North Dakota
From LiteracyTentWiki
February 16, 2005
North Dakota is in the strategic planning stage. We are going to divide the state into thirds and each week or 2 weeks one third will mail out letters, then the next third, and then the next third. Then we will start the process all over again with phone calls, then emails. The thinking on this is that it will not be just a one time shot, but a continuous reminder to our Congressmen. We can also follow up with Thank you notes. We would like to have this continue throughout the summer too.
Notes have already gone out to all the association members so they are aware of what is happening.
David J. Rosen
Update from North Dakota, March 10, 2005
North Dakota adovcates continue to write letters, call, fax, and e-mail Congress. Some of their state legislators have also written letters to their Congressional Representatives. They are striving to have *all* their students, instructors, advisory members and others write. For those who do not want to write original letters or make calls they have a form letter with a spot for 10 signatures. Interested people print their names, write their addresses, and then sign their names. The signature sheet has all the important points, and why the proposed cuts would not be positive for their community, North Dakota, and the nation. Some of the points in the form letter have come from posts on the ALE Wiki. ( http://wiki.literacytent.org } An advocate contacted each Congressman's office who said that this was an acceptable way to communicate with Congressional Representatives and that each signature will be cou nted.
Students are so interested in this that they are taking the signature sheets with them wherever they go and getting them signed.
The person who sent this update wrote that she loved the idea, posted by Lisa Jochim, of pictures of the Congressional Representatives hanging up in the program hallway so the students could sign on beneath each one when they contact them. She said she would send this idea to all the members of her association.
David J. Rosen
