Oklahoma Sierra Club November E-News
Remember the latest info is always on-line at http://oklahoma.sierraclub.org/cimarron
In this eNews:
Make a Difference, VOTE in the November 4th Elections!
A successful Meet & Greet was had with the Cimarron Sierra Club! What an awesome night! Eighteen Sierra Club members and candidates showed up for Cimarron Group’s candidate reception at Cocina De Mino. We visited with three endorsed candidates about environmental issues: Joe Dorman for Governor, Anastasia Pittman for Senate District 98 and Dr. Donald Smith (35-year Sierra Club member) for House District 100.
Right now, Sierra club has a window of opportunity to elect people who will work with us to protect public and private property and pass progressive legislation to stop the assault on the environment in our state. Will you help elect the “greenies” instead of the meanies? For more information about the Sierra Club endorsed candidates for Oklahoma and the Cimarron area check out the Oklahoma Chapter Sierra Club's Political Page HERE!
November Events
- November 7-9, 2014 - Cedar Lake Family Car Camping Trip
Let's enjoy the fall colors at Cedar Lake, OK with a family car camping outing. This will be an EASY outing - perfect for both adults and children. This will be our 7th year to enjoy this car camping family-experience. This adventure gives all a chance to explore, enjoy, and to learn techniques to protect our wonderful Oklahoma outdoors. Our outing includes a family-walk to visit a horse camp, giving us a chance to not only see and smell, but to touch some of the horses. Another walk will be around Cedar Lake for 2 to 3 leisurely miles. On Sunday morning, after walking in the Kerr Arboretum, we will take a ride on the world famous Oklahoma Talimena Trail as we start back home. This outing permits us to learn about this beautiful part of OK; to experience car camping; to learn of particular conservation issues in this part of OK; to practice conservation issues and car camping/wilderness courtesy ("if you pack it in, you pack it out"); to explore historical sites; to watch and learn about wonders of the night sky; and to develop friendships with like-minded people. Click here to register and for more information!
- November 8, 2014 - Birding and Burgers
It is time for the annual Birding and Burgers outing, featuring a morning guided bird walk and a backyard cookout lunch in Stillwater, OK. This is a joint offering of Payne County Audubon Society and the Cimarron Group of the Sierra Club. Activities will include a guided morning bird walk followed by a backyard cookout lunch. There is no group limit, but advance registration is necessary to join in the lunch. At 9:00 a.m. OSU’s Dr. Tim O’Connell will lead the group in looking for migrant species plus our favorite locals. Tim teaches ornithology and is Vice President of Payne County Audubon Society. Lunch will be served on site, with hot burgers, chips, drinks and a dessert. Click here for more information and to register!
- November 15, 2014 - Visit the Oklahoma City Zoo
Have you visited the zoo lately? With the cooler weather, November is a great time for it! We will meet at the zoo at 9 am and then meet again afterwards for lunch at Picasso's Cafe in the Paseo Arts District. Click here to register for this fun Urban Outing!
- November 20, 2014 - General Meeting: Consumer Health Alert ... What's in the Products You Use Daily?
Reducing Exposures to Contaminants of Emerging Concerns
Presenter: Evelina Morales, Ph.D., retired as Epidemiologist/Toxicologist/Risk Assessor for the OK Dept of Environmental Quality (1993-2010) and now has her own consulting firm, The Risk Consulting, LLC. She is a member of the National Sierra Club Toxics Campaign Committee. A full bio of her educational background and experience may be found online here.
Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (CECs) are found in consumer products at very, very low concentrations but are linked to health problems and developmental effects on living organisms, including humans. They are not currently regulated, but are in the air we breathe, food we eat, water we drink, detergents we use, garments we wear, furniture, cooking utensils, and finally ending in wastewater effluent that contaminates surface and groundwater. Knowing what they are, where they are found, and understanding how they affect our health will provide us the best way to avoid being exposed to these CECs. Taking action now is important, because merely waiting can jeopardize our lives and the lives of the future generations. Meeting starts at 7:00 PM with wine and appetizers. Program start at 7:30 PM. Location: United Life Spiritual Center, 3332 North Meridian Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK
- November 22 & 23rd, 2014 - Ozark Highland's Trail Backpack Outing
This popular outing has reached capacity, however you can still register to be put on the wait list and will be notified if any openings come available or if a second group gets added! Spend a fall weekend hiking and camping along Arkansas' premier Ozark Highland's Trail. The season should be just right for autumn foliage and the weather will be perfect for snuggling in that old sleeping bag. The hike will cover about 5 miles per day on a sometimes-difficult trail. Check out more information and register here!
- November 30, 11:00am - Day Hike in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge
Take a break from left-overs and shopping for a day at the Wichita Wildlife Refuge. We'll explore upper Mount Scott, check out the visitor center, and spend a few hours hiking in the Charons Gardens area. The trail may be steep and call for scrambling in a few places, however we will be taking the trail at a leisurely pace, with stops to admire the scenery. Difficulty Level: Moderate-Strenuous. Click here to register for this hike!
December Events - There will not be a Holiday Party in December this year, the fundraising party has been moved to Spring, check out the other great events happening in December!
- December 20, 6:30pm - Winter Solstice Party
Celebrate the return of the sunlight. Yes, there will be a few more long winter nights between now and Spring, but at least the days will only get longer from here. Come out to Apple Hill Farm. Bring your favorite food/beverage to share. Don't forget your warm clothes to sit around the fire pit and visit with the animals. With the woodstove, the shop will be toasty-warm. See you there. Happy Solstice! Location: Apple Hill Farm, 10800 E. Hefner Road. Jones, OK.
- December 27 - January 2nd - Camp/Hike/Bird Big Bend National Park
Hike the northern reaches of the Chichuahua Desert in Big Bend National Park. See vast stretches of desert, rugged border mountains and night skies so dark the stars jump out at you. Even in winter it is a forbidding place, but it is full of wonder and wildlife adapted for desert living. Click here for more information and to register!
- April 11-18, 2015 - Upscale Camping in the Caribbean
They call in "glamping", and this group will spend a week doing just that. Glamourous camping at scenic Can Bay on St. Croix. We will stay in modern tent cabins, snorkel the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, and make day excursions to sail, hike and generally explore the largest of the US Virgin Islands. Click here for more information and to register for this glamorous outing!
Other Info
- Metro OKC Local Food Guide: Farmers Markets, Food Coops, Restaurants, Storefronts and Caterers now on-line at http://oklahoma.sierraclub.org/cimarron
- More events can be found online: http://oklahoma2.sierraclub.org/getoutdoors