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INTRODUCTION

Thank goodness March is now over!!  It was one very busy and hectic month, and now the evacuations begin.

IMPORTANT APRIL FACTS

Aries March 21-April 20
Taurus April 21-May 20

 April Birthstone: 
April's birthstone, the diamond, is remarkably simple in composition, yet stunning in its unique ability to reflect and refract light into vivid flashes of brilliant color.  The ancient Hindus called the Diamond "Vajra," meaning lightening, both because of the sparks of light thrown off by this gem as well as its invincible strength.  The diamond is harder than any other substance on earth. 

April Flower: 
The month of April is represented by the daisy.  Daisies have long been associated with innocence.  The large vibrant blooms of the gerbera daisy have made it a favorite among flower lovers.

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays and Anniversaries    ¡Feliz cumpleanos!
4          Diane Firth
4          Maggie McKown
7          Holly Batting
7          Seddon Wylde
10        Butch
10        Michelle Bliss
11        Judy James
12        Didiere Jackson
15        Monica Estrada
17        Chris Haas’ dad
18        Lucy James
19        Greg Goudy
23        Sharon Wandler
25        Lindsay Firth
27        Gary Sparks 

There must be more than this.  Let’s hear about YOUR birthday before it happens.

 Missed March Birthdays / Anniversary

 Nada!

APRIL FOOL’S DAY, APRIL 1st

Unlike most of the other non-foolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear.  There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar.  Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France.  Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25.  The celebration culminated on April 1.  With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years.  Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1.  These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace.  They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fool’s errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April.  The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century.  It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French.  April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days.  The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body.  It is called Taily Day.  The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.

Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28.  Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod.  It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.   
 

ROBIN’S BEST SHIRT AWARD, APRIL 3^rd

Come one, come all, to the Beach Bar, where we’ll have a ball.

It’s time for another “Best Shirt Award”, which is held on the first Friday of each month during Happy Hour at the Lol Ha Beach Bar. 

This award is based on Robin’s penchant for good, classy Beach Bar shirts, and his sister, Mary, is ready to once again be the judge and jury as she selects the “Best Shirt” for April. 

Bob Mather was the winner for March, and you can see the other photos at Best Shirt Award, March.
 

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DST), APRIL 5th (MEXICO)

In Mexico, DST is defined as from the First Sunday in April (April 5) to the Last Sunday in October (October 26).  In Akumal, turn your clocks ahead one hour at exactly 2:00 am on April 5th.

During DST, clocks are turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.

The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight.  We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. 

In the European Union, Summer Time begins and ends at 1:00 a.m. Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time).  It begins the last Sunday in March and ends the last Sunday in October.  In the EU, all time zones change at the same moment.  This year it’s March 29 to October 26.
                                                

PASSOVER, APRIL 9^th

Passover (Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח, Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ, Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish: Peysekh) is a Jewish and Samaritan holy day and festival commemorating God sparing the Israelites when he killed the first born of Egypt, and is followed by the seven day Feast of the Unleavened Bread commemorating the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery.

Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan (equivalent to March and April in Gregorian calendar), the full moon of that month, the first month of the Hebrew calendar's festival year according to the Hebrew Bible.

In the story of the Exodus, the Bible tells that God inflicted ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves, with the tenth plague being the killing of firstborn sons.  However, the Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb, and upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord passed over these homes, hence the term "passover".  When Pharaoh freed the Israelites, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread to rise. In commemoration, for the duration of Passover, no leavened bread is eaten, for which reason it is also called חַג הַמַּצּוֹת (Chag HaMatzot), "The Festival of the Unleavened Bread".  Matza (unleavened bread) is the primary symbol of the holiday.  This bread that is flat and unrisen is called Matzo.

Together with Shavuot ("Pentecost") and Sukkot ("Tabernacles"), Passover is one of the three pilgrim festivals (Shalosh Regalim) during which the entire Jewish populace historically made a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.  Samaritans still make this pilgrimage to Mount Gerizim, but only men participate in public worship.
 

FULL MOON, APRIL 9th

The Full Pink Moon is on April 9, 1:56pm AST.

The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring.  Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among coastal Maya tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the barracuda swam inland to the cenotes to spawn.  This is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season.  The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed three days later on Sunday, April 12. 

