Please join with us for the formation of a new group devoted to John Muir's life and legacy in Wisconsin!
The Wisconsin Friends of John Muir are dedicated to creating enlightened public awareness about the life and legacy of John Muir, who moved from Scotland to Wisconsin at age 10, and nurtured his prophetic views of life, science, spirituality, and the essential role of wildness in nature during the 18 years he spent here and elsewhere throughout the upper Midwest and Canada.
We are further committed to the articulation of actionable goals, in education and conservation, consistent with Mr. Muir's legacy, which honor his stature and increase public awareness of his place in Wisconsin history and culture.
We believe that he immeasurably influenced other great environmental leaders of Wisconsin who came later, such as Aldo Leopold, Sigurd Olson, Gaylord Nelson, and Claes Nobel, and seek to associate our regard for Muir with the work of these and others like them.
Some specific goals are:
1.Increase public awareness about John Muir in Wisconsin and the region, particularly his boyhood homes at Fountain Lake and Hickory Hill farms. Projects to achieve this include:
a.Conducting field trips to Muir's boyhood home at Fountain Lake for people throughout Wisconsin.
b.Website display of Muiriana from Wisconsin.
c.Promotion of dramatic and musical presentations about Muir around the state and elsewhere throughout the upper Midwest, as well as other types of public events.
2.Promote Education about John Muir to youth as a role model for loving the world and environmental protection:
a.Assisting school groups making educational outreach visits to Muir-related sites in Wisconsin.
b.Poster contest for fourth grade kids inspired by John Muir Memorial Association, with a Wisconsin flavor
c.Establish the Childhood Friend of John Muir program, wherein a participant gives a short speech, plants a tree, and joins a "club", then to pursue other hands-on activities individually and with groups.
3.Seek out John Muir historical documents, artifacts, and other primary and secondary historical materials relevant to the Muir and other Scottish familiesŐ Wisconsin connection, and provide for greater public understanding, appreciation, and opportunities for public viewing. Where possible, we will display such materials on the Internet for public viewing, and seek to ensure their enjoyment in museums, libraries, and historical sites where they may be publicly accessible.
To contact or join the Wisconsin Friends of John Muir, please write Gerald Pelrine, 302 South Highland Road, Sister Bay, WI 54234 Tel: 920-854-1898 email: gpelrine@yahoo.com
