There are still clean-up crews being organized and sent out to Tae-an and the other beaches along the western coast. Here is a thank you letter from “Joe” from the weekend of February 9th and 10th.

Thom,

We want to thank you very much for facilitating our volunteer experience on Sunday. An English speaking teenage girl told us just before Padori that because of a traditional day there would be no cleaning there that day. I was starting to worry when she added, “Follow us and we will show you where to go.”

The people in Mohang-ni were so kind and appreciative. A man drove us all the way to the bus station in Tae-an. A lady took our picture and I think indicated that she would e-mail it to us. We will post more pics on a web site when we get home. I will try to raise some funds as well.

peace,

joe

Friday and Saturday, February 1-2, to Commemorate World Wetlands Day (Feb. 2)

The Korea Wetland Project is a nationally executed Ministry of Environment project, supported by UNDP and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) that is working with local communities to protect globally important wetlands in the ROK.

Thousands of volunteers from the public and private sector have already responded to the Hebei Spirit oil spill (Dec. 7); however, there is still a lot more work to do on the ground.

World Wetland Day is an international day to raise the awareness of all peoples to protect these very threatened ecosystems and to celebrate the day in a meaningful way. The project has organized two separate free one-day bus trips to Taebae (near Gureumpo Beach, Chungnam Province, Taean Peninsula) to join the clean-up efforts.

If you had wanted to join the teams of volunteers who showed up in December but were not able, here is your chance to be involved.

Schedule:

Bus pick-ups:

Fri. 1 Feb.&#153Gyesan Station (Exit 1, Line 1 in Incheon) @ 06:40 or Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station (Exit 2, Line 2) @ 07:30 Sat. 2 Feb.&#153Baeksoek Station (Exit 2, Line 3 in Ilsan) @ 06:50 or Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station (Exit 2, Line 2) @ 07:30 Please arrive at least five minutes before the pick-up time

ETA:

Taebae, near Gureumpo Beach in Sowon-myeon, Taean-gun National Park = 10:00 Clean-up: 10:00 – 14:30 (including lunch break) Visit nearby Du-ung Wetland (Ramsar Wetland site) 15:00 – 15:45 ETD for Seoul: 16:00 ETA (contingent on local traffic): Seoul = 18:00; Incheon or Ilsan = 19:00 Provided: Protective outerwear (including boots, gloves), simple one dish lunch (e.g., Beef Stew), and water English Language Services: Individuals will be available to translate as needed. What to bring: Warm clothes, extra snacks and/or drinks (no alcohol), and an abundance of energy and enthusiasm combined with a spirit of service

RSVP Ms. LEE, Namue (Public Awareness & Training Officer) no later than 10 AM on Thurs. 31 January to reserve a bus seat
E-mail: namue99@yahoo.co.kr
Telephone: Office = 032-562-2650 or Cellphone = 016-796-4591

P.S. Please go to our website to see pictures from our Friday (25 Jan.) Taean clean-up activity.
http://koreawetland.org/participate/gallery_list.asp

Today the KBS news announced that two residents of the west coast of Korea have committed suicide in the past few days because the government has failed to provide any money to alleviate their sufferings related to their lively hoods being destroyed by the oil spill back on December 7th.

And even more dramatically, today at a demonstration in Taean a man burned himself in protest for the same reason. The direct effects of the oil spill are still being felt and cannot be ignored. It’s not over. This might be compared to America’s Katrina disaster in 2005.

The EHH network needs to stay strong and dedicated to helping those residents of Taean, Padori, Mallipo, and others who are still suffering from this disaster.

EHH is putting together a CD of pictures to raise money to continue our efforts to provide relief. More information will be posted online when it comes available.

This post comes in the form of a thank you from a group out of Seoul who did some clean-up this past weekend. We are still taking donations [information has now been posted regarding making donations for those living outside of Korea...see the How to Donate page] and making arrangements to send out volunteers to Padori to help clean up.

