************************************************ A Report on the last Call to Action: June 14, 2002 ************************************************ Dear “Red Team:” What a thrill to see the streams of red clothing and dedicated homeschoolers coming down the streets of Harrisburg, and into the Forum for the informational hearing on June 13, 2002! We, with respect for those in blue as fellow homeschoolers, believe the legislators saw and understood that over 90% of those present favored HB2560. We estimate that about 1,400 or more were in some type of creative red dress. The creative ideas included stuffed animals in one child’s arm dressed in red, babies in strollers and back packs with red socks and other garb, baseball caps creatively decorated, aprons, patriotic hats, scarves, tee shirts, ties, buttons, ribbons, etc. One concerned mom had red face paint and the bill number in white paint across her face. We estimate that about 100-150 people were in blue. A few came in other colors as well (and maybe a few changed colors as a result of the day…hopefully to red!) We hope to make pictures of the day visible in the near future either on our web site, and/or in our newsletter so we can share with those who were unable to attend and experience this, and so we can refresh our memories of a wonderful day. Once again, we send our deepest thanks to all who took part, for it was our prayer that many would turn out to support HB2560, and you did! With each Alert we sent out, whether we were asking you to call for a simple bill, or to encourage the Education Committee to move HB2560 out of Committee, or come to Harrisburg in red, we have seen you pray, think, and decide for more freedom in homeschooling for Pennsylvanians. For us on the requesting end, we sometimes wonder, and are a little tentative in what to expect with each “Call to Action.” Is this an issue for homeschoolers? Will they respond? We have been praying that the Lord would guide us, in some measure, with your response level. We believe we are hearing your voice! We are pressing on! What is next? We are monitoring, and we encourage you to monitor, the movement of the bill out of committee. We hope to see this happen within two or three weeks for it to sustain life. We will issue a Call for Action if “no action” on the Education Committee is forthcoming. Please alert us if you learn of any developments as well. We felt that everyone on the “Red Team” panelists did a wonderful job, and we truly believe the “Red Team” in the stands had a significant, impressive impact. As we wrote in our last Call to Action, perhaps this was the most important statement of the day! Representative Nailor commented that this was the largest crowd he had ever experienced for an informational hearing in his 14 years in the legislature. He then went on to give the homeschoolers a round of applause, with a look of great admiration on his face. Please continue to pray that the Lord will use all these efforts to help “move the hearts of the legislators,” for ultimately, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." (Proverbs 21:1) ************************************************ Tapes of the hearing are available from PCN (Pennsylvania Cable Network). Contact them directly to find out how to purchase the tape. We have heard they are very expensive ($45 dollars an hour!) so you may want to video tape it when it is aired. Check their web sites for times. www.pcntv.com. It is scheduled for 11:00 pm, Sunday, June 16, 2002. ************************************************ We know we ask a lot of you these days, but we also know this is a “RED TEAM” effort, and if we all want a new law, your voice is the one that will be heeded. Thanks again for all that you do and for persevering with us. The CHAP Board, Bruce and Mary Ann Eagleson, Larry and Kim Huber, Clyde and Pam Gwin, Doug and Nada Rothgaber, Jim and Robbie Warren, and all our children, the reason for the journey