THE TOONIES ENVIRO-FEST APRIL 10, 11, AND 12 ok

Tricia Haynes brings The Toonies Environ-Fest to the Secret Waters Condominiums in Puerto Aventuras on April 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th, with all shows starting at 5:00pm

 There is a high level of interest in educating today's youth regarding vital environmental issues.  Tricia & The Toonies perform a highly effective program in schools and communities with themes focusing on reducing, reusing, recycling, pollution prevention, natural resource conservation and more. 

Tricia & The Toonies have performed in hundreds of schools and received thousands of rave reviews from students, teachers and parents alike.  Due to excellent evaluations each year, these teachers, principals and students and parents feel that more organizations who care about our environment should know about our services.  These interactive presentations give the young ones an up-close forum where they become clear of the difference EVERYONE can make.  The well-known phrase, "You're either part of the solution or your part of the problem", is delivered in an entertaining yet direct fashion.

Some of the puppet characters are excellent role models as they demonstrate a variety of environmental practices.  Other puppets throw litter on the ground, put recyclables in the trash rather than the recycle bin or know nothing about reusing and reducing trash.  The students are always anxious to guide these characters and share what they know.  Together with Tricia, they teach these puppets, reinforcing the power of taking action and teamwork.

DID YOU KNOW. . . . . .?

Leaving PCs on overnight costs companies $2.8B a year

 Even during an economic meltdown, when companies are scrambling to cut costs, businesses are wasting billions of dollars by leaving their PCs on at night.  U.S. organizations squander $2.8 billion a year to power unused machines, emitting about 20 million tons of carbon dioxide — roughly the equivalent of 4 million cars.

About half of 108 million office PCs in the USA are not properly shut down at night, says the 2009 PC Energy Report, produced by 1E, an energy-management software company, and the non-profit Alliance to Save Energy.  The report analyzed workplace PC power consumption in the USA, United Kingdom and Germany.

Wastefulness does not just affect a company's bottom line, it creates environmental concerns, the report says.  If the world's 1 billion PCs were powered down just one night, it would save enough energy to light the Empire State Building — inside and out — for over 30 years, it says.

"Workers do not feel responsible for electricity bills at work, and some companies insist PCs remain on at night, so they can be patched with software updates," says 1E CEO Sumir Karayi.  He says 63% of employees surveyed said their companies should take more steps to save PC power.

"It is scary how much energy is wasted," says Michael Murphy, senior manager of global environmental affairs at Dell, a business partner and customer of 1E.  It has used 1E software to efficiently manage its 50,000 PCs globally, saving about $1.8 million a year.

Simply shutting down PCs at night can save a company with 10,000 PCs over $260,000 a year and 1,871 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the report says.

"PCs can be a tremendous drain on electricity," says Doug Washburn, an analyst at Forrester Research.  "During a nine-hour workday, it isn't always in use because of lunch, meetings and other things."
 

EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 12

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches.  Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross.  As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion, is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter.  Through his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus.

In Western Christianity, Easter marks the ending of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday.

 The Annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival
On Easter Sunday, you have the opportunity to see Easter bonnets to the New York City extreme as "paraders" wander along Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets.  The area around St. Patrick's Cathedral is the ideal place to see the parade.  The Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

When and Where is the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in Akumal?  There’s eleven days to organize something.
 

EASTER IN MEXICO

For Mexico, Easter is a combination of Semana Santa (Holy Week - Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday) and Pascua (Resurrection Sunday until the following Saturday).  For most Mexicans, this 2 week period is THE time of year for vacation; good time to not be on the highways - just stay put and enjoy Akumal during this holiday season.

Semana Santa celebrates the last days of the Christ's life, and Pascua is the celebration of the Christ's Resurrection.  It is also the release from the sacrifices of Lent.

In many communities, the full Passion Play is enacted from the Last Supper, the Betrayal, the Judgement, the Procession of the 12 Stations of the Cross, the Crucifixion and, finally, the Resurrection.  In some communities, flagellation and/or real crucifixion is included.  The enactments are often wonderously staged, costumed and acted, with participants preparing for their roles for nearly the full year leading up to Semana Santa.
 

