Torture , Gregoire, and Crane (& Pennsylvania Terrorists)

I've pretty much had a bad vibe all night. Since about 4 or 5 p.m. Something really, really, bad has been happening. (Further down I expose a little of something that looks like operational black sites for torture).

And some people extremely sad because something is extremely bad. From at least 5-8:30 p.m,....really bad things.

I don't know what's going on, but it's not good. I already know what happened to my parents today wasn't good.

They were tortured. Severely, severely, tortured.

And I know my son was probably tortured or sad all this time. I'm positive.

My Dad was clearly not only physically tortured, but psychologically tortured. I can tell. He didn't have to say a word because I can see it.

I just heard a short thing on the radio from some Pastor Terry in Eugene at Countryside Christian Fellowship, as an aside, and think there is something wrong with him.

I'm really not into the British thing right now either, because the BAD British and Canadians have been around and puts a bad taste in my mouth. They have something to do with the people over here, I know 100%, because too many people are connected to the Middletons in the UK. And why would any of them care about my family unless they were jealous or worried about something? So, it's evil British and not good that's hanging around and evil Canadians too. There may be good ones, but the evil ones are the ones who make trips over here, apparently, to pay people off for harassing and torturing us.

Over at my Mom and Dad's park, it's all Catholics and military and some of these evil people pay them off to torture my Dad while he works. I saw his own coworker doing something to him once. And yet he can't fire anyone or get rid of any of the scrum..

Down the road we have true terrorists. For some strange reason, some of them have license plates from Pennsylvania.

They are doing some CRAZY things over there. 100% full-fleged mafia-style CIA blackwater and black site torture.

I am able to point out several locations around here that have odd backroads and ways of getting there, that are surrounded by govt. workers. They are doing crazy things here. And these people know my parents are being tortured too.

Now why would anyone from Pennsylvania want to get in on torture?

And, as an aside, but connected to some of my research...I found out

Guess who got really sadisticly happy about the idea of my going to Pennsylvania?

A former Logan's coworker who works both for the police or FBI and the military. His name is Jordan.

It was odd. He lit up and I read from the way he reacted, he knows people from PA or who are Catholic or someone up to no good with PA connections and he was talking enthusiastically about how I should move there. I saw his reaction and based on his reaction ALONE I knew it was not safe for me to go to PA. Then I found out, we have PA right over here in our backyard, and a lot of shady people driving in and out and torturing others. AND the place is locked down. Like, there is military or some kind of "scouting" people that watch the entrances and area.

At one of the places, I got close to one of the garages and heard a knocking on the wall from the inside, like someone was inside of the place, in the dark, and this was after I walked away from a different place that had whacked out technology going at their place and little torture facilities. They didn't just have one torture facility. It was like an obstacle course or jungle gym with a station here and a station there, for different things.

I have not even talked about it yet because I am waiting for the right time. And that's when I was shocked enough to realize, "Oh my gosh. They have full-on black sites operational over here." HERE. In the U.S., and on U.S. soil. It's illegal even overseas in places like Cuba and everything, but they have some niches in the United States.

THIS is why they are torturing my parents and telling them not to help pay for my transcript to get back into college.

Anyway, I made the Pennsylvania connection and flashed back to Jordans anticipatory smirk. He was delighted with the idea and I sensed it was something very bad-news. Some major criminals who hate my family have roots there. And since Jordan was connected to the police and FBI in TN, he's probably getting off on it, bc he's probably also somehow connected to military and law enforcement over here. There is no way he knew about me and had such an interest, and didn't know what was going on with my parents. Impossible.

Like I said, 3 blocks away from Seattle FBI offices, I was tortured at an Irish pub (Fados). And just a few blocks away from Logan's, where I was forced to work and tortured, was one of the offices for the Nashville FBI (so I was told). Why am I experiencing torture with FBI so close and interested in what I do? And they're the ones who have defamed me to the point of my being injected with harmful drugs and meds.

So yeah, I sent out requests for FOI/PA with the FBI and they get their friends to torture the living daylights out of my parents.
***************
So last night I was trying to find Anne Crane/Crain and I don't know if she only uses one spelling or not. Because there is an Anne Crain that is with a Forrest Crain in Wenatchee, who does Buddhist meditation (which is what the Rose-Lewis's are into), who goes to the Universalist church currently, but the one I knew had these leanings and yet was also Catholic, born and raised.

