Defend Rivers campaign highlights Alabamians concerns for the health of their waterways, support of river protection
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2014
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On Friday, July 18, 2014, the Alabama Rivers Alliance launched a flotilla of over 100 people in more than 70 boats to celebrate the Defend Rivers Campaign. The boaters ranged in age from seven months to over seventy years and represented over twenty different organizations ranging from Autauga Creek Canoe Trail and Sierra Club Alabama Chapter to the 4-H Club and Canoe Alabama. Also participating were special guests Jane Cameron from the Special Olympics and Teen Miss Atlantic Coast Kaitlyn Taylor. The flotilla included patrol boats from Black Warrior Riverkeeper and Coosa Riverkeeper and kayaks and canoes compliments of Coosa Outdoor Center, Alabama Scenic River Trail, and The Nature Conservancy.
The flotilla began at Montgomery Marina and Capitol Oyster Bar then traveled to Riverfront Park for a barbecue luncheon and a drinking water toast to Alabama’s waterways.
“Most concerned citizens and river advocacy groups lack big money to hire professional lobbyists or buy expensive advertisements to influence policy, but we do have a voice. We expect our elected officials to represent us as constituents,” stated Cindy Lowry, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance. “The Defend Rivers Campaign is about helping people be involved in government and let their elected officials know that they care about our rivers and that they want legislators to vote to protect rivers.”
The Defend Rivers Campaign will engage citizens across Alabama in raising awareness of water issues and communicating their significance to state elected officials and those seeking to become elected officials. Citizens can participate by signing the Defend Rivers Pledge at www.DefendRivers.org. Over a hundred Alabama citizens have already taken the pledge and thousands more signatures are needed to ensure that Alabama’s rivers have a voice in government.
See more photos and video on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/alabama.rivers.
# # #
About the Alabama Rivers Alliance
The Alabama Rivers Alliance is Alabama’s statewide, nonprofit, water protection organization. Networking over fifty grassroots water protection organizations across Alabama at the local level and advocating smart planning and reasonable laws at the state level, we work to ensure healthy waters for future generations by empowering the citizens of Alabama to protect our waterways. Learn more at AlabamaRivers.org.