Walk to Re-Energize Iowa

Oil your hiking boots or break in those new walking shoes. The Sierra Student Coalition has put together a march from Ames to Des Moines to draw attention to global warming solutions.

The march is scheduled from Thursday, August 2 to Sunday, August 5, 2007. There will be speeches in the morning, entertainment in the evenings, and school buses to help carry equipment. People are invited to march the entire path, from Reiman Gardens in Ames to Nollen Plaza in Des Moines, or as much of it as they can. If you cannot join the march, you are still invited to share in evening entertainment and to participate in the final rally.

The action starts at 9:30 a.m. on August 2 and the march begins at 10:30 a.m. The first day ends 10.4 miles away in Huxley, where there will be an evening program from 5:00 - 6:15 p.m. at Railroad Park.

Day 2 will cover 6.1 miles, from Huxley to Alleman. The evening program at North Polk High School runs from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Day 3 ends at Saylorville, 11.0 miles from Alleman. The evening program will be at Saydel High School from 5:15 - 6:45 p.m.

Day 4 (August 5) will cover the last 7 miles. There will be a stop for lunch at Birdland Park where, starting at 12:00 noon, the final leg will carry marchers on down to Nollen Plaza for a rally from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Organizers ask that people who join the march for a day or less bring their own lunch. Marchers who camp overnight will be furnished meals, but they are asked to bring their own tents and related items. A lunch break is scheduled for each day. The third day (August 4) has two breaks scheduled. Marchers who need to return to their starting points at the breaks or at the end of the day will be shuttled back on a school bus.

Preferably people will car pool or take public transportation to their starting points. Although, public transit will only be possible for people starting off in Ames. Smaller communities do not have public transit options and buses do not yet run on Sundays in Des Moines.

Visit www.climatesummer.org to read about planning for the march, and a concurrent march in New Hampshire, and to register to walk. Organizers encourage registration, particularly for overnight marchers, to help them coordinate logistics effectively. Efforts are being expended towards making
the march carbon neutral.

Performers already scheduled include Brian Joens on August 2 in Huxley. The Nollen Plaza entertainment on August 5 will include BeJae Fleming and Tubabu. Issue workshops will be held in Saylorville.

On a personal note, when I first encountered the Sierra Student Coalition in Des Moines, I refused to sign the group’s petition. My objection was that it only called for clean energy in terms of cars and homes, omitting the needs of buses and rental units.

If you join the march, feel free to share your observations of the fun and the issue with Around Des Moines.

Guest Author: M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.