And then I found an interesting thing about a Violet Crane from the Washington area, "Vim", who was good friends with WA Governor Christine Gregoire. And at the Wenatchee hospital, there is an ER doctor I'm familiar with, by the name of John Crane.

I don't think he's related to Anne Crane (Crain) but who knows. I just know all the ER doctors (almost all) got very nasty and John Crane was strangely hateful towards me when I went to him during being tortured and needing to see a doctor. I had been shocked and I still remember this, because in the very beginning, he was one of the more polite doctors. Then it got weird and actually, Dr. Crane was sort of turning into a sado-masichist before my eyes in a sense--it was like his true feelings about me came to the surface and I remember being absolutely STUNNED. For example, when I went in with migraine, some of the docs were horrid and mean to my face and sneering right off at the start. Then Dr. Crane had this very pleasant and calm demeanor and I thought, from this one visit, "He's reasonable." Then, everything changed and either he felt free to share his real feelings and was happy to do me in, or something I did or said infuriated him to the point of no return. And I believe he was the Dr. giving me extra doses of Potassium, like they do for radiation exposure victims.

So I was doing some research, and up pops "Vim" Crane. She worked for the University of Washington and had been adopted and she had 2 sons: John & Ted, photographed in Baltimore, MD, where they lived for some time. And it says she was very good friends with Gov. Christine Gregoire (the one I insulted by wondering why almost all of the Fair Hearings Admin. lawyers and Judges were from her alma mater--Gonzaga). Vim had ties to Washington D.C. and embassies.

I don't know if someone got really mad about what I was researching last night and took it out on my parents or what, but all night we were tortured with technology and today I saw them, and they are not in good shape, in my opinion, emotionally or psysically and we MIGHT have Gov. Christine Gregoire & Friends to thank for that.

So get this...

First of all, I piss off the FBI for making complaints and I'm already dealing with religious hate crime from OR to WA. THEN, Seattle people start calling to have me kicked off of benefits and later, kicked out of housing. I attacked Christine Gregoire, by wondering out loud why so many, almost ALL of the lawyers and Judges sitting on the Administration of Fair Hearings council, are from Gonzaga. I thought, Gregoire is from Jesuit Gonzaga, and it's almost like she appointed all of her Catholic friends and gave them spots in high places.

So my son and I were tortured after this 1st Fair Hearing that I had, and I kept asking for a Judge other than this Michael guy bc he was Catholic and given the record, it was looking like a conflict of interest. Sure enough, he sort of let me win and totally defamed me at the same time, suggesting in the record that I was paranoid schitzophrenic (like his PAL! Christine Pearly Whites!)

The next time I was in ER, my son and I were being tortured. And Dr. John Crane was furious with me. I was so stunned at his rage and how mean he was, and found out he wrote me up badly and suddenly was refusing to treat my migraines too. He said to my face, "YOU have MENTAL problems." And then finally, at different times, he was treating me with high doses of Potassium, which I later found out are mainly protocol for people exposed to radiation accidents. He was happy about it, and hateful, and I will never forget it, because it had been my previous opinion that he was, like I said, 'more reasonable' than some of the others. This ER doctor made scary comments that made it sound like he knew what was going on and who was doing it and how did I FEEL?

So GUESS WHAT? It's looking like HE, Dr. John Crane, ER doctor in Wenatchee who made fun of me when my son and I were tortured, is RELATED to Gregoire's best friend! (maybe, not fully confirmed yet). This woman passed away and an obituary was written about her which I found, which has this huge list about all of the University of Washington things she was involved in, and how she was born in Turkey, and was adopted by a family when she was noticed by a U.S. Ambassador. She caught the eye of General John Alden Crane, and his wife Mary McKim Crane. They adopted this girl and named her Violet (Vim) Crane who got married, divorced her husband and took her kids to Spain to teach English for a short time and then returned to Baltimore, MD in 1960. She then moved to Denver, Colorado. After this she moved to Seattle in 1977 and worked with Gregoire and the University of Washington. She started up her main group: "Copper Creek Citizens".

