Letter Writing

“Big Bend Letters” project forms to oppose La Entrada Al Pacifico

The mission of the Big Bend Letters project is to raise awareness across Texas of the La Entrada Al Pacifico plan, by facilitating letter writing from residents and friends of the Big Bend to La Entrada Al Pacifico decision makers and other concerned parties.

The Big Bend Letters project is seeking residents and friends of the Big Bend who would like to participate in an ongoing effort to raise awareness across Texas of the proposed La Entrada Al Pacifico truck route. The contacts for the project are: bigbendletters@yahoo.com or 432/837-9087.

The project, intended to coordinate with other groups opposing La Entrada, will create three volunteer letter writing groups to reach out across Texas. The groups will concentrate on contacting legislators and state agencies, statewide interest groups that frequent the Big Bend (hunters, birders, bikers, etc.), and statewide media, respectively.

Big Bend Letters is designed to avoid time consuming meetings and let writers work on their own schedule. The goal of the project is to cut through the red tape and let the unique voices of residents and friends of the Big Bend speak on the region’s behalf. Coordinating those voices can ensure that decision makers and others hear them loud and clear, and the research component will help educate Texans about La Entrada and the issues that surround it.

Each group will be composed of overall coordinators, several researchers, and numerous writers. Coordinators and researchers will identify letter recipients, and relay that information by email or phone to the writers on a regular basis, who will then write and send their letters. Writers may also receive talking points for their correspondence if desired.

This organizational model offers volunteers a convenient, high-impact way to oppose La Entrada based on their personal schedule, without the need for time consuming meetings. It can also accommodate as many volunteers as would like to sign up. The numbers of folks involved will matter, as the point of the loose organization is to let a lot of folks each contribute a little bit. This will help inform lots of friends and neighbors indirectly, and should keep the organizational burden from falling unevenly to a few folks.

 

The tasks of each group will include:

Writers: Write and send at least one letter per week

 

Researchers: Identify key players in each group’s field, their contact info and role in LEAP

Assist Coordinators in passing out contact info to writers

Keep information current; Keep volunteers’ information current

 

Coordinators: Coordinate overall group functions

Mentor and assist writers as needed

Work with researchers and others on research strategies

Coordinate regularly with the other writing groups and LEAP opponents

Collect copies of letters for archival purposes if possible

 

It is essential that residents of the Big Bend create an ongoing means of informing the rest of the state about the Motran/Txdot plan for La Entrada Al Pacifico, enlist the aid of as many Texas residents as possible to oppose the Motran/Txdot plan, and take action to implement better alternatives.

Anyone interested in participating in the Big Bend Letters project should contact bigbendletters@yahoo.com or call 432/837-9087.