“Thanks for the help last weekend. Had a great time in the weird way one has a great time in the midst of ecological disaster clean-up. May be wanting to revisit the scene later this month…there’s probably still a few hermit crabs needing CPR. I’ll let you know. Take care and thanks again to you and Mr. Park. Barney.”—Seoul Group

This weekend will see another group of about 45 people from Daejeon going to Pado-ri and should result in some good relations. I [Thom Walls] am still getting requests for information and making arrangements for people to go out. So, please let me know if you want to go out to Padori and help with the clean-up.

Peter Jensen a well known expat in Daejeon will guide an EHH clean-up crew to Padori Beach on Saturday, January 12th.  A bus (or two if the numbers warrant) will depart Daejeon early in the morning and return to Daejeon early evening the same day.  Clean-up gear will be supplied. Peter has been on an EHH cleanup crew already and eager to go back.

Anyone interested in joining this team can contact Peter directly at peter@iguidekorea.com  Those from outside of Daejeon are welcome to hook up with that trip.

For more information please visit their site.

December 22 - Brickhouse – fund raising turkey dinner 

December 22-24 - Coyote Ugly – fund raising, awareness raising each night

December 25 - FLEA – hosting Xmas party in Padori Beach for the village children

Ongoing - Thom Walls organizing and facilitating folks that want to do beach clean-up

Ongoing - fund raising to support cleanup teams and the Bag of Rice program

Possible - New Years Eve in Padori (early stage of planning)

Possible - some Padori children to SGEE-SCH winter English camp

We have made headlines around the country with our efforts this last weekend.

Here is what the Choson Ilbo has to say: Link to Story

Here is what the Korean Herald has to say: Link to Story

In seven days the article the access to the article will be for members only. So, here are two different PDFs of the story: PDF 1 and PDF 2.

IEC Friday Event

There will be a an evening event to garner community goodwill, hosted by the International Exchange Center, on the 20th floor of the Daejeon City Hall Building in Daejeon, Korea on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. It is RSVP, so, if at all possible, please confirm your attendance by calling Woo Sun Ho at 223-0789 or 011-9406-7027.

Anyone ready to go work in the cleanup? We need someone to clean about 40 pairs of rubber boots as well. Old clothing for rags is good as well. Money is needed both to support cleanup teams and to help the community.

Anyway contact Thom if you have a mind to volunteer—we can send a group out any day—we have the gear ready and it is just a small matter of getting a bus organized.

All the best for the holiday season. Needless to say it is a Black Christmas for Padori.

Tears are easy these days for the guy I call Mountain Man of Padori. He is the village clan chief. He knows he has essentially lost the life his father, and his father’s father, taught him. He will stay and fight this catastrophe, he is honor bound to do so, but in his heart he knows that he may not live to see the day his village will return to the way it was 7 short days ago—and he is not an old man.

The Elementary School principal is voicing concerns that the village may lose the school if enrolment drops—they only have 42 students now. Many businesses have let go their employees and the owners are wondering what they will do to survive.

Volunteers are flocking to Mallipo Beach to work the clean-up—it is well known. Padori Beach residents tend to be alone in their toils. It’s off the beaten track, but for my money, it truly was the gem of that piece of the coastline. Speaking of gems, I wonder what will become of the sea jade that was found naturally on the beach at Padori?

Things are starting to click for the weekend—lots to do yet, but folks from across the peninsula are coming to do their part.

There were a high number of hits on the website on Day One—but we’re hoping for more because that means people are paying attention and getting involved. Plus, there is a growing bank account due to the generosity of many—we thank you, Padori thanks you. Safety masks for volunteers to wear during cleanup have been found. And a doctor is going to join the team on Saturday afternoon to help look at the health care needs of the community and the volunteers.

As well, information is being prepared in Korean for the residents of Padori about how to take care of themselves during the clean-up. They will also be given a large supply of face masks—they aren’t using any right now and everyone has a cough.

Baby steps! Together we will take baby steps.

Ever hear Etta James singing Baby Steps?