COMINGS AND GOINGS

            Comings:

• Ron & Shari Stern were back in mid-March
• Frank & Lennie are back at Casa del Sol
• Don Papa was around town for three weeks in March
• Marshall & Janet (Bouten) Thurber were back for a short visit from New York
• Hollis Hines’ daughter, Rachel, was here with Michael and the kids
• Mike & Cathy Cook, Playa Caribe #11, arrived on March 19.
• Angela Blinn arrived on March 20.
• Jissou VanderElst is back in South Akumal
• Michael Gardner and family arrived on March 21
• Joanne & Jack Perruccio and family arrive on March 21.
• Tricia Haynes arrives on April 6.

 Goings:
·        Jim & Kathy Farrell left for Austin the last week in March
·        David & Laura Wolfe also left for Austin during the last week of March
·        Maggie McKown has been in Texas , and she returns on the 10^th

 During the first week of April, it’s “Bailout Time” as the following depart Akumal:
·        Denny & Diane Mahan head back to the Lake House
·        Tom & Judy Baxter drive back to Calgary
·        Don Papa returns to Philly
·        Hollis Hines, Billy & George Plamondon head back to Chicago
·        Bud & Alice Blatner to Atlanta for a wedding, and then Philly
·        Wendell & Lynda Day vacate Aventuras Akumal
·        Steve & Judy Holtz are also leaving Aventuras Akumal
 

MT. WASHINGTON MARKS “THE BIG WIND”, APRIL 12th

On April 12, 1934, the highest surface wind measured anywhere on earth was clocked by the staff of the Mount Washington (New Hampshire) Observatory.  This "World Record Wind" of 231 miles per hour has become the stuff of legend, but what is the meaning of that decades-old record?

First and foremost, the World Record Wind is a testimony of the real extremes that can rule on Mount Washington.  Significant cold, abundant snowfall, dense fog, heavy icing, and exceptional winds are a prominent feature of Mount Washington's environment.  Yes, there are colder places, such as Antarctica, and snowier places, such as some peaks in the Cascade Range. However, Mount Washington, a small peak by global standards, really does have weather that can rival some of the most rugged places on earth.  There are days each winter when the combination of life-threatening weather factors on Mount Washington is remarkably similar to weather extremes which have been recorded in the polar regions and on peaks three or four times Mount Washington's height.  The World Record Wind is one benchmark testifying to the mountain's truly severe weather.

New Hampshire's Presidential Range includes the highest peaks in the Northeast.  Mount Washington, at 6,288 feet, is the highest in the range, and is the only peak in the Northeastern United States which exceeds 6,000 feet in elevation. 

The Presidential Range forms a ridgeline, about twelve miles in length.  Perhaps the Range's most remarkable feature is its extensive area above treeline, the greatest contiguous alpine area in the United States east of the Mississippi.  Treeline here, which averages about 4,500 feet, is significantly lower than in mountains in the west, thanks to the extreme climatic conditions, including cold temperatures, high winds, and frequent atmospheric icing.  The unusual conditions above treeline have led to a fascinating landscape, seemingly barren, but decorated with low spruce and fir scrub and a variety of alpine plants, whose bright blooming usually occurs in a brief period from mid-June to late July.

In New England it is said, “If you can ski here, you can ski anywhere”.
 

EMANCIPATION DAY, APRIL 16^th

Emancipation Day is celebrated in various locations in observation generally of the emancipation of slaves.

       In the United States, the municipality of Washington, D.C. celebrates April 16 as Emancipation Day.  On that day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia.  The Act freed about 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation telegraphing the eventual end of slavery to the rest of the nation.  The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act represents the only example of compensation by the federal government to free enslaved persons.

On January 4, 2005, Mayor Anthony Williams signed legislation making Emancipation Day an official public holiday in the District.  Each year, a series of activities will be held during the public holiday including the traditional Emancipation Day parade celebrating the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.  The Emancipation Day celebration was held yearly from 1866 to 1901, and was resumed under the leadership of Council member Vincent Orange as a tradition and historic celebration in 2002.

            In 2007, the observance of this holiday in Washington DC had the effect of nationally extending the 2006 income tax filing deadline from the 16th to the 17th of April, a delay that will recur in April of 2011.  This 2007 date change was not discovered until after many forms went to print.
 

