At the beginning of the summer, all of the participants from around the country gathered for an orienation at Treasure Island (which was then a Naval Base) in San Francisco. Gore gave a great, inspiring speech at the orientation and I wondered why he hid that personality when he was on TV. The ICARE-Philadephia (Immunizing Children At-Risk Early) program focused on immunizing low-income kids. The nursing students took care of the actual immunizations. The rest of us had to drum up the business by going door to door, organizing health fairs (in which I once dressed in a giant Ernie costume) and my personal favorite, driving through South Philadelphia with a microphone on the car, making announcements. It was just a wee bit "grassroots." At the end of the summer, two people from each location were chosen to go to Maryland to meet with President Clinton, and report back on what we had accomplished that summer. So, essentially, it's the age old "How I Spent My Summer" essay, delivered to the President. I was one of the lucky recipients of a trip to meet the Prez. Each program had a station with a board highlighting the program achievements. Clinton went from station to station and talked with each program's representatives.
(Edited to add this ridiculous picture that I just scanned). When Clinton walked up to our station, I was surprisingly calm. He's just a dude. A REALLY tall dude with a mole near his nose that I had never noticed on TV or in pictures. We introduced ourselves and gave him the scoop on ICARE Philadelphia, he asked some questions, congratulated us on our work, we shook hands, and that was that. If I only knew then what I know now, I would've probably gotten myself arrested. "Please....don't ever go....don't jiz on Monica's dress....please...you have no idea....you're a pretty good President but in comparison of what's to come you're friggin fantastic..." After he got info on each of the programs, there was a question and answer forum. I just found the transcripts from it here. Now that I think back on it, I think Al and Bill and their Summer of Service program played more than a minor role in my career path. So, thanks guys. Last year, because of my former job at the Sierra Club, I got to see an advanced screening of An Inconvenient Truth. Al Gore was there to introduce the movie and do a Q&A afterwards. Kudos to Al Gore for creating a movie in which a bar graph made me cry. I must say, it was pretty amazing to see that film in a theater full of environmental activists and friggin AL GORE. I normally hate when people applaud at the end of a movie because who are we clapping for?? But this time- it made sense. The standing ovation lasted for at least five minutes and I was one of the last to sit my ass down.
I really enjoyed working at the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club. The people I met there were fantastic, but I don't think I'm cut out to work on environmental issues full-time. It's a tough job. Often, a very thankless one. I'm happy that Gore has gotten the recognition that he deserves, because his recognition brings light to the thousands of people pouring their time, energy and passion into creating positive changes in their states, cities and towns. So I say let's celebrate Gore's Nobel Peace Prize by doing something to help the environment. Switch out your old bulbs to compact flourescents. Wash your clothes in cold water. Walk instead of drive. Get a canvas bag for your groceries. Plug all your electronics into one power strip and unplug the strip when you're not using it.
Speaking of people who won the election but didn't actually become President, I wholeheartedly agree with Garrett Epps' column in Salon, Let's Abolish the Electoral College.
Oh, and Ann Coulter? GO AWAY ALREADY.
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