GMOs - Running The Country

On January 18, 2014, 15-year old David and I launched our transcontinental Run For a GMO Free USA from the Pacific Ocean in Huntington Beach, California. Kris and 13-year old Olivia served as our support crew.

On July 19, 2014, we completed our run in Ocean City, New Jersey. Our epic finish was made even more so due to the fact that Kris and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on that date. We owe the deepest debt of gratitude to hundreds of people who contributed to the success of our run and mission. Following are but a few:

Sitka Conservation Society financially partnered with us. This partnership allowed and continues to allow supporters to make tax-deductible donations at our website, RunningTheCountry.com/donate.

Owen Kindig devoted weeks to the creation of two Indiegogo fundraising campaigns. (See the first campaign here and the second campaign here.) The professional quality of those campaigns resulted and continues to result in significant donations from far and near.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company supplied us with some 3000 seed packets, which we freely gave to people as we crossed the country. Those packets, prominently labeled “GMO Free USA,” served to pique the interest and start important conversations.

Luan Van Le and Diana Reeves with GMO Free USA repeatedly publicized our run, mission, and ongoing need for donations. David Waredy or “Coach David,” winner of the 1992 “TransAm” transcontinental race and advisory board for the Race Across USA, was present for our run launch in Huntington Beach and offered support, advice, and encouraging words throughout our run. Ted Laufenberg took care of all the details involved in renting our home and apartment in our absence. Patty and Rod Ady handled our mail, keeping us up to date on important correspondence. Clint Simic took care of the licensing requirements for our truck and travel trailer. The Fulton family opened up their home to David while Kris, Olivia, Angel, Jenna, and I made our way back to Sitka via road and ferry. Michael and Crystal Bricker provided a home for us to stay in for a few weeks while our home is still rented out. Hundreds of other people donated, time, talent, housing, and other resources along the way.

Our Run proved to be financially and physically difficult, but extremely validating. We learned that virtually everyone in the USA shares our concern with the multiple problems associated with chemically saturated, genetically modified, monocrop agricultural systems. We are now witnessing that when we consumers act together, we have the power to protect the environment and put healthier foods back on our plates.

Kris and I agreed to support David in his quest to run across the country because we wanted David to learn that, with enough effort, dreams can become realities. We deeply appreciate everyone from Alaska to California to New Jersey and beyond who helped David achieve his dream.

Our run is finished, but our work continues. Kris and I will be paying off the run’s expenses for a good, long time. And in the coming months I’ll publish at least one more GMO related book and will produce a documentary based on our run.

We deeply appreciate ongoing contributions to help us with these efforts. Tax-deductible donations can be made at our website RunningTheCountry.com/donate. Contributions can also be made online until August 31st at Indiegogo.com. Search for “Help the Wilcox Family Finish Strong” in the search bar.

Much thanks, tons of hugs, and as always, many organic blessings to you!

Several newspapers have interviewed us over the past few months. Some time ago, I received an email from a woman who had read one of the articles. She gave me permission to share her initial and subsequent email messages, but asked that I change identifying information for her family sake. In accordance with her wishes, I’ll refer to this woman as Eve from Eden. Thank you, Eve, for communicating with me and for doing your part to alert others to the dangers associated with GMOs.

Letter #1:
I read the article about your family in our local newspaper. I wish I’d known you were here and could have met you. I totally resonate with EVERYTHING you say about GMO’s, Monsanto, DuPont, Roundup, etc. I have been the voice calling out in the wilderness here…..Eden’s farmers are GMO all the way! So much so that when I’ve posted things on FB about GMOs there were veiled threats made against me to my husband….”You’d better shut her up!”

I’m sure I know a fraction of what you do….it would have been great to listen to your opinions and just be in the presence of SANE people who understand that imbedding and spraying our food with deadly chemicals is sheer insanity.

There’s a very high incidence of cancer around here. People don’t seem to draw the correlation between that and the chemicals in their foods. Some people even drink water out of cisterns filled with runoff! They’ve told me it tastes fine…… lololol ……. well, ok then!!! With that scientific data to back them up, go right ahead! Count our family OUT of that.

We will be praying for you. I think it’s wonderful the commitment and closeness you have as a family. I can imagine you and your son have AWESOME conversations while walking the highways and byways!

God bless and keep you,
Eve

Letter #2:
My husband and I aren’t from Eden, so will always be outsiders. It’s the way they are here.

You may or may not know that many farmers are also seed dealers, so their loyalties to these pesticide companies run deep. They also think Roundup is the safest thing out there. The irony is that it was a farmer’s wife who first alerted me to the dangers of GMOs. She private messaged me on FB and told me she couldn’t speak out, but that she doesn’t serve her family ANYTHING GMO!!! She said her husband makes his living off of GMOs, so she’s stuck. Another farmer friend told me their seed bill per year is $900,000.00….. I kid you not! The seed dealers are making quite a killing….oh….pun!

When I was posting GMO stuff fast and furious I had many people tell me they’d never heard that term before. They started looking into it and found it alarming …. but not alarming enough to probably do anything about it! The bottom line is that in the U.S. the almighty dollar is king, and if you mess with anyone’s dollars, you’re their mortal enemy.

I appreciate what you’re doing for all of us …. whether we all appreciate it or not. Information is crucial, and so many people have no idea what’s going on or what they’re eating! Hence the long line at McDonald’s!!!

God bless you,
Eve

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Brett Wilcox is the author of We’re Monsanto: Feeding the World, Lie After Lie. Brett and his 15-year old son, David, are currently running from coast to America coast promoting a GMO-Free USA. Brett and David blog at RunningTheCountry.com. Support their run and mission at RunningTheCountry.com/donate.

Tag: GMOs

Coast to Coast Thanks to You!

Letters From Eden