http://www.waltonsun.com/news/across-4938-rauschkolb-hands.html
Deborah Wheeler
2010-06-17 17:36:49
When restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb organized the first Hands Across the Sand silent protest in February, he was merely one man asking friends and neighbors to take a stand with him to send a message to the Florida Legislature that the people of Florida did not want oil drilling within 10 miles of our shores.
Rauschkolb warned any powers that be who would listen that a leak from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico could ruin our beaches and thus the livelihood of residents living along the shore.
He was impressed with the response he got from like minds across the state, but many in the legislature seemed to think those fears were radical.
Then came the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon.
After two months of watching the very disaster he predicted creep up to his doorstep, Rauschkolb has organized a second Hands Across the Sand. This time, he has the world’s attention.
“This is an opportunity on a national and world-wide level to send a clear message to our leaders that it is time to declare our independence from oil,” said Rauschkolb from his Rosemary Beach home.
Rauschkolb has been working 17 hours a day. He has flown to Washington, D.C., and talked to people all over the world to accomplish his objective. The effort has paid off in support.
On June 26 at noon, at 417 sites in roughly 300 cities in 43 states across the U.S., and 11 countries outside the U.S., including Japan, India, New Zealand, and others – concerned people will stop what they are doing, go to their nearest beach and join hands in solidarity to take a stand against offshore oil drilling.
On the website www.handsacrossthesand.org, Rauschkolb provides the tools to create a Hands Across the Sand event at any site. The site is interactive and offers T-shirt designs, posters, logos, fliers, and sample press releases.
Through the site’s map, Net surfers can view cities where an event has already been planned, and find contact information for the organizer in that city.
“I am not raising money or selling anything. Each organizer takes responsibility for their event using our tools,” said Rauschkolb.
Rauschkolb feels all Americans would be remiss if, in the midst of the tragedy, they didn’t take this opportunity to demand those in power to steer the country toward clean energy options that don’t place marine wildlife at risk.
“The fact that our worst fears have come true has underscored the need to act on a much higher level,” he said. “Not only will this affect the Gulf Coast, but it could result in an economic disaster that could affect the entire U.S. economy. It goes on and on and on with an economic impact that is far reaching.”
Rauschkolb feels it is now clearly evident this kind of disaster can and will happen again and expanded offshore drilling could endanger other communities in America and around the globe.
“I initially started getting e-mails from the U.K., Japan and New Zealand. They heard about this event and it made me realize there are other countries of the world that want to stand in solidarity on this issue with us. People in coastal communities all over the world are fearful it could happen to them,” he said.
As for how government officials are doing in handling the oil spill debacle, Rauschckolb said he spent an hour with Gov. Crist last week and was pleased with everything he had to say regarding Florida’s future. Rauschkolb said Crist is calling a special session of the legislature to propose a ban to offshore oil drilling in Florida and to propose placing an amendment on the ballot in November that would take drilling out the hands of politicians and place it in the hands of Floridians.
“I support his efforts,” said Rauschkolb.
Rauschkolb also had nothing bad to say about the president.
“I think he is doing the best he can considering the epic proportions of the disaster, considering no president has ever had to deal with this type of disaster before,” he said.
Rauschkolb believes the blame for the disaster rests not only on BP’s shoulders but on the entire offshore oil-drilling industry.
“Clearly this disaster could have been caused by any of the companies,” he said.
Rauschkolb has not only been a business owner on the Gulf Coast for 24.5 years, he lives in South Walton full time.
“On a personal level Š it’s emotional,” began Rauschkolb as he tried to explain his investment of time and energy in the Hands Across the Sand project. His explanation was interrupted as he took time to compose himself. “I care deeply for our marine and wildlife and their environment, our way of life on the Gulf and the future of all our abilities to continue making a living on this beautiful coast. I have a 7-month-old daughter and she may never know the beauty of this place the way we have come to know it. I fear our status quo and businesses could be scattered to the windŠ We all depend on seasonal tourism dollars.”
The rest of the nation and world are in solidarity with us on this,” he concluded. “We will work together for change. This gathering of people at Hands Across the Sand is of the world. The support lets me know I am not alone.”
To learn more about Hands Across the Sand and to read Rauschkolb’s mission statement and how to become involved, visit www.handsacrossthesand.org and join the more than 15,000 fans of Hands Across the Sand on Facebook.
Special thanks to Richard Charter