Just How Successful was OVC Fundraiser? Very!
By Charles James
Saturday’s Owens Valley Committee fundraiser held at the Mountain Light Gallery with guest speaker, Bill Powers, on “Solar done right” attracted close to 200 supporters. Not only was the fundraiser successful in drawing supporters, but it also raised a considerable sum of money through donations, which was important as Metabolic Studio has pledged to “match” whatever funds were raised.
According to OVC President Mary Roper the non-profit organization raised $6,726 which included in-kind donations of items used in the silent auction and food donated by local residents for the reception held prior to Powers’ talk. But there was more to come.
An anonymous note inside a donation envelope promised a check would be delivered to OVC within the next two to three weeks in the amount of $7500 from the National Philanthropic Trust. Also included in the note was the message that the NPT “hopes that if will be matched by Metabolic Studio along with the other donations raised.” If you add in the $7500, the total for Saturday night’s fundraising event reached $14,226. If matched by Metabolic Studio, the total sum of donations could reach over $28,000.
Roper voiced a note of both optimism and plain old caution. “We’re excited about the prospect of the large donation but I’m a strong believer in ‘Never count your chickens until they hatch.’” If it does come through, there will be something, speaking of chickens, for the OVC “to crow about.”
So opposition to industrial solar is spelling “success” for the Owens Valley Committee as it battles the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s proposed Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch near the Manzanar National Historic Site. And while opposition to SOVSR is high on the groups priority list, the OVC is also the leading locally-based civic watchdog for water issues in the county as well.
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Thank you for sharing the great link Mr.Warner. I believe that Manazar already has a PV solar array but don’t know what it generates or if there is a battery componet. Products and Innovations always amaze and are the result of visionary people. The dollar is sometimes the dream, but I gotta believe it’s mostly about making the world a better place .
You are correct. Manzanar has a sizeable solar array on the roof of the museum. Not sure how much it generates.
BK
Here is a portable, point of use, self-contained small power source. Maybe you and your friends could put some of these at Manzanar to get them off the grid entirely.
http://www.gizmag.com/panasonic-power-supply-container/31352/
In an effort to bring reliable electricity supplies to emerging regions and remote island communities, Panasonic has developed an expandable, portable, self-contained photovoltaic system. The “Power Supply Container” comes equipped with 12 of Panasonic’s HIT240 solar modules on the roof and generates approximately 3 kW of electricity, with 24 lead-acid batteries capable of storing 17.2 kWh of energy used to store excess electricity.
If you are on the fence regarding getting involved to urge the Inyo County Supervisors to send the proposed zoning revisions put forth by the County Planning Department back for serious reduction in size, think about this:
A solar ranch industrial size type of photovoltaic installation is being proposed for the San Joaquin valley that will be 24,000 acres in size. Twenty times the size of the proposed DWP Manzanar project. Our planning department has accepted $700,000 and is applying for $400,000 more from the California Energy Commission to zone the county for industrial solar. Right now the proposal that we must insist the Supervisors reject opens the floodgates to these enormous projects that will blight our beautiful Inyo landscapes.
Included in this wide open invitation to industrial devastation are many places we all love including the Eureka Valley, the Panamint Valley, the Deep Springs Valley, Centennial Flat (the open expanse at the foot of the Coso Range between Keeler and Death Valley National Park), the Chalfant Valley and the entire southern end of the Owens Valley.
It would not take more than one of these monstrosities to completely destroy the unique character of any of these places. It is a dangerous game to allow our planning department to accept out of county funds to pay for something as crucial as zoning for these monster projects. Please check out http://deepestvalley.com and http://ovcweb.org for further information.
Please get involved in this very important fight to save our beautiful landscapes and our way of life as a tourism based economy. We have to battle against this shortsightedness that is threatening to sell out all we hold dear for $1.1 million from the California Energy Commission to fund our planning department to make these dreadful zoning decisions. ($1.1 million amounts to a little more than $100 (one hundred dollars) for each resident of Inyo county. Selling out our beautiful landscapes for $100 seems like it can’t be possible, but that is what is on the table and will be voted on at the Supervisors’ meeting in Independence on April 1, 2014.
Success is measured in results, in effort, in tasks completed and opposition is a critical vision, and definitly a demonstrated defence in the case of the SOVSR, The Owens Valley Committee’s identification and dedication is to ideals that benefit overall the landscapes ,the plants and critters and the people here . So close to 200 people shared a vision and supported these ideals last Saturday evening , Bill Powers among them. Everyone there contributed . Success was in the air.