Normally my Thanksgiving message is pretty easy -- I talk about the things that Clean Water has to be thankful for and then profusely thank our members for the support throughout the year. And we do have plenty to be thankful for and I will thank you, but I also want to acknowledge that 2020 has been a long, tough year.
Many of us have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Many have lost jobs or shuttered our businesses. All of us have had to deal with a new reality and come to grips with a new normal. We’ve seen a record breaking hurricane season that has swamped entire communities. Much of the west coast burned for months. Extreme weather has impacted people across the country. Protests for racial justice have been met with violence and politicians have tried to undermine faith in our elections.
Still, there are plenty of reasons for hope. Despite the violence, millions protested for racial justice. More people than ever came out to vote. We, the people made our voices heard for climate justice, to protect clean water, to safeguard our communities, to start to put our nation back together. Thanks to that, the future is a bit brighter.
Clean Water members came out all year, despite COVID-19. You opened almost 3 million emails. You sent nearly 130,000 messages to more than 2,700 elected officials and business leaders. You joined us for movie screenings and stuck around for the discussion panels. You met your elected officials in virtual town halls. You came to our virtual celebrations. Clean Water members volunteered for virtual phone banks to encourage people to sign up for vote-by-mail.
It’s inspiring that this all happened during a pandemic that upended life for all of us. It amazes and humbles me when I think about it.
So, thank you. Thank you for being a member and a supporter and thank you for sticking with us throughout this year.
Here’s to a brighter future.