WHAT’S NEW AROUND TOWN?

AKUMAL

Pet Peeve
Admittedly, Akumal is a serious tourist town in Mexico, predominately catering to tourists from the US, but why are so many local people and organization afraid of having them think outside the box when it comes to currency?  The official currency here is the Mexican Peso, but so many goods and services are quoted in US dollars; see Cyber Beach below.  The charge for the recent CEA Gala Event was $50USD- yes the peso amount was posted later. 

Cyber Beach
That sounds like a contradiction, and makes you wonder about what you might find at a “cyber beach”.

Laura Bush has turned the ‘old’ ice cream shop on the veranda of Lol Ha (across from the Akumal Dive Center) into a Cyber Beach Café with Copying, Printing, and Internet services open to the public between 11:00 am and 6:30 pm.  The Internet rates, in USD, are: 15 min for $3; 30 min for $5; 1 hr for $7; and 2 hr for $10. 

New Art Gallery
The Boonil naj Gallery has taken over the space vacated by Cyber-Akumal, just inside the arch, to the left.  There’s a lot of good “stuff” in here, and you should stop in and check it out, after your visit to MexicArte.

  Exchange Rate Calculation
In an effort to accommodate the ‘confusion’ between services charged for in USD and MXN pesos in the pocket, The Akumalian now has a simple conversion box on all of its pages.  Just set up for the currency you are interested in and then the amount, and presto, there it is.  Unfortunately, the various service providers are not changing/posting their exchange rates on such a dynamic basis.

 
The Akumal Bridge Spans MX307
Progress continues on the Akumal clover-leaf intersection over MX307 as the second span – on the beach side – was put into place during the last week of March.  The entire span is now having the road surface put down, and the ramps are still being graded.  It’s quite a mess right now, but with any kind of luck, it might all be finished for Akumal’s 50^th Anniversary bash.
  

PUERTO AVENTURAS
The new bridge/overpass on MX307 is now open to through traffic, thus reducing the time it has been taking to drive by Puerto Aventuras.  It’s good to know where Puerto Aventuras is, because the exit sign for Puerto Aventuras does not appear until you are about to go over the bridge.
 

CHEMUYIL – TULUM
Mx307 is open as a 4-lane highway all the way to Tulum, but be careful of some older lane markers.

CANCUN

Spring Break
It was obvious that the U.S. Homeland Security Department's warnings against violence in Mexico was not heeded by the thousands of tourists and spring breakers who jammed Cancun Airport the day The Akumalian’s staff returned from its birthday party in mid March.

The hottest destination for spring break is Mexico, say many travel bookers, because of the dollar's strength against the peso, the drinking age (18) and the country's many bargain all-inclusive resorts.  Cancun and the Riviera Maya are in demand.

Pleasant Holidays says more than 50 percent of its clients have chosen Cancun and the Riviera Maya for spring break.  In this uncertain economy, people "want a fixed-price vacation" at an all-inclusive resort and to know the bottom line before they go.

Hotwire.com says hotel bookings for Mexico are up 37% vs. the same time last year.  It has been offering $87 a night for a four-star hotel in Cancun.  Mexican all-inclusives can be booked in the $100 daily range.  The dollar — worth about 15 pesos vs. 10 last year — is lowering costs and driving business.

Determined to keep guests arriving, hoteliers are dropping rates.  Some Cancun lodgings, which had been discouraging spring break business to create a more upscale image, are checking them in again.
 

AKUMAL’S 50^th ANNIVERSARY BASH, MAY 29 - 31

On May 29th Akumal will host a 3 day Festival to commemorate 50 years since Pablo Bush Romero first arrived in Akumal on an expedition to the Matanceros Shipwreck.

 You are all invited to be a part of this memorable event, and it may be necessary to make your reservations soon!  Rooms are booking fast.

