SierraScape October - November 2001
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Note: This article refers to a ballot contained in the EMG newsletter. You must have a paper newsletter to vote.

Candidate Statements

Executive Committee (ExCom) members meet once per month to authorize club actions and assist activities of other Eastern Missouri Group (EMG) members.
There are seven voting members on the ExCom. Three persons will be elected, each to fill a two year term. Voting instructions are given on the ballot, page 19.
Following are statements by candidates for the ExCom, listed in alphabetical order.

Valgard Jonsson
I am soliciting support from all members of the Eastern Missouri Group for my election to the Executive Committee. I promise to work hard and to the best of my ability on your behalf on all environmental issues of importance to the Sierra Club, locally and nationally.
Today or in today's world, wherever we look, there seems little land ethic. Land use is governed by money - essentially who is able to buy or dominate the land for personal gain. We never ask the land what it wants as we consider land to be inanimate, without rights except by those who claim ownership.
Rivers are part of the land, yet we never ask the river whether we can use the water that runs between its banks. Does a river have a claim on its water? Rio Grande is one such river that is allotted out to various uses along its course. When all the allotments are added up, the river has no water of its own for its fauna or flora. Is taking all the river water morally right without considering the river itself and its denizens?
Land ethic is taking the Earth in all measures into consideration and we do this unselfishly, knowing or contemplating the consequences of all our selfish actions: We do not build in floodplains. We do not contribute to urban sprawl. We recycle. We do not cut trees or shrubbery or permit grazing along creeks or stream banks. We protect our rivers. We do not clear-cut. We do not pollute, and take issue with those who foul the air we breathe.
There are so many other important issues that could also be included.

Tim Pekarek
I am Tim Pekarek, and a member of the Sierra Club since the early 1980's. The nominating Committee has asked me to run for the 2002 EMG ExCom and I have agreed.
For 9 years, I have been a member of the Inner City Outings Committee (ICO) in St. Louis; the last 7 years, I've served as ICO Committee Chair. With the other ICO member, I have helped plan numerous outdoor activities with children and youths from neighborhoods of St. Louis where such opportunities aren't common. I have also helped with the background work of the ICO group, such as leader screening and training, preparing reports, and planning meetings. My work with ICO has taught me that youths are very much brought to life by wilderness activities, and they are aware of the waste and loss that is a part of our legacy.
I live and work at Karen Catholic Worker House which is a shelter for homeless women and families on St. Louis  near-northside. I enjoy organic gardening on a small plot on our block, and taking my dog, Lotus, on long city walks.
Thank you for considering me for EMG ExCom.

Ken Schechtman
I am a long-time Sierran, a frequent outings participant, and a regular attendee at monthly meetings. I am honored at being asked to run for the ExCom, and am confident that I can make useful contributions both to the committee and the club. I have years of experience as a political activist in progressive causes and a lifetime of experience questioning the status quo. I will bring to the committee the skepticism of an academic scientist and will challenge the way we do things when there might be a better approach. While I am not technically expert in the environment, I have a broad knowledge of most social and political issues and can translate that knowledge into a wider context that facilitates social activism. I did this for years as a talking head on a local cable TV discussion show, and continue to do so as an occasional op-ed contributor to the Post-Dispatch, most recently through a piece on global warming.
I've been a member of the EMG Sierra Club since 1976, and was active in the anti-Meramec Dam issue. In the 1980's I helped with seven or eight lemonade booths, and I was Recording Secretary for EMG ExCom for 18 months. I helped with several Christmas parties. In the 1980's and 1990's I led one or two outings per year. I subscribe to the Sierra Club motto "to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth".

Toni West
Hello, my name is Toni West. I have been a member of the Sierra Club since 1988. I am interested in becoming more involved with the inner workings of our Eastern Missouri Group.
EMG ExCom will need a person to replace Marsha Armentrout, as outgoing Secretary. I believe this would be the ideal position for me to learn about the club and how the ExCom serves the membership through the year. I have previous experience recording minutes for my hot air balloon club.
I've participated in EMG lemonade events, State Park sales tax campaign, camp-outs, floats, hikes and glade restoration outings. I'm a regular member of the EMG's first Stream Team.
I look forward to serving the members of the EMG by effectively recording the business at the meetings. I will also be able to determine in what other capacities I may be able to serve the Club in the future. With your vote of confidence, I'll be able to do just that. Thank you.