On April 14th, the Great March for Climate Action reached our little Town of Payson, Arizona!
The March began on March 1st, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Under the banner of “How many steps will you take”, their blog site gives their progress along the way and chronicles the people who have made the time to make a statement. The march will have hundreds if not thousands of people join in along the way with the approximately 50 committed people who have vowed to walk the 2,980 miles from Los Angeles to Washington DC. They invite locals to join with them as they march for whatever time they can afford to show solidarity.
The marchers consist of retirees, students, teachers, doctors, retired military and wandering free spirits.
The March will stop in towns and cities across America to highlight the need for our citizens and politicians to pay attention to the greatest economic and environmental threat our Country has faced since…well probably ever. We as a Nation have faced wars and terrorists and natural disasters over the centuries but have never seen the potential for climate disasters, economic disturbances, and climate migration that will face our world in the future.
The Mission for the Great March for Climate Action is:
The goal of the Great March for Climate Action is to change the heart and mind of the American people, our elected leaders and people across the world to act now to address the climate crisis.
How You Can Help!
If you are interested in joining the march, following the march, contributing or helping out in one of the cities that the march will pass through, read their official link at;
In Payson, Members of Sustainable Rim Country and the Rim Country Democratic Party helped organize places for marchers to wash up and do laundry.
After hiking all day, this group of tired marchers enjoyed a warm shower at a local home.
The Payson Christian School graciously offered up their school facilities to the marchers for meeting rooms and a grassy camping site!
The Payson Christian School donated the use of their facilities!
The Official Proclamation!
The Town of Payson has issued a proclamation greeting the Climate March for Action and Councilor Ed Blair greeted the group on behalf of the Town and read them the proclamation. It was greeted by a great round of applause and whoops and hollers!
Over 75 marchers and community members gathered to enjoy a pot luck dinner. The Boy Scouts led the group through town. The local police provided an escort down the Beeline Highway and motorists beeped their horns and waved. Walking through neighborhoods brought out locals who came to their fences and thanked the marchers for their efforts. It was all good!
As the sun set, a rare blood moon rose above the pine forests.
A Rare Blood Moon.
After dinner, the community and marchers talked about what the march meant to them, they talked about how important resilience and sustainability within our communities is, they talked about the need for action that we must convince our politicians to support!
At the close of the meeting the musical group, Cinnamon Twist played folk songs and an impromptu jam session with march musicians brought to a close a good day!
SUPPORT THE GREAT MARCH FOR CLIMATE ACTION
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND TELL THEM
YOU WANT THEM TO TAKE ACTION!
Transition Town Payson 
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