 Friday, May 29th

5:00pm – 7:30 pm
Akumal Through the Years
Location: CEA info center
·        Presentation of audio visual – “Akumal : Hace Medio Siglo”
·        Digital Photographic displays from guests, residents, and friends
·        Bar sponsored by: Lol ha (wine and cheese)
·        Musical entertainment – Jorge Palma and his “Caribbean Soul” duet

 7:30pm - midnight
“Plaza Ukana Party and Bazaar”
Location: Plaza Ukana stage area
·        Live music, entertainment and food

 Saturday, May 30th

5:30 -11:00pm
“Matanceros Expedition” night
Location: Lol ha Beach and Snack Bar
·        Happy Hour at Lol ha and presentation of the PBR museum Artifacts in game room.
·        Sale of “Under the Waters of Mexico” by Pablo Bush Romero
·        Sale of limited edition replica of the Matanceros Cross.
·        Beach BBQ with live music – tickets include picnic style dinner on the beach with beer, margaritas, or wine.
·        Concert to follow at the Lol Ha snack bar – Cash bar. 

Sunday, May 31

Fishing tournament with beach activities and live music

 For those that have not visited, this is a great opportunity to experience the history of the first tourist destination on the coastline!  A truly special destination!
 

BE A PART OF AKUMAL’S 50^th ANNIVERSARY BASH

Sherwood Anders is working on the “Akumal Memories” aspect of Akumal’s 50^th Birthday/Anniversary, and she wants your help and participation.  Sherwood reports the following.

In addition to the many festivities that are planned, we are putting together a collection of "Akumal Memories."  These will be posted on a blog and then published in a book available for purchase online and in Akumal.  Proceeds from the sales of the book will benefit the Pablo Bush Romero Scholarship Fund.

We'd like to hear your memories!  Tell us about how you discovered Akumal, your first trip, what it was like way back when - and if you have some pictures to share too, that's a bonus!  Whether your first trip was 50 years ago or last week - we want to hear about it!  Please limit submissions to your first trip - we know there are way too many wonderful memories to possibly include all of them! 

All submissions will be credited with the author/photographer's name, unless indicated otherwise - we know some of you wish to remain anonymous or keep your identity hidden in the Akumal Witness Protection program.  By submitting your entry, you agree to allow it to be published in the book as well.

Please email your stories to: akumalmemories@gmail.com 

Entries should be submitted by May 15th, 2009.  The book will be published following the anniversary celebration so that those memories can be included in it - details on purchasing the book will follow.

You can find the memories at http://akumalmemories.blogspot.com/ 

 If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to email me at sherwood.anders@sbcglobal.net !

Thanks - and we are looking forward to hearing some great stories and some awesome photos!

 Sherwood

PATRIOT’S DAY, APRIL 20th

Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans' Day are four distinctly American tributes to liberties, freedom and democracy, commemorated by a holiday in the United States.

Then there is Patriots' Day.  For New Englanders, Patriots' Day remains the quintessential observance: the anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolutionary War with skirmishes between British troops and the Minute Men of Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, and preceded by Paul Revere's famous Midnight Ride.

The events of more than two centuries ago in April 1775, now commemorated as the Patriots' Day holiday in Massachusetts and Maine, marked a turning point in the long struggle between England and her American colonies. In a march of protest and petition, which turned into revolution and independence, the fighting on April 19, 1775 foreshadowed the rebellious action of the American colonies in ultimately creating a new nation, the United States of America.  Originally celebrated on April 19, Patriots' Day was moved to the third Monday of April in 1969.

For runners, Patriots' Day has become synonymous with the Boston Marathon or, as locals often refer to the day, Marathon Monday.   While "the shot heard 'round the world" continues to reverberate in re-enactments of the historic events, the sound of gunfire also will ring clearly in Hopkinton this Patriots' Day to signal the start of the 112th Boston Marathon and to recall the ideals of the American Revolution.  

The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon.  In 2009 more than 20,000 runners are expected to participate as the Boston Marathon celebrates its 113th anniversary.  Registration for the 2009 Boston Marathon is now open.

The Boston area is a uniquely and profoundly American locale; there's no better venue and no better occasion than the Boston Marathon and Patriots' Day to showcase the spirit.  And then there’s the Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox are playing the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park, and the start time is scheduled for 11:05.

