A crowd of upwards of 200 people came out to the Alachua rally for clean water per Amendment 1, held on the site of Mill Creek Sink, an open window into our aquifer. Among the speakers were Rep. Clovis Watson, who has defended vigorously our water resources in Tallahassee, Jill Heinerth, world famous cave diver who has explored and charted the underground caverns leading outward from the sink, Dr. Steven Robitaille, president of Florida Defenders of the Environment, and Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, President of Our Santa Fe River, Inc. and Save Our Suwannee.
Among the many organizations represented were Our Santa Fe River, Florida Springs Council (which represents 23 groups), Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute, Florida Defenders of the Environment, St Johns/Suwannee Sierra Club, Florida Water and Land Legacy, Madness & Mayhem, Paddle Florida, the Ichetucknee Alliance, Florida Sierra Club, Alachua Conservation Trust, Sonny’s Real Pit Barbeque, Florida Green Party, Save Our Suwannee, Putnam County Environmental Council, National Speleololgical Society, and Pete Butt Karst Environmental Service.
This very successful rally brought great awareness to the community and was held by the edge of the sinkhole on busy Highway 441 , where passing cars slowed to see what the crowd was about, then honked in appreciation, many of which had canoes and kayaks on top of their vehicles, headed for the springs and rivers.
Credit for the excellent organizers of this event goes to Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of Our Santa Fe River and Save Our Suwannee, Heather Culp of Florida Springs Council, Aliki Moncrief of Florida Water and Land Legacy, Cris Costello of Sierra Club, and Tracy Marinello of Florida Defenders of the Environment.
GOOD TURN OUT
thank you Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and family for all you give of yourselves. We need you.
incredible hard work Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson!! On stuff short notice, all these folks should up, Green and growing for safe water all over the planet!