(Copper Tree Realty with Debbie Sweetwater-Burt anyone?!). Debbie Sweetwater-Burt decided to put up a shingle for "Copper Tree Realty" in 2006, 3 years after Vim, Christine-Pearly-White and Dr. Crane's friend/mom died. A touching tribute to the "Copper Creek Citizens" who fought valiantly to keep me down, I'm sure. Interesting how Burt put up a shingle the same year my son and I were tortured by Crane & Co. ? What do you think of THAT? and LOOK at the top bracket connections they have to military intel, Ambassadors....boy oh boy oh boy oh boy, I bet they were just, well yes, Dr. Crane was salivating because he got so close to my face with a hateful grin that I felt his spit. So look at this. His Grampie worked in Rome, and Italy and secret Army Intelligence ops. We don't even know what his Dad does yet, but it's looking in-ter-est-ing.

And now it's all coming together--why Debbie Burt's printer suddenly "broke down" when I was trying to print things out for my custody case in WA. Her friend Christine-Pearly-Whites doesn't WANT a new termination trial because HEAVEN FORBID I have a chance to cross-examine Anne Crane. Much more than that, but that's some of it. So Deb, you torture Dicksie and Bob real good now, y'hear?

(You know what's weird is that there is a Urologist in Baltimore, MD by the same name of Wright, and John Kaempf's dad is a urologist in Portland, Oregon! Huh. Probably no connection though.)

So her 2 sons were Ted and John. And Dr. John A. Crane went to Denver, Colorado or was still there, and attended University of Colorado School of Medicine, graduating in 1986. Basically, when "Vim" was leaving Denver, Colorado, he was just getting started in college.

I will post the length of the article at the end of this post.

SO, Christine Gregoire's got all 10 fingers into something murky.

I can round up a whole huge GANG of corporate criminals who have practiced hate crimes against my family, which stemmed from religious hate crime and escalated into full-blown violence and torture.

And now that I know where Dr. Crane's roots are from, I have a better idea about who from WA state was trying to keep tabs on me over in D.C. as well.

The whole FBI selling my son thing, involves Gregoire. So that's public corruption, which the FBI is required to investigate, but since they work WITH Gregoire and never worked on behalf of public interests or going after the real criminals and leaders of hate crime, they use people here to do some torture work on my family, for shady Oregon and Washington interests.

And since the hate crime originated as religious hate crime, they sold us off to Catholic military and CIA.

Which is also starting to make the work that I did over at The Post Pub, look murky too, because some of the connections there knew people here, where my parents were tortured and in WA where my son was tortured.

One more weird potential link...Denver, Colorado. But I'll go there and get into that history later.

So my ER Dr. John A. Crane is connected to Christine Gregoire, who was friends with his mother,and Gregoire is who I did some whistleblowing on, or at least asked serious and relevant questions about. Crane also has U.S. embassy connections in D.C. Big, Top, Monster Government connections there with FBI back-up.

THEN, when I came back from Washington D.C. and the Baltimore, MD area, who was assigned to my visitation of my son? "Anne Crane" who first told me she spelled her last name "Crane" because I asked her and wrote it down on a piece of paper that was with me. LATER, someone tried to tell me it was spelled "Crain" but I don't know.

Do you see why Washington State has liabilty up to their ears and over their heads? They're swimming long and hard. Because now we've got a situation where my son and I were tortured and they all know about it. I go to D.C. and D.C. people know about it and can't believe I'm still alive. Then we've got people hoping to get some kind of security or reassurance that I'll marry-into the hate crime group (Catholic) and absolve everyone and anyone of dirty dealings. When that didn't work out, they sold me and my son. 100% SOLD by the FBI. Now, to keep a cover, they were going to torture all of us and get it sanctioned and classified and use us for research. And that's EXACTLY what they did. They already had Catholic Panetta involved and then they got Catholic Martin Dempsey to clear the way for them. All of it still falls under religious hate crime, it just switches hands with different organizations and people with different motives. So here comes Anne Crane, who has the same last name as Dr. Crane and she deliberately harms my son and tampers with records. And Anne McIntosh conceals torture with the help of her cop son-in-law Jones who threatened me with harm if I didn't move out of Washington State.

Hey! Am I right? Or am I right? Wrong or right? Anyone looking for some Ambassadors and The Department of State? Oh Hillllllarreeeeeeeeee....NOW I know why some in D.C. said I should try giving you a call. Er, a ring. Whatever.

(Is anyone getting a better idea of why maybe I've been tortured and defamed to this day and why some would like to keep me out of college and money? and just torture us and poison us and hope we die off really soon from "natural causes"?)

