balls washing up on famous Texas beaches and an oil slick almost the size of the City of Tampa floating around in the Gulf of Mexico, how can anyone think that oil drilling is safe enough and clean enough to put within 10 miles of Florida’s beaches?  We need Governor Crist to stop talking about gambling with our coastline before beaches close and tourists leave.

“.  .  . there have been two sizable oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, one on Texas’s South Padre Island beaches visited by tens of thousands of beachgoers and the other, over 60,000 gallons of oil from a pipeline spill off Louisiana that has spread to cover 90 square miles of ocean.

“What more proof does it take for Governor Crist to conclude that oil drilling off our coasts is just never going to be safe enough, clean enough, or far enough offshore?”  (Environment Florida 7/30/2009)

Drilling Forum at the South Walton High School - February 4th - 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.  Details►

It's their future!