Here are the candidate statements for the 2017 Sierra Club White River Group Executive Committee election. Those chosen will serve a two year term, during the years 2018 and 2019.

If you are an current member of the Sierra Club within the White River Group you can vote here.

Voting begins on December 1, 2017. Please vote by midnight, December 31, 2017.

Judy Dasovich

I am a retired Internal Medicine physician and I continue to be interested in the health of individuals and our communities. The Sierra Club is important to me for exactly that reason. Without a healthy planet, we cannot be healthy - physically or spiritually. We need to care for our soil, water, air, and all the living things on Earth in order to care for ourselves. We need nature for renewal and restoration. 

I was born in northern Minnesota near the Boundary Waters. I grew up in Iowa City and moved to Columbia, Missouri for further education. I have lived in Springfield since 1989, where I worked until 2012.  I have two children. Beth and her husband Aaron live in Rochester, Minnesota. Michael lives in Springfield. I live with three dogs and four cats. I try not to let them rule my life. 

For a lot of my career I worked at Springfield's now defunct free clinic, called the Kitchen Clinic. I was Medical Director there for several years. I have been involved in health care issues, including access to care and affordability. I belong to a single payer advocacy group (AKA improved and expanded Medicare for all) called Physicians for a National Health Program and have been a member for about fifteen years.  I am also interested in food policy and nutrition. I have been on two local committees regarding this issue. My hobbies include hiking, photography, reading, cooking, gardening, and playing mandolin. 

Myra Scroggs

My interest in environmental issues began during my undergraduate studies in Biology and then continued in graduate school at then SMSU.   I taught biology, emphasizing current environmental issues, in grades 7 through community college in Springfield.  I have always enjoyed the outdoors.  My family and I camped, hiked, and canoed for many years, especially enjoying wildflowers.  I am an avid gardener of both vegetables and flowers.  After retirement I have traveled widely both internationally and throughout the United States.  My travels have focused on birding, especially tropical birding.  Of course I am very concerned about habitat loss for all our wildlife, but particularly neotropical migrants.   I am also concerned about the impact of our growing population of feral cats upon all wildlife.  My activities include membership in the local chapter of National Audubon Society, including 2 years as President.  Currently I lead the South Creek Conservation group of Greater Ozarks Audubon, which translates to cutting brush, removing invasive exotic species, and picking up trash along a small urban stream in south Springfield.  I have attended Sierra Club’s Conservation Lobby Days for 6 years, spending time visiting with local legislators about current issues, especially coal ash monitoring in Greene County. 

Jim Arneson

My name is Jim Arneson and I am a candidate for the executive committee for the White River Group of the Sierra Club.  I have been a member of the club since 1975.  I was active in Kansas City in the Thomas Hart Benton Group for a number of years during the 80's.  I was Chairman of that group for three years.  I was also legal chair for the Chapter for two years.  I have been involved in the effort to protect wilderness areas for  most of my tenure as a member of the club.  I have practiced law for 37 years and have focused on the environmental legal arena.  I want to make my skills and experience available to the White River Group as a member of the executive committee.