Illinois – Haley Fox was enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon with friends, floating down the Kishwaukee River near her home in Rockford, when she ran into the news van reporting a story about the new Water Usage Stamps.
Haley Fox, 18, creator of the “Keep the Rivers of Illinois Free” Facebook page
“[Tubing] has always been a time for bonding with the people I’m with. I talked to the reporter from Rockford 13 WREX and went home mad. Then I made the page,” Fox told Disclosure staff via online interview. The page Fox was referring to is the “Keep the Rivers of Illinois Free” Facebook page that inspired Disclosure staff to research the issue of the Water Usage Stamp and the “DNR Sustainablity Bill.”
“I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve signed petitions, but never started one,” Fox offered. Along with the creation of the Facebook page, Fox had also created a “paddle-pass” petition through change.org.
“Due to how fast the page grew, I needed some others to help respond to questions and messages,” Fox stated. Between Saturday night and Monday morning, Fox reports that the Facebook page saw 4,000 ‘likes’ and her petition had grown to nearly 1,000 signatures.
By Monday morning, Fox’s new Facebook page was overwhelmed with responses and questions. “I recruited James and Johanna to help out with the page when the response rate was too much to handle alone,” Fox admits.
Petitioner and “Keep the Rivers of Illinois Free” content creator, James Trottier
James Trottier, 31, of Mount Carmel had started his own “paddle-pass” petition on gopetition.com before hooking up with Fox’s Facebook page on Monday morning. At the same time Fox recruited Johanna Simmering, 46, of Salisbury for help with content creation on the page. Up until this moment, these three people were perfect strangers, brought together only by a passion for tubing and a similar sense of right and wrong.
“I’ve grown up on the rivers in Illinois. Mainly the Sugar & Salt Creeks… also the Sangamon and Illinois Rivers,” Simmering told Disclosure staff. “Rivers run thru my family and friends blood! It’s a way of life for generations of my entire family… Down to my grandkids now!!”
Johanna Simmering, co-administrator and content creator for “Keep the Rivers of Illinois Free” Facebook page
“Haley and I met thru the site on Monday morning. She asked me Monday afternoon to share in administration of the site while she went to work,” Simmering offered. “And the rest is history!”
“Besides Disclosure, what kind of media response did you see?” asked Disclosure staff.
“I’ve contacted multiple news outlets in Central Illinois, not a one responded or showed any concern,” replied Simmering.
However, Disclosure delivered an article via disclosurenewsonline.com on Monday afternoon, after discussing the troubling language in the “DNR Sustainability Bill” with Illinois’ 45th district Republican Senator Tim Bivins. The Senator did not support the “DNR Sustainability Bill” due to inclusions, such as innertubes, in the bill’s added language that Bivins found “Ridiculous!” The article also provided links to the “paddle-pass” petitions and the “Keep the Rivers of Illinois Free” Facebook page.
“By early Tuesday, July 23rd, around 2am, those numbers had increased to 4,177 signatures and over 12,500 ‘likes’. We had reached or seen 21,992 [views] by that point,” Simmering cited.
By Wednesday, July 24th, at 3:30pm, with numbers reaching 15,600 ‘likes’ on their Facebook page and having secured 6,306 signatures on petition, the trio sat by their computers and handheld devices as the DNR released this statement:
“I’m super excited and happy that so much has happened in the last couple of days. I’m proud of myself and everyone who supported the page,” Fox told Disclosure in response to the news of the trio’s success. “It shows that people DO have a say!”
“I.Still.Can.Barely.Breathe!!!! I’m soooo excited, PROUD and relieved ~ I feel GOOD!!” Simmering offered via text in the wake of the exciting news of their success. “People have basically given up and lost faith… This will hopefully restore the belief that… We, the people, do matter and can change things!!!”
“Keep the Rivers of Illinois Free” is still collecting signatures for their “paddle-pass” petitions as the DNR has only offered temporary reprieve from tubers having to pay for the Water Usage Stamp until the legislative process has a chance to correct itself.
You can find more information by clicking this link:
https://www.facebook.com/KeepTheRiversOfIllinoisFree
You can sign the ‘paddle-pass’ petitions by clicking either of these links:
https://www.change.org/petitions/state-of-illinois-keep-rivers-free-of-the-water-use-regulation
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/727/404/358/remove-illinois-paddle-pass-laws-and-fee/