Hello everyone, Jan Goldsmith will be at Pete's Harbor tomorrow (today if you're reading the FML) Thursday, July 17th between 4:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. (possibly until 6:00 I'm told) to meet people from the San Mateo area and to discuss unlawful taxes imposed by the state. Pete's Harbor is at the end of the Whipple exit off 101 on the east side of the freeway in Redwood City. It's pretty much the main building on that side and you can't miss it. Jan is running for State Treasurer and anyone from this area should come and support him. I don't believe there is any charge for the event. Please come by if you can because he is terrific and deserves our support! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WWPSA and Marshall Pet Products (Marshall's purchased their usual two booth and were given one free by WWPSA) donated a booth to Californians for Ferret Legalization at the summer pet trade show in Long Beach, CA where Melissa and the very organized Debbie Andelin worked wonders to get between 75-100 people and stores connected to the ferretnews pipeline. Debbie and Melissa helped CFL at the Pet Expo booth back in April where we were swamped. Debbie came away knowing that a better, faster system for giving out our WANTED posters customized to Senate and Assembly districts was needed. She took the time to make originals with each of the 40 Senate districts coded by Senate numbers and made several copies of each. Interested parties gave their zip codes, we looked up the Senate district number and were able to hand them a pre-addressed poster in probably 1/5 the time it took before. Each poster also has the Governor's address. Show attendees were given "dailies" by Pet Product News and CFL's booth was highlighted two out of the three days! Pet Talk America, a radio show hosted by Bob Vella, asked me to do a show live from the floor in both their national and regional markets and the national radio show Talking Pets, hosted by John Patch, gave the ferret issue over 1/2 hour and interviewed myself and veterinarian Dawn Thomas from Santa Barbara. Dawn has given this issue lots of publicity and support and was very helpful in getting Senator Jack O'Connell to change his no vote to a yes. Among the staff at Marshall's booth was Pete Reid, whom I'd met many times before and like very much. Marshall's sent any and all interested ferret enthusiasts to our booth were we informed them about the progress of the bill and the name and address of their State Senator. At some point I kidded Peter about how much money CFL had received (I was told there was something on the FML inferring that we'd received support from MF-- I don't know if the kind of support was described as financial or emotional) and he reminded me that he'd given several thousand dollars to CDFA in the past and I know CDFA did receive at least $1,000.00 because I asked for it and they sent it. CFL would love to get that kind of donation from Marshall's but they are currently spending quite a sum on a huge lawsuit in California and it didn't occur to me to ask-- Peter did donate 25.00 for 5 of our beautiful AB 363 buttons with our spokesferret Moosephat in his jailhouse outfit. Three of them were given back to me to resell, so that comes to $35.00. The value of the booth is 1,300.00 and it was donated to Marshall Pet Poducts (MPP) who donated it to us. CFL thanks both MPP and WWPSA for their support for the work we're doing out here. It may be hard to measure in dollars because so far there aren't any, but support it is and we welcome it. It still cost $344.50 for renting carpet (not an option), electricity, tables and chairs. Shipping our materials to the show cost $156.00 one way so I'm assuming that total will be around $300.00. Which means altogether without my air fare it cost CFL $644.50 to attend the show. We raised just over $300.00 from donations and sales of the buttons and 1997 calendars so we're short some dough. Your help with this kind of expense is appreciated because we reach so many via the pet stores that tell us, time and time again, that they sell a lot of ferret products and have a big ferret clientelle. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For those of you whose Senator has already voted on SB 363, please take time to write to Governor Wilson. I probably do not need to remind you but I will anyway-- make those letters short, informative, and polite. His address is: Governor Pete Wilson Governor's Office State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Jeanne Carley Californians for Ferret Legalization (CFL) 410 Mountain Home Road Woodside, CA 94062 (415) 851-3750 <[log in to unmask]> http://www.ferretnews.org-- CFL Website CALIFORNIANS, YOU CAN FIND OUT YOUR ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND STATE SENATOR BY VISITING THIS SITE!! IT'S TIME TO CALL AND WRITE YOUR SENATOR--THE FIRST COMMITTEE VOTE WILL HAPPEN SOON! [Posted in FML issue 2005]