Page 2 November 2007
Text Box: By Renee Wahlen Tillema This was my first Aspen in October experience. I have gone out to Aspen during the last two summers and have helped do some cleanup work at Windstar. It was beautiful seeing the aspen trees turning yellow and we had the treat of seeing Aspen and the mountains covered in snow on our last full day there. There was plenty of music, fun, fellowship and stories shared. The Windstar Colorado Connection presented two wonderful benefit concerts for the Windstar Text Box: Foundation. The Coming Home Celebration out at the Windstar land was a little rainy and cold, but there were many people who came out to show their support. John’s brother, Ron, was there to offer a brand-new CD, “John Denver in the USSR” during a prerelease offer with the purchases going to benefit it the Windstar Foundation. Overall, Windstar was well represented and gained quite a few new members during the events. I’ll have my photos with me at the Nov. 4 WWC meeting and would be happy Text Box: Gather a few friends, family members or co-workers together and you’ll be surprised what one group can do. As John Denver said— “I’ll do what I can do, you do what you can do...and together we can save ourselves.” Here are a few ideas to get you started on community-based projects. Look around your own community and see what needs some help: water quality, trash pick-up, recycling, tree planting...the list is endless. Start an Earth Day program in your local school Organize a trash pick-up day or Text Box: tree planting day Clean up around lakes and rivers Provide a local recycling flyer (available through WWC) Talk with your local school board on green cleaning Work with local merchants to offer low-cost compact fluorescent light bulbs Talk to your local grocery store about offering a reusable bag credit Text Box: Since the work of the Wisconsin Windstar Connection is spread from the great north woods, to the Great Lakes, to the southern driftless area, we encourage our members to make a difference starting in your own local communities. Through Connection Circles you can start working on environmental issues that you have a personal interest in or that will benefit your own community. Connection Circles are when you, with the help and support of the WWC, take the Windstar vision and combine that with your own unique interests and start making a difference. Text Box: Connection Circles

John’s brother, Ron, and their mother, Erma, accept an award from Germany’s Country Music Association.

Campfire at the Windstar land. The rumor was that 300 people were there.
Text Box: Aspen in October events

Left, WWC member Carolyn Churchill runs the merchandise table at Windstar.

Right, Dreux DeMack sells the new CD’s at the concert.

Page 2 January 2008

Wisconsin Windstar Connection News
Text Box: Have a talent? Of course you do! Have time? Now that’s a little harder to come by…but the WWC needs your help whether it’s just a couple of hours or a couple of days. Here’s how you can help the Wisconsin Windstar Connection: Offer to share your talents by teaching a workshop on your specialty -- gardening, constructing a rain garden, composting, vermiculture, recycling... Help out with the EARTHcamp program. Be an instructor, an assistant, play the guitar, roast Text Box: some marshmallows… Write articles, research suitable websites for the WWC website—we want to build the website into a tool for educators Volunteer a day or even a few hours at a WWC educational booth (Mark your calendar for June 20-22, Renewable Energy Fair!) Help spread the word about the WWC - ask your local paper to do an article on the Connection including environmental tips, place brochures at your place of business, see if your local Text Box: How you can help Text Box: summer Caulk and weather strip around doors and windows to plug air leaks Whenever possible walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit Purchase minimally packaged goods—chose reusable products over disposable ones and recycle As you replace home appliances, chose the most energy-efficient models that are available Get involved with organizations like the Windstar Foundation to learn more about environmental education and ways that you can help make your own community more “green.” What about all those CD’s? Text Box: Each year millions of software CD’s, music CD’s and DVD’s get thrown away. Some go to landfills, some to incinerators. Did you know they could all be recycled or reused? One way to reuse DVD’s and CD’s is to donate unwanted movies or music CD’s to libraries, schools, daycare facilities, anywhere that can give these still useable CD/DVD’s a new home. Organize a music or movie exchange with friends. Some schools may use the discs for craft or art projects. When purchasing software, see if it is available through a download to eliminate the CD. Use rewritable CD’s to store data, the disc can be used over and over again. Check out www.greendisk.com to find out how you can recycle CD’s, DVD’s and other computer-related equipment. Text Box: It’s easy being green! Here are some tips to make the new year a “green” one. Turn off the lights, computer, TV when you leave the room Bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store Install water efficient showerheads to use less water Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of regular bulbs Eat less meat and more locally grown fruits and vegetables Use rainwater for grass and garden irrigation Lower your water heater temperature and wash clothes in warm or cold water, not hot Set your thermostat no higher than 70 degrees in the winter and no lower than 78 in the Text Box: Making 2008 a “green” New Year

       environmental issues

6. Support the WWC financially,    sponsor a student to attend EARTHcamp or help pay the expenses of an instructor

7. Alert the Connection on environmental events that can be added to the website or in which the Connection can have an active presence

You membership can have a positive impact on our mission to inspire and educate individuals and families to create a more peaceful and sustainable future. If you can help in some way contact Renee 920-318-9518.

“Commit yourself to do whatever it is you can contribute, in order to create a healthy and sustainable future — the world needs you desperately. Find that in yourself and make a commitment — that is what will change the world.”                                                                                                         —- John Denver