VERMONT FUND FOR FAMILIES

AN APPEAL FROM SUSAN MURRAY

When I picked up this year's New Year's Day edition of the Burlington Free Press, what I saw on the front page put a big smile on my face: my colleague and good friend, Beth Robinson, had been named Vermonter of the Year! The paper honored Beth for her tireless efforts, over fifteen long years, fighting for equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian Vermonters. All that work finally paid off last April when the Vermont legislature became the first state in the country to pass a marriage bill - and by an overwhelming, veto-proof majority, to boot!

Beth would be the first to emphasize that this wonderful victory was the result of the hard work of hundreds and hundreds of Vermonters. But there's no getting around the fact that it was Beth who provided the steadfast leadership, strategic vision, and inspiration we needed to accomplish our goal.

Now it's our turn to honor Beth! She and the Vermont Fund for Families board now have one final goal: to help re-elect all those Vermont legislators who voted for equality. The sole mission of Vermont Fund for Families is to support our allies in the 2010 election; to do that, we will need to raise a lot of money in the next few months. Personally, I can think of no better tribute to Beth than for us to achieve this final goal. Please help us by making a contribution to Vermont Fund for Families in celebration of Beth's Vermonter of the Year honor. This is the home stretch. It's our chance to make Beth proud! Let's show her how much we appreciate her efforts with a strong finish!

Thanks so much for your support for the freedom to marry in Vermont through the years. We're not far from the day when we can stop asking for your help. But we're not there yet. Please, direct some of your celebrating energy into a contribution.

Whether you prefer to donate online, or to write a check, the time to act is NOW!

Thanks,
Susan M. Murray, Board member