Hills for Climbing

The City Council heard our arguments on Tuesday and voted to ban leg traps for coyotes in San Jose.

....and there was much rejoicing.

There is a great deal more community education to do on this issue, but at least now we've stopped the train before it got out of the station. If San Jose had gone with leg traps, the other cities would have followed their lead. Now, we have time to offer other, more humane ways for people to protect their pets when they live in the foothills.

It was a good day - I had the pleasure of hanging out with nine astonishing women for five hours while we waited to speak on this issue. Each of these women is dedicated to rescuing and caring for wild animals and/or companion animals. They are all tough minded, knowledgeable and funny.

On another note, I had several talks with that Vendor and we've come to an agreement. (I'll keep Plan B handy, just in case, but it looks like we're now set in the Vendor Hall).

Meanwhile, ticket sales look very good and we now have more Tribal Belly Dance performers for the Garden Stage then we can shake a stick at. It's wonderful how generous the Bay Area performers are with their expertise and time, especially when you consider that they are buying tickets and dancing, as well. (1) Petra says that it's partly because the dancers just love this theme.

Ravensong talked to the "Bat people" and they are excited about coming and receiving the award. Three of them, including the Founder who is in frail health, will be coming in from Novato that evening. We've agreed to set the award time back an hour, so that they can get home at a decent time. This will change the performance time for our Main Stage, but we'll find a way to work around all that.

I've also talked to the new VP of Community Development over at the Humane Society, and she is coming to the ball with some other staff. They will be sharing a table with the Wildlife Rescue folks. We've given these two groups a table for free so that they can sell some items, hand out literature and do some meet and greet at the ball. Hopefully, they will garner some new volunteers, as well.

I want these folks to meet our people and once again see that they are "just folks" and I want our people to meet them and be reminded that this evening is about a lot more then dressing up and showing off.

Sia

Never loved your plains, your gentle valleys
Your drowzy country lanes or pleached alleys
I want my hills, the trail that scorns the hollow
Up, up the ragged trail where few will follow

Up over wooded crest and mossy boulder
Strong thigh and heaving chest and swinging shoulder
So let me hold my way, by nothing daunted
Until at close of day, I stand exalted

High on my hills of dreams, dear hills that know me
And then how fair will seem, the lands below me
How pure at vesper time, the far bells chiming
God give me strength to climb and hills for climbing.

(words, Arthur Guiterman, music: Pete Sutherland
CD "Nightingale Three" by Nightingale)

(1) This is true for everyone. The volunteers get a small discount on their tickets, but even people who have put in hundreds of hours of work on the ball don't get in for free. This is a charity fundraiser, after all.