LYRIDS METEOR SHOWER, APRIL 21 - 22

The swift and bright Lyrid meteors disintegrate after hitting our atmosphere at a moderate speed of 29.8 miles per second.  Lyrid meteors tend to be bright and often leave trails.  About 10-20 meteors per hour are to be expected at peak.  Uncommon surges can sometimes bring the rate up to 100 per hour, but these rather rare outbursts are not easy to predict.  That’s one of the reasons why the tantalizing Lyrids are worth watching.  The radiant is in the constellation Lyra, which rises in the northeast at about 10 p.m.  Fortunately the thin waning crescent moon won’t obtrude on this year’s Lyrid shower.  The Lyrids typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn.  The best viewing night should be between midnight and dawn on Wednesday, April 22.  But a day or two before and after the peak date may offer a decent sprinkling of meteors too.
 

EARTH DAY APRIL 22^nd

Earth Day 2009, April 22, will mark the beginning of the Green Generation Campaign!  This two-year initiative will culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010.

 By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day

 What was the purpose of Earth Day? How did it start? These are the questions I am most frequently asked.

Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in November 1962, an idea occurred to me that was, I thought, a virtual cinch to put the environment into the political "limelight" once and for all. The idea was to persuade President Kennedy to give visibility to this issue by going on a national conservation tour. I flew to Washington to discuss the proposal with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who liked the idea. So did the President. The President began his five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in September 1963. For many reasons the tour did not succeed in putting the issue onto the national political agenda. However, it was the germ of the idea that ultimately flowered into Earth Day.

I I continued to speak on environmental issues to a variety of audiences in some twenty-five states. All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation's political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not.

After President Kennedy's tour, I still hoped for some idea that would thrust the environment into the political mainstream. Six years would pass before the idea that became Earth Day occurred to me while on a conservation speaking tour out West in the summer of 1969. At the time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called "teach-ins," had spread to college campuses all across the nation. Suddenly, the idea occurred to me - why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?

            I was satisfied that if we could tap into the environmental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause, we could generate a demonstration that would force this issue onto the political agenda. It was a big gamble, but worth a try.

At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate. The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air - and they did so with spectacular exuberance. For the next four months, two members of my Senate staff, Linda Billings and John Heritage, managed Earth Day affairs out of my Senate office.

Five months before Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969, The New York Times carried a lengthy article by Gladwin Hill reporting on the astonishing proliferation of environmental events: "Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental 'teach-in'...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned...."

 The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Over 20 million people participated and it is now observed each year by more than 500 million people and national governments in 175 countries. Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmental activist in the U.S. Senate, took a leading role in organizing the celebration, to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda. He modeled it on the highly effective Vietnam War protests of the time.

 Check out the CEA web site at www.ceakumal.org and watch for the CEA Newsletter for up-to-date information on the Earth Day Programs CEA is organizing.
 

EL DIA DEL NINO, APRIL 30th

 El Día de los Niños Celebrating Young Americans is a gift from the Latino community to all children.  Many nations throughout the world, and especially within the Western hemisphere celebrate “Día de los Niños” on April 30th to honor and celebrate children—who represent the hope and dreams of every community.

A growing number of cities, schools, libraries, museums, churches and other community organizations are embracing this celebration by planning activities and events that:

• Are fun and exciting
• Center around children’s interests
• Develop skills
• Instill confidence
• Capture children’s dreams and hopes
• Involve families and community
• Reflect cultural diversity
• Inspire and empower new generations of achievers
• Create advocacy for children’s issues
• Engage civic leaders, media, sponsors and volunteers

 Maggie McKown reports on the activities at the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal.

“We are planning on celebrating Children's Day at the library by having an essay contest and then a good match of Football (Soccer) over at the campo. Then we will have refreshments and pinatas!”  Drop in at the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal and see what the children are doing.

Check out Maggie’s blogs at http://hekabbe.blogspot.com/ or e-mail Maggie at maggiemk@aol.com for additional information.

U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX IS DUE APRIL 15th

Save the best for last!  I am sure every U.S. citizen realizes that the Federal Income Taxes are due on April 15^th.  However……..

EVENTS

Once again, Robin’s “Best Shirt Award”, was not the only “Event” of the previous month.  Check these other ones out too.
SteveC's Birthday Party in MA, March 8, 2009

Robin's Best Shirt Award, March 6, 2009

Robin's Final Resting, March 1, 2009

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