Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Save Muhlenberg: Update from Dottie Gutenkauf



An email update as of 3/17 to the community from Dottie Gutenkauf --
The March 15 demonstration and rally were a smashing success! While the papers estimated there were 500 in attendance, they obviously didn't stick around until everybody arrived. Plainfield blogger Herb Kaufman estimated 1,000 or more--see his comments at http://cnplainfield.blogspot.com/2008/03/ich-bin-eine-plaifielder.html.
NBC News 4 was there, and on Saturday the Ledger posted a video with photos and some good sound:


At the rally, I met a woman from Warren whose children were born at Muhlenberg. I met a gentleman from Piscataway, a heart transplant survivor, who praised Muhlenberg to the skies. I met doctors and nurses, teachers and parents--even a cheering squad from a local school (and they were terrific). Assemblyman Jerry Green, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, and Plainfield City Council members Linda Carter, Don Davis, and Harold Gibson were greeted with cheers and applause. So were Plainfield Chamber of Commerce head Jim Uffer, Plainfield Education Association vice president Kathy Cardona, pastors Carolyn Eklund (Grace Episcopal Church), LaVerne Lattimore Ball (Rose of Sharon Community Church), and Jim Colvin (United Church of Christ)--and many, many others.

Special kudos to People's Organization for Progress state chair, Larry Hamm, and Plainfield chair Steven Hatcher!
Mayor Robinson-Briggs reported having received tons of letters from concerned citizens, and asked those who hadn't already written to do so quickly. "I want to have them in hand when Assemblyman Green and I meet with Governor Corzine soon," she said. "The Governor needs to know!" You can send or deliver letters to her at City Hall, 515 Watchung Avenue, Plainfield 07060.

"This is the real Plainfield," one participant said to me. "Look around--we're all here: black, white, latino...young, middle-aged, old...Catholics, Protestants of all kinds, Jews, agnostics...we are united!"

And so we are--and so we must stay!

Next on the agenda:

Monday, March 17, 6:30 pm: meeting at duCret School of Art, 1030 Central Avenue (parking and entrance in the rear) to get updates and plan strategy.

Saturday, April 5: March on Trenton! Rally begins at 12 noon at the State House, 125 West State Street; departure 10 am from the Muhlenberg parking lot at Park Avenue & Randolph Road in Plainfield for a motorcade down the New Jersey Turnpike. Buses are being arranged, carpooling encouraged.

Questions? Call Plainfield POP chair Steven Hatcher at 908-731-1518.

Dottie Gutenkauf

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