A Special Note From Dave Simonett
November 20, 2024 3:00 pmFriends,
Dave Simonett from Trampled by Turtles, here.
Last year a few of us in the band and a few of our crew made a kind of work retreat to the Boundary Waters. We paddled in the wind; we portaged in the mud, and my son caught his first walleye. For most of the group, it was their very first foray into that beautiful wilderness. As it always is, it was so cool to see the BWCA through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time. We talked a lot around the campfire about how unique and special the place is and, on a broader scale, how important wilderness areas are to the general well-being of all of us. There is an undeniable connection enjoyed in a place untroubled by concrete, indoor plumbing, and WIFI. It may take a day or two, but once you settle into the rhythm of camp, time as we know it, segmented and worshipped, blends easily into itself and the movement of the stars. Eat when you’re hungry, sleep when you’re tired. This simplicity, once taken for granted, is now a luxury that is becoming ever harder to find. It is the rhythm of the animal that resides in every one of us.
I believe we humans need wilderness. We need to know there’s an edge out there that, once crossed, you can be fully OUT. We need a frontier; a somewhat dangerous place where we can rely on our own fortitude and where we can calm the endless noise of modernity. If you’re like me, the city chases you there. There is a peace that can only be achieved by sleeping on or next to the dirt, and if I go too long without it, I get depressed. I’ve tried to introduce my kids to this magic, and I hope it has stuck.
As you may or may not know, I have the honor of being on the board of directors of Sportsmen For The Boundary Waters. We are an organization dedicated to protecting the BWCA from anything that threatens the habitat within its borders. We are hunters and anglers and campers and paddlers, and we realize the immediate importance of having the largest American wilderness area east of the Mississippi protected for our kids and their kids and on and on and on.
A new administration is about to take the helm of our great nation. I’m not here to discuss the merits of political parties or politicians. I am here, however, to acknowledge the very real possibility that the 20-year mining withdrawal that was put in place to protect the Boundary Waters from toxic pollution is now in danger of being reversed. Whoever you voted for, as outdoors-people, it is now our responsibility to make sure the habitat upon which we all rely is protected to the best of our ability and to hold our elected officials accountable for the decisions they make. We at Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters are here to do just that. We believe that conservation is a non-partisan issue, and in this unique space, we can find common ground across the political spectrum in the interest of protecting our wild spaces.
I’m asking you, if you’re able, to donate a few bucks to Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters. We do not take your trust lightly. Every dollar you send our way will go towards our mission to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its watersheds, now and forever, through advocacy and education.
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to read this, and thanks for considering Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters on this day of giving. I hope to see you out there somewhere, at a show or on a portage. Say hey, either way.
Sincerely,
Dave Simonett
