F.A.N. Newsletter

With his permission we are sharing a letter that one of our very important supporters recently shared with all his email contacts:

Dear Friends,

The annual fund-raising campaign of the Fluoride Action Network, the organization leading the fight against fluoridation, is under way and will run to the end of December.

FAN is seeking to raise $200,000 to continue its work against fluoridation, using a small staff and many volunteers. I'm happy to support this effort and hope you will consider doing so too, in whatever amount you can afford. The number of contributors helps FAN in securing matching funding, so any contribution helps. 

In September, Sue and I attended the FAN convention near Washington, D.C., for four days. We heard scientific presentations and reports on local campaigns and legal actions under way, and we got tips on strategies for continuing our efforts. Sue and I lobbied in the Capitol, speaking with representatives of Sen. Leahy's and Rep. Welch's staffs. We partnered with Mary Lou Albert, a stalwart of the successful campaigns in Bennington to beat back fluoridation, and Dr. J. William Hirzy, a retired risk assessment specialist from the EPA, who sits on the FAN board.

I continue to be impressed with FAN's science-based and determined effort to end the practice of fluoridation. I was impressed with the dedication of fellow attendees and their can-do spirit in the face of well-funded efforts to promote fluoridation by vested interests. 

After the conference, I was honored to be asked by FAN to write an op-ed based on a study published in "Environmental Health Perspectives," the day after the convention ended. Despite its importance and its clear suggestion of fluoride risks, the study went unreported by most major media. Not surprisingly, the op-ed was rejected by the Washington Post, New York Times, and USA Today. It finally saw print in the Rutland Herald, which has remained receptive to my submissions on the subject of fluoridation. 

Please consider a donation to FAN, which accomplishes so much on a limited budget.

Thanks, and Happy Holidays,

Jack Crowther
Rutland, Vermont

**Jack Crother is a retired journailst and corporate communications professional.  He manages the website Rutlandfluorideaction.org, is an active leader in the movement to end fluoridation in Vermont, and was an attendee and speaker at our 6th Citizens' Conference on Fluoride.

How to Donate:  You can make a donation at our secure online server, or by check, payable to Fluoride Action Network, and mail to:  FAN c/o Connett 104 Walnut Street Binghamton, New York 13905 See all of the gifts we have available (with photos) here.

Fundraising Update  

Jack sent the letter above to the FAN team this week, thanking us for our work, but he also let us know it was also sent to his personal email list of local fluoride-free campaigners and concerned citizens.  Often, the most influential appeals for charitable support or assistance come from those you know and trust.  By sharing a similar letter with those in your life and community who are weary of artificial fluoridation, you could be part of a ripple-effect that increases awareness about the practice and the resources necessary to end it.
FAN is also sharing fundraising posts on our Facebook and Twitter accounts on a daily basis.  Please help by sharing, liking, and commenting with your statement of support.  With your help, and your own testimony in support of FAN, we can greatly increase our reach, our influence, and pace towards success.
Our current totals for the 2017 FAN Fundraiser are $24,095 from 86 donors.  To boost our efforts today one of our super angels has pledged to double the next $2,000 donated. So today you can make your donation go twice as far.  

You can watch these numbers grow over the next few days via our webpage (www.FluorideACTION.net) -see the first revolving masthead. It is urgent that these totals continue to grow because our ambitious goals by midnight Dec 31 are $200,000 from 1000 donors. 

Our mini-goal is $120,000 by midnight Christmas Eve. This a tough challenge but we are determined to have a lot of fun doing it.

Turn It Into a Party
On Friday, a group of fluoride-free campaigners and neighbors will be turning the FAN fundraiser into a party.  Dawna Gallagher-Stroeh, Director of Clean Water Sonoma-Marin (California), has invited the contacts on her fluoridation email list to a pot-luck fundraiser to benefit the Fluoride Action Network.  Instead of spending money on a meal at a restaurant, everyone in the group will be invited to make a small contribution to FAN. 

WHAT A FUN AND GENEROUS IDEA!

Dawna has asked me to share this as an example of what other groups and individuals can do to maximize the support for our campaign to end fluoridation.  Even at a time when residents of the Sonoma area are recovering from the worst wildfire in California history, and preparing to battle more, they’re still using this opportunity to get together, enjoy each other’s company, and bond over their mutual passion for safe drinking water.
Consider holding a small house party this Saturday afternoon, so you can put our Annual “Fluoride: Year in Review" Teleconference on speakerphone for all to hear and discuss--REGISTER NOW. You can also host a party or small tea/coffee event and screen Our Daily Dose, or Professional Perspectives.  If you’re planning a grassroots campaign for 2018, you’ll want as much visibility as possible, so this is a great opportunity to urge your fellow campaigners to get a new campaign t-shirt and bumper sticker, offered only during our annual fundraiser.       
With your help and creativity, we can ensure our movement grows each year, and moves closer to our goal of a world safe from fluoride.  We can accomplish this, but only with your help.
Thank You,

Stuart CooperCampaign Director
Fluoride Action Network

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