A great president once laid out the sacred compact for our government to be "of the people, by the people, for the people." That high standard, spoken so eloquently by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, is a goal for us at the East Coast Greenway Alliance as well.
Our project is, by its public nature, "for the people" — bringing communities together now at a time of political polarization. We can all enjoy this linear park no matter our wealth, age, political affiliation, or news source. And as this e-newsletter focuses on, the East Coast Greenway is "of the people" and "by the people" too. Our project is thriving because volunteers based everywhere from urban blocks to rural town squares are becoming leaders in the Greenway movement: from ambassadors who spread the word about the Greenway in their regions to bold visionaries like the late John Andrews of Maine to Jennifer Popper, who is setting out to turn tragedy into inspiration.
Together, the people of the United States of America and its public institutions can achieve almost anything. We definitely can develop 2,000 more miles of public infrastructure through the Greenway — infrastructure that will drive economic development through increased quality of life and tourism, will tackle health challenges by decreasing sedentary lifestyles, and will mitigate climate change by moving trips from fossil-fuel energy to people power.
An eternal thank you to all the people who make the Greenway dream possible!
Onward,
Dennis
Dennis Markatos-Soriano, Executive Director
