If you think we are not saving a country, think again.

[yellowhousejake]

So as part of my job for the city I manage the council chamber recording system and rip and add the meeting videos to the city website.

This morning I am sitting at my desk running last night's Board of Zoning Appeals meeting through the software and guess what I see? The father of one of our junior instructors is speaking on a zoning variance, and he points out our very own Kate who is in attendance.

You think we are not making a difference? Check this response I got in a PM this evening.

I just watched the video again, and what's really cool is how the BZA works kinda like a jury but no one goes to jail.  One of the reoccurring themes of Appleseed is getting involved at the local level, so I figured I would do just that. I went with supporting highsmith because 1. he's cool and 2. it was somewhat a safe topic as I had knowledge of the subject. Plus Nick was sitting next to me so I could ask him all my dumb questions  like "do you have to sit on a certain side to support or oppose highsmith?" or the great "why do they have to get 'sworn in' to talk?" I honestly don't know how he put up with me. I was considering saying something but the In Charge Lady was getting grouchy and I didn't have the guts to talk in front of people. At the beginning of the meeting, I was getting kinda worried because I was thinking "If it takes this long to put in signs for a school, how in the world will we get a range put in?!" It turned out to be quite fun though. Another amazing thing was how we just walked in off the sidewalk and had a say in things. I know that's exactly how it's suppost to work, but it's a lot of fun to see it work. Before I was just another bleery-eyed shooter thinking 'yea-yea suuure' when you were talking about civic involvement but now that I had the opportunity to participate, I think that more people should be exercising that right as well. Just a bunch of fun to go to. Sorry bout flooding your in-box with my juvenile discovery, but it was cool ! 

One down, three kazillion to go. Let's get busy.

YHJ

[hawkhavn]

The future belongs to those that show up.
Kate learned, and then taught, a valuable lesson right there.

HH

[oladcock]

Yep, good stuff, we've got a seeder on our city council, plus we have this one fellow that attends every meeting just so they know we're watching!  ...O.L.

[The Log]

The future belongs to those that show up.

Thanks for my new profile quote, HH!

</log>

[Mudcat]

Great!

[spitfire51]

Now that is just plain awesome to see.

[SPQR]

I create monsters who squash the Tokyo of Ignorance, Laziness, and Apathy.  Then they send me Christmas Cards. 

Good job Kate, VALES IGITUR VALEO

[Kosciusko]

It's the little things like this............. that really aren't so little.

At one AS, after we had finished up on Saturday, I was approached by one of our shooters, an Army vet with  2 tours of  Iraq .

he said:

"Thank you,  I really wish the US Army had taught me what I learned today __before__    they sent me to Iraq."

Any  remaining doubts as to  the value of Appleseed vanished at that point.  Minor irritants like the heat, the cold, the snow, insects,   etc.     Gone.     All washed away like a sand castle hit by the incoming tide. 

We are  reaching people, and we are making a difference, bet your last dollar on it.

[slim]

"...we just walked in off the sidewalk and had a say in things."

BOOM! Way to go, Kate. Keep up the good work!

At one AS, after we had finished up on Saturday, I was approached by one of our shooters, an Army vet with  2 tours of  Iraq .

he said:

"Thank you,  I really wish the US Army had taught me what I learned today __before__    they sent me to Iraq."

Any  remaining doubts as to  the value of Appleseed vanished at that point.  Minor irritants like the heat, the cold, the snow, insects,   etc.     Gone.     All washed away like a sand castle hit by the incoming tide. 

I looked into the misty eyes of a WWII veteran who firmly shook my hand and said, "Make them understand. Make them. They have to."

[oladcock]

You guys are killing me. We'll probably never be fully aware of the impact.

I had a pastor (also a city councilman) come up to me after a seed and shook my hand and said I had no clue what we'd just done for his youngest son's self esteem. "What do you mean?" I asked. "He is in the shadow of his older brother who is better in school, sports, music, etc...the younger has found something he's as good at as his brother." Then he asked, "Where do you guys get all those stories? I see a bunch of sermons in there!"....O.L.

[AuntieBellum]

That is awesome - Appleseed doing exactly what it's supposed to do by getting Americans off the couch.  Keep the message flowing, and we'll save this country yet!

[grunt soldier]

that is great stuff.  good to see people still getting involved.  congrat kate

[Cooper]

Thank you all for this thread.  It's the best Christmas present I've ever received.