The following was written by OSFR ex president Kristin Rubin, with edits by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and President Terry Phelan. The fundraiser and potluck dinner was conceived and executed by Kristin Rubin with help from FSC Brenda Wells and several from Our Santa Fe River. Photos were a challenge but they are from Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, Brenda Wells, Kristin Rubin and your historian.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
“The Fellowship of the Springs” is the title of a documentary by Oscar Corral about the springs.
Several of the players from the film attended the “Fellowship of the Springs” potluck supper, an auction fundraiser sponsored by Our Santa Fe River held on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at Rum 138. Proceeds from the highly successful fundraiser went to the Florida Springs Council to help with legal funds.
Last Thursday night, many members of the Florida Springs Council (FSC), Suwannee St. Johns Sierra Club (SSJSC), Florida Springs Institute (FSI), and Our Santa Fe River (OSFR) along with so many more people who love the springs, came together to celebrate them.
The evening opened with Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, OSFR founding member and co-owner of Rum 138, introducing Ryan Smart, Executive Director of the Florida Springs Council, who spoke about the ongoing lawsuit against the issuance of a daily nearly-million-gallon-a- day withdrawal for a bottled water operation taking the spring water from Ginnie Springs’ system and the community at large.
There was a potluck supper that covered four tables, from soup to nuts. There was beer, wine, mulled cider and FREE UNBOTTLED WATER to imbibe.
This evening’s guests also donated their art, gently loved or re-gifted items to raise money for the FSC legal fund. ‘Auctioneer’ Doug Jipson commandeered the auction by not only helping to raise those funds, but provided much entertainment and laughter throughout the entire auction!
Shana Smith, published singer-songwriter and book author of Islands of Cedars entertained us before and after a lively auction.
All of us, each organization and each citizen, came together in fellowship to enjoy the evening and help each other by supporting one another for the health of the river.
I want to thank everyone who participated to make this gathering so special and many special thanks goes to Rum 138 for making this possible by opening their doors to us and Doug for being a fantastic auctioneer. If only he would have modeled that caftan!
One of our members’, Marian Moss, who along with her husband, Kirk Moss who give so much of their time to OSFR, wrote this about the event:
“Thursday’s event was the most fun and hopeful event regarding our water all year! The camaraderie, generosity, laughter, abundant food and entertainment made for a most enjoyable evening. Thank you to all who give so freely of their time and talents.”
This sums it up for all of us, thank you again for all your support.
The Florida Springs Council fundraiser and potluck dinner conceived and executed by Kristin Rubin and helpers at Our Santa Fe River’s headquarters Rum 138 on Thursday was a huge success thanks to the large crowd in attendance and all the hard work by those volunteering. And because of all the donations from generous contributors.
