FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - June 22 - On Saturday, June 26, beginning at 11:00AM at the corner of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard, South Floridians will join 49 other States and several countries in solidarity events, by joining hands on beaches and in parks and cities united against the dangers offshore oil drilling present to our oceans and marine wildlife, fishing industries and coastal economies, in Hands Across The Sand.

"The Deepwater Horizon disaster is a wake up call" said Dave Rauschkolb, founder of Hands Across the Sand. "Even as the Gulf disaster grows, British Petroleum and other oil companies continue to push for new offshore drilling anywhere oil might be found regardless of the risks they pose. Together we have an opportunity to change America and the world on June 26. It is time for our leaders to take bold, courageous steps and open the door to clean energy and renewables and free our country from its addiction to oil."

Hands Across The Sand's mission is to change our energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and into the light of clean energy. The aim is to convince our leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.

In Fort Lauderdale Beach Florida on June 26^th, supporters are asked to begin gathering at 11am at the intersection of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard and will silently join hands at noon all along the shoreline for 15 minutes.

"At a time when our country is finally assessing the true cost of dependence on fossil fuels - no need to recap the horrors we're all seeing daily," said the organizer for the Fort Lauderdale Event Matthew Schwartz "this is the time to move things in a very different direction. We must say NO to offshore drilling and YES to clean energy. Now."

Hands Across The Sand was founded by Dave Rauschkolb in October of 2009. He organized a statewide gathering on February 13, 2010, to send a message to Florida's legislators and Governor Crist that Floridians did not want them to lift the bans on near and offshore oil drilling in Florida's waters. "The image is powerful, the message simple," said Hands Across the Sand Founder Dave Rauschkolb. "No to offshore oil drilling, yes to clean energy. We are drawing a line in the sand against offshore oil drilling along America's beaches. No one industry should be able to place entire coastal economies and marine environments at risk with dangerous, dirty mistakes." Thousands of Floridians representing 60 towns and cities and over 90 beaches joined hands to protest the efforts by the Florida Legislature and the US Congress to lift the ban on oil drilling in the near and off shores of Florida. Thousands joined hands from Jacksonville to Miami Beach and Key West to Pensacola Beach. The lifting of the near shore ban would have brought oil rigs as close as 3 miles from Florida's shores. Shortly after the event the Florida Legislature tabled the effort.

Facebook Event - Fort Lauderdale:  

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125762130788208&ref=mf