Forest Schools for IL Updates
Two preschool kids bundled up in winter gear, walking across a snowy clearing on a sunny day.
Hey Everybody,
Forest Schools for Illinois has raised $985 through GoFundMe, thrown a Pancake Party, won sponsorship from Senator Ram Villivalam and Representative Will Guzzardi, found a good lobbyist, drafted a bill to legalize outdoor preschools, created a website, and screened an important documentary in the past eight months.
Here's the lowdown on the lobbyist. We got him from a good referral and vetted him. He's offered to help us for 1/4 of his usual rate. Right now, he is working on brokering a meeting between FSIL, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Department of Children and Family Services, Ounce of Prevention, and some people on the Senate Education Committee to discuss our draft bill, solve problems, and make it doable for all. Working with Gabriel Lopez will streamline our campaign and save our precious energy and time. He says that passing our bill will take two years, and he's asking for $7,500/year.
FSIL is at a crossroads. We can't go on without participation from a significant volunteer force. If we can get enough people, involvement with this project will be fun and interesting for all. If we can't, it will show that there really is not enough strong opinion about the need for outdoor preschools in Illinois to justify the time and energy we are spending.
If the issue of inclusive, widely available Outdoor Preschool is important to you there are several different commitment levels you can take on that are all very helpful.
1.) Attend monthly meetings to work on planning and strategy. More about meetings below.
2.) Help with fundraising and outreach events. Please reply to this email so I can put your name on a contact list for event help.
3.) Donate funds at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/advocacy-funds-for-forest-schools-for-il?teamInvite=QgeTLTI8HsPJWCC1UEfCeitcPWTXZooVaTL7yxdgznvPnwQHPlJnMIuPmH3KQFrj, and encourage friends and associates to donate.
FSIL has decided to meet regularly on the second Tuesday of each month so that our work will have a steady rhythm and crisis situations will not pile up around deadlines. It's important that volunteer commitments balance with higher priorities like paid work and family life.
Our projects, going forward, are:
1.) Fundraising
2.) Outreach
The meetings we've planned so far are :
2/11 from 6-7:30pm at the Edgewater CPL Branch at 6000 N. Broadway
3/10 from 6-7:30pm at the Lincoln/Belmont CPL Branch at 1659 W. Melrose
4/14 from 6-7:30pm at the Sulzer Regional Library at 4455 N. Lincoln
Children are welcome. A cozy corner for reading and simple craft supplies will be provided.
Tea will be provided. A volunteer will bring a snack.
Meetings will start on time.
We can do this, you guys!
Best Regards,
Teresa
