Hello Fellow Lovers of the Florida Coast,
 
The fight over oil drilling in Florida’s waters is a fight for the heart and soul of Florida.  Our coastlines are what brought many here, and what keep many of us here.  From the white sand beaches of barrier islands to the vast coastal marshes of the Nature Coast…..our coastlines define us, and what it means to be a Floridian.  The sands and salty air, the seagrass beds, the coastal hammocks and wetlands….they are who we are.
 
A tremendous fight is brewing in Florida over whether or not to allow oil drilling in Florida’s waters (3-9 miles offshore).  Powerful lobbyists with the incredible money of the oil industry are working hard in the Florida Legislature to abandon the Florida Dream and sell our coasts to Big Oil.  When the Legislature begins meeting next month our coastlines and our state’s future will hang in the balance.  But you can change that!
 
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13TH – HANDS ACROSS THE SAND EVENTS AND RALLIES ACROSS FLORIDA – FIGHT FOR OUR COASTS!
On Saturday Feb. 13th thousands of Floridians will gather along our coasts at beaches, boat launches, coastal parks and preserves, and near their favorite fishing holes to rally and share opposition against offshore drilling in Florida’s waters.  YOU NEED TO BE THERE!  There is still plenty of time to plan on attending, and more importantly if you live in a section of the state where there are not enough events, to organize your own local event.  To find out where local events are in your community please visit http://handsacrossthesand.com/
 
NOTE: HANDS ACROSS THE SAND ORGANIZERS ARE LOOKING FOR FOLKS IN THE UPPER NATURE COAST AND BIG BEND REGION TO HOST AND ORGANIZE LOCAL EVENTS.  THE WEBSITE IS A GREAT TOOL TO SPREAD THE WORD, AND CONTACT ORGANIZERS WHO CAN HELP.  THIS CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS GATHERING YOUR ORGANIZATION’S MEMBERS AT A LOCAL PARK OR BOAT LAUNCH, OR AT A FAVORITE COASTAL LOCATION.  MAKE SURE TO TAKE PICTURES, INVITE THE MEDIA, AND HAVE FUN.  For more assistance please contact Gulf Restoration Network (Joe Murphy, joe@healthygulf.org)
 
GULF RESTORATION NETWORK IS PARTNERING WITH PUTMAN COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL TO ORGANIZE A HANDS ACROSS THE SAND EVENT AT THE ANNUAL RIVER RALLY IN PALATKA, FLORIDA
If you are planning on attending the annual River Rally in Palatka, Florida (sponsored and organized by Putnam County Environmental Council) you can also participate in Hands Across the Sand!  Gulf Restoration Network will be partnering with PCEC and others to organize a Hands Across the Sand Event at the River Rally from 12:00 to 1:00pm EST.  Please contact Joe Murphy (joe@healthygulf.org) for more info, or Karen Ahlers (karen@pcecweb.org) for more info on River Rally.  You can also visit http://www.pcecweb.org/  for more information about River Rally (Feb. 12th – Feb. 14th).
 
Last but not least take the time today to visit http://www.protectfloridasbeaches.org/
 
This website is designed to ensure you have all the facts, data, information, and tools to be an advocate for protecting Florida’s coastlines and beaches from offshore drilling.  It is designed to ensure you can educate and activate yourself, and your community.  Now it’s time to get started!  http://www.protectfloridasbeaches.org/
 
Next time you are at the beach gaze out across that broad, beautiful horizon and try to picture it dotted with rigs.  Uuuugh!  Next time you are in a place like Aripeka or Crystal River fishing in world class waters, picture pipelines and storage tanks dotting the coast.  Noooo!  Better yet, picture yourself attending Hands Across the Sand, then writing a letter/sending an email a day to decision makers and the media about why Florida is the wrong place to drill.  Perfect.
 
 
Joe Murphy
Florida Program Director
Gulf Restoration Network
352-583-0870 (office)
813-468-0870 (cell)
Florida Office:
34413 Orchid Parkway
Ridge Manor, Fl. 33523
joe@healthygulf.org
www.healthygulf.org

Here’s the post by Ericka Biddle for the Key West Events: