Bulletin #728

December 28, 2006

Dear All,

It was an exhilarating experience yesterday watching the contributions coming in to our fighting fund for 2007. The challenge we were set by two generous supporters was to raise another $3000 to reach a mini-goal of $5000 by midnight Dec 31. If we were able to do this we would receive pledges of $5000 and $1000 respectively. You did it - with three days to spare!

Our current total stands at $5040, which translates to a grand total of $11,040. Wow! Thanks again to our wonderful anonymous donor of $5000 and also to Dan Oelkers, our FAN Mobilization Team rep. from Arizona, for increasing the challenge yesterday by $1000. Thanks also to the many of you who met the challenge and donated so generously. But please don’t stop. We are still operating on the smallest of budgets and we can assure you that every further dollar we raise will be stretched far and wide to maximize its fullest possible impact.

Am I being overly ambitious in asking if there is anyone out there who has been watching this exciting response to these two challenge grants who would like to keep the excitement and the donations flowing by offering another challenge? For example, is there anyone prepared to match dollar for dollar (up to your specified amount) each dollar raised from now to December 31 (midnight)? Our starting point would be our current total of $11,040.

I will get back to you if anyone steps forward, meanwhile, if you want to send in your own tax-deductible contribution it is very easy to do so. A donation to FAN (small or large) can be made by simply using our secure, online donation system at: https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=5061 (if this is not live in your system please copy and paste). Donations can also be sent by mail to: AEHSP-FAN, PO Box 5111, Burlington VT 05402.

When we set up the mini-goal of $10,000 by Dec 31 I didn’t in my wildest dreams believe that we could achieve that goal. The fact that we have done this with three days to spare is a very good omen for 2007. Along with the many other things that have happened in 2006 I think it is yet another sign that fluoridation is on its last legs. Its not just that things are going our way with the NRC report; the Bassin publication; the 4 page report of the FAN conference in Chemical and Engineering News and the ADA concession that babies should not get fluoridated water. We have had victories before but somehow they disappear in the power structure’s frustrating obfuscation – the smoke and mirrors – which their PR machinery performs so effectively in front of a largely acquiescent press.  I sense a renewed determination from people from Alaska to Maine and from Minnesota to Texas that this time we are going to end this nonsense once and for all. We gained tremendous momentum in 2006; your donations are telling me that you are determined – like us - to make these victories stick in 2007.

Thank you all again for making this one of the most exciting Christmases for us  - ever.

Paul Connett