CHAPTER TRAINING CONFERENCES
Surfrider Foundation National hosted the Northern California and Pacific Northwest Chapter Training Conferences on August 14 in San Mateo County, CA. and on September 18 in Seattle, WA.
1999 marked the implementation of a new conference format which was developed from last year's chapter assessment surveys and chapter conference feedback. This new interactive training form allows the chapters to more actively participate while learning important activist skills. This year's training focused on two mains themes; the first "The Fundamentals of Direct Action Organizing and the second, "Basic Member Recruitment Principles". These two topics teach our chapter activists ways to lay a solid foundation for environmental and structural projects.
Surfrider Foundation National and the Oregon, Washington State and Montana Chapter's developed an
"Increase Public Awareness" Campaign for the Pacific Northwest region. Working together at the conference, chapter activists applied what they had just learned in a practical exercise by developing this campaign. Specific goals were set to double the active membership in each chapter and increase the number of members in each region by 10%, while focusing on three main environmental issues-water quality, access and coastal development. The campaign will run through September 2000.
Both conferences were well attended and the topics well received by Surfrider Foundation's chapter network. The next scheduled conferences will take place in October for the East Coast and November for Southern California. Please contact National for more information (949) 492-8170.
MARYLAND
Number 44
The Surfrider Foundation is pleased to welcome the Ocean City Maryland Chapter to our growing network of community based volunteers. The first official activity of the chapter was a beach clean up which took place on September 18th in conjunction with Coastal Clean up Day.
Ocean City Chapter members have been building a support base of members, businesses and volunteers for the last five months, before seeking chapter status. The Washington DC and Delaware Chapters provided insight and
assistance to help the Ocean City Chapter hit the ground running.
Chapter activists will be busy right from the start with the issue of Perdue Farms proposed construction of a chicken manure plant in the area. The proposed plant would process up to 35 tractor trailer loads of poultry litter daily, seven days a week. Currently, farmers spread poultry litter on their fields. The chapter is concerned about the possible affect on the water quality in the area. In 1997, a toxic form of Pfiesteria was discovered in three isolated spots in the Eastern Shores Rivers. Agricultural runoff from the use of chicken manure was blamed for the problem. Now the state has approved the idea of converting the litter from poultry houses into pellet fertilizer.
It must be noted that Jim Perdue, CEO of Perdue Farms is a surfer who frequents Ocean City Maryland, he has approached the Ocean City Chapter of Surfrider Foundation to discuss the possibility of working together on this issue and becoming a supporter of the chapter. The chapter will continue monitoring this issue as it develops. To get involve with this issue and other Surfrider related programs please contact the Ocean City Chapter.
S
U
R
F
R
I
D
E
R
C
H
A
P
T
E
R
E
C
O
-
A
C
T
I
V
I
S
M
Newly ratified Connecticut Chapter's first Beach Clean-Up
Palm Beach County Tabling event
