Where exactly does one (or two, in our case) run when Running For a GMO Free USA?
Exactly? We have no idea.
Approximately? Thanks to Google Maps and a few suggestions from knowledgeable friends, we’ve come up with a solid projected route. (Click on this link to see the route exactly as we see it on Google Maps, complete with different views and photos along the way.)
We’ll meet at Huntington Beach Pier on January 18th at 11 am. We’ll run the Santa Ana River trail for some 23 miles. A few of the major stops between the West and the East coast include: Corona CA, Yucca Valley CA, Flagstaff AZ, Albuquerque NM, Amarillo TX, Lake Meredith TZ, Borger TX, Wichita KS, Mansfield MO (the home of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, the seed company that is graciously supplying us with seed packets labeled “GMO Free USA”), St. Louis MO (the home of Monsanto, the chemical company that is not so graciously supplying our food with unwanted genetic pollution and toxic chemicals), Springfield IL, Indianapolis IN, Columbus OH, Washington DC, Philadelphia PA, and Atlantic City NJ.
Kris, Olivia, David, Angel and I are flying to Salt Lake City on January 8th where we will prepare for our run. Our two biggest purchases will include a truck and trailer. *We will gratefully accept a suitable donated or loaned truck and/or trailer.* We are also looking for a jogging stroller that we can covert into a dog/Seed Stroller. (At the age of 14, Angel is too old to run with us anymore.)
We will then leave for Huntington Beach on about January 14th. (We are open to GMO Free events in Salt Lake City, Saint George, Las Vegas, and the LA area.)
We plan on running an average of about 18 miles per day, six days per week, reaching the Atlantic Ocean near the end of July. We are truly a Mom and Pop and family operation. If you want to visit or run with us, we’re going to put you to work. The short list of your potential duties includes: PR, fundraiser, logistics, school teacher, shopper, massage therapist, marital and family counselor, storyteller, clothes and dish washer, cleaner, vegetarian chef extraordinaire, mechanic, coach, cheerleader, doctor, nurse, dog groomer, photographer, editor, interviewer, interviewee, blogger, tweeter, giver and receiver of hugs, musician, poet, singer, dancer, and of course, fun-loving friend.
We plan on parking the trailer in one location for two or three or four nights at a time, leaving us free to travel away from the run route as needed.
Because we’re Running For a GMO Free USA, we are actively seeking opportunities to coordinate and schedule events with local GMO Free folks. Some possibilities include: seed swaps and presentations at book stores, schools, churches, libraries, book clubs, etc., potlucks, fundraisers, hikes, group runs, planting, weeding, watering, mucking, harvesting, swimming, and family-friendly partying, etc.
And of course we want to meet with farmers and record their experiences and various stories. If you’re a farmer and you think Roundup is the greatest thing since genetically modified apple pie, we want to meet with you. If your farming operation has been hurt by patented GMOs, lawsuits, and chemical-based agribusiness, we want to meet with you as well.
If you want to stage an event within driving distance of our run route, please give us a call. Kris’ cell phone is our main contact number: 907-752-0447. We’ll do whatever we can to help make it happen.
We’d love to leave several copies of my book, We’re Monsanto: Feeding the World, Lie After Lie, at every event and in every bookstore along the way. Books can be purchased directly from us or, if you’d prefer, you can buy the paperback or electronic version at Amazon or the paperback from Barnes & Noble.
We welcome and are actively seeking media and big-name interviews. (Yes, this includes you, Oprah!)
Our on-line fundraising campaign runs through the end of January. To date, more than 6,400 people have “liked” our campaign page, that’s tons more than any of the other popular Indiegogo Health related campaigns. As much as we love the “likes,” we still need A TON MORE MONEY to help us cover the costs of this run. If you’ve already contributed, WE THANK YOU!!! If you haven’t yet contributed, NOW IS THE TIME!!! If you can contribute $10, please do so. If you can contribute $100, $1000, or $10,000, please do so. Yes, our family-based USA run is a cool thing, but our cause and mission goes way beyond cool! When you donate, you’re donating to protect honeybees, monarch butterflies, song birds, living soil, clean air and water. You’re donating to protect the health and future of our children and life on this planet. THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL!!! DONATE NOW!!!
The tide is turning! People are waking up, but there’s still so much to do! Let’s make 2014 a year a truth and a year of victories. Let’s run together for a GMO Free USA and world!