Looked Up Dr. John A. Crane's grandfather, who worked at the U.S. Ambassadors' offices and he was Army. Career Army. SO it's not like our Mr. Dr. John Crane and his pal Christine-Pearly-Whites don't have uniformed connections.
http://www.jhu.edu/rotc/dismilalum.htm. General Crane graduated from John Hopkins Medical School in 1907. He was with the Army from 1907-1946, or, if not retained in 1907, a few years later. That makes him a serious, military-intel career military man. This next link may or may not be incomplete. http://www.generals.dk/general/Crane/John_Alden/USA.html
He was Wenatchee, WA, Dr. Crane's Grampie. And Edward "Skip" Wright, Jr. was her husband which she divorced and kept her own name for her boys I guess. I'm not able to find "Skip" yet, which is odd since the U.S. military is normally proud to show the names of everyone who's been there.

I found out a lot more than this, but guess what entangled hate crime means when it rubs noses with politicians and corrupt govt. or justice system personnel? It means an entire family, MY family, is tortured.

And so far, because of the nature of how high ranking some of these people are, we haven't been able to even protect our safety bc the FBI is responsible for some of their participation, but mostly, because they've withheld records and then sold a child. Literally. Like, "Here's the deal...SOLD."

At any rate, aside from Gregoire and hateful ER Crane who basically let me know back when that he knew who was responsible and was glad about it, we have their buddies from WA who connect with people in OR beating us up.

I'm starting to figure out some of the Canada stuff too, as I'm discovering Gregoire is connected to Canada, and then knowing this and about this man in Wenatchee named "Graham" who I used to talk to...things are making more sense.
******************************************************************


http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?displaypage=output.cfm&file_id=9788
(If you want to see early photos of Dr. Johnny as a kid, click above link)

Wright, Violet "Vim" Crane (1926-2003)
HistoryLink.org Essay 9788 : Printer-Friendly Format


Vim Wright, as she preferred to be called, saw a lot in her 76 years. From an impoverished childhood in Istanbul, to society life in Baltimore with adoptive parents, to eventually becoming a primary player in Washington state environmental issues, Wright was known for her vitality and determination. Her professional accomplishments in Washington include working as the assistant director at the University of Washington Institute for Environmental Studies, and founding several organizations, such as Washington’s League of Conservation Voters and Farming and the Environment. Her strong belief in democratic principles, grassroots efforts, and the merits of science inspired all who knew her. Known as an environmentalist, Wright’s real skill was in politics and networking. Her cause was that which didn’t have a voice -- plants, animals, and the land they called home. She made it her life’s work to be the voice for these entities that could not speak for themselves. Her deep rolodex was at the beck and call of the birds, the salmon, the forest, and eventually the stewardship farmers of Washington state.

Growing Up

On June 4, 1926, Lisetta Iakovidou was born in Istanbul, Turkey, which until 1923 had been known as Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Her parents, Pellagia and Yannis Iacovidis, were former farmers with no other children. While her mother worked as a maid at the American Embassy, little Lizetta caught the eye of General John Alden Crane, and his wife, Mary McKim Crane. They took her under their wing, eventually adopting her and bringing her back to Baltimore with them on the SS Excambion in 1936. According to the local paper, "She attended a Greek school in Istanbul during the three years she had been with [the Cranes] in that city and speaks Turkish, English, French and Greek fluently. She learns quickly, has keen power of observation and an enthusiastic appreciation of new things and places. She has already learned to enjoy American movies" (Clipping, June 27, 1936).

Her new life in Baltimore included attending the Garrison School for Girls, although she never graduated from high school due to family difficulties, and coming out in Baltimore society. Her adoptive mother changed her name to Violet Crane, although her lively, curious nature earned her the nickname "Vim," a name she would prefer for the rest of her life. In 1945, at the age of 19, she married Edward “Skip” Wright Jr.

While her husband served in the military, Vim became an active volunteer, chairing fund drives for the American Cancer Society, working in the local hospital, and organizing for the Republican Party. During this time, she earned a two-year degree from Eaton-Burnett Business College in Baltimore Maryland. The Wrights had two sons, Edward (Ted) and John.

In 1956, Wright divorced her husband and spent two years in Mallorca, Spain, managing a school and teaching English. She remembered this as an adventure and a special bonding time with her sons.

Denver Awakening

In 1960, after returning to Baltimore and deciding it wasn’t for her, Wright and her sons moved to Denver, Colorado, where she established a small real-estate business. It was in this bright, mountainous region that Wright discovered her passion for bird watching. As soon as the Denver Audubon Society was founded 1968, Wright joined.

Meanwhile, a conflict over the future of the nearby Florissant Fossil Beds was heating up. Thirty-five miles west of Colorado Springs, a field of trees, insects, birds, and fish had been frozen by a volcano some 38 to 34 million years ago. In 1962, the area had been officially proposed as a National Monument, and conservationists and developers had been dueling over the land ever since.

In 1969, the land belonged to a developer who was ready to build. Wright met esteemed scientist Estella Leopold (b. 1927), who told her about bird fossils buried in the land and her activist blood was awakened. Wright, Leopold, and Beatrice Willard formed the Defenders of Florissant to organize efforts to stop development on the fossil bed. Later, when asked about what inspired her involvement in the cause, "she knew she should say she did it 'for my children and grandchildren and posterity' or that she had 'such a feeling of the scientific verity of this wonderful piece of land that I wanted to preserve it.' But, in truth, what 'I really thought about was the birds ... in some way this is my offering to the birds. It was inconceivable to me that anyone would desecrate the burial grounds of these creatures.'" (Kaufman, p. 195).

To keep the developers from tearing up the land, Wright recruited a group, including a pregnant mother and several children, to sit in front of their bulldozers. They made their intentions public, alerting the press and government. Wright, believing no one would run over a well-dressed woman, had her hair done, put on her pearls and high heels, and drove the group to the site before dawn. While they waited, scared, at 6 a,m,, they got a message that a federal district judge had issued a temporary injunction to stop the development. Their plan had worked. On August 20, 1969, 6,000 acres became Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. At 43, Wright had made a dramatic entrance into environmental activism.

A Leader Emerges

In the years following the Florissant Fossil Beds conflict, Wright came into her own as an environmental leader. In 1971 she was elected president of the Audubon Society of Greater Denver. In 1972 she became the president of the Colorado Open Space Council, where she was awarded the Rocky Mountain Center for the Environment’s Organizational Award. From 1971 to 1977 Wright served on the board of the National Audubon Society. She fought against oil shale extraction and through research and lobbying was able to prevent it. She also devoted herself to protecting eagles from poisons, which earned her death threats from ranchers who were convinced she was attacking their livelihood.

During these years in Colorado, Wright initiated radio programming and the first television program on environmental issues in the United States. Her ability to make progress on an agenda while making sure all voices were heard earned her invitations to many committees, including the Governor’s Committee on Predatory Animal Damage, the Governor’s Ad Hoc Oil Shale Study Committee, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife Non-game Advisory Council.

In 1976 she was awarded the Feinstone Environmental Award from the State University of New York (SUNY) in recognition of her work in Colorado. In her nomination letter, Estella Leopold said:

“Mrs. Wright’s record of success is based on her cold logic presented with a disarming personality, her clear mind, and dogged dedication to any issue she takes on. Her contributions include success in streamlining organizations, recognizing and harnessing talent, building research cadres, clarifying issues and planning political strategy. These have been services of inestimable value to environmental science and activism on a national scale. Her particular accomplishments have been on issues related to predator control, wildlife, and oil shale” (Feinstone nomination).

Soon after, Wright was offered the position of assistant director of the University of Washington Institute of Environmental Studies (IES). Although it took much negotiating to convince her to leave Denver, in 1977, at the age of 51, Wright moved to Seattle.

Seattle Education

At the University of Washington, Wright acted as the resource person in the Institute of Environmental Studies department and was responsible for connecting students with appropriate internships. She was the only non-Ph.D. in the department, and had not so much as graduated from high school. Later, Wright said she never felt limited by her lack of formal education:

“I think my eagerness to get to know so many people who knew so much was because I didn’t have the background education and I was open to getting it, I wanted to know. ... I was convinced that I didn’t know as much as I should know. ... It made me much more open to being able to listen to people and to try to understand than I would have been otherwise. I didn’t have the conceit of being well educated” (Oral History).

Wright went on to teach several graduate courses and develop close relationships with the director, Dr. Gordan