Members of the Arkansas Sierra Club are preparing for an exciting and energizing fall.  We are receiving lots of national attention, not only as a state with two key U. S. Senators, but also as an important state in the upcoming presidential election.  Holly Ferguson and Glen Hooks are gearing up and expanding their programs.  Phyllis Dunham, the Regional Director of the newly reformed Southern Plains Regional Conservation Committee, and Larry Freilich, the Regional Representative, are huge assets for our Chapter, both in the support and resources that they are providing for our local issues and in the regional and national campaigns that they will be helping establish in Arkansas.

To prepare for all this work and excitement, our Chapter is reorganizing and revitalizing our committee system, so that we can effectively and smoothly meet all of the work and challenges of this busy time.  Whether you are new to the club, want to get more involved, or are a long-time Sierra activist, this is the perfect time to expand, change or develop your role in the Club.  We have opportunities for volunteers to table one-time events.  We have opportunities for volunteers to follow specific projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.  We have opportunities for people to serve on and Co-Chair our committees.  Whatever your expertise, interests or the time you have available, there is a volunteer opportunity to match. And whatever the volunteer opportunity, there will be regional and local support to help each volunteer work effectively.

One of our Chapter’s upcoming, high-priority projects is the upgrading of our website.  National will be providing invaluable tools and support for us during this process.  We need people with or without html experience who are interested in helping create a new face for our Chapter to present to the World Wide Web.  (College students - this could be a great resume builder!)

In addition, we have positions available on all of our Chapter Committees.  Our Membership Committee will be developing new recruitment programs, drafting new surveys to poll our membership, and helping us maximize our volunteer resources.  Our Conservation Committee will be developing and outlining our state-level conservation goals.  Sub-committees to deal with particular conservation goals will be formed.  Our Political Committee will be organizing our efforts to promote environmental policies in fascinating ways.  Our Outings Committee already has outings planned for every level of skill this fall and will be further developing our Chapter and Group Outings programs.

If you wish to get more involved, we are having Executive Committee elections this year.  Serving on the Executive Committee is a great way to influence the direction and goals of our Chapter.

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, or have a project of your own that you would like to see done in our Chapter, contact me. I can be reached by phone at (501) 280-0386 or by email at Sarah_Keith@alumni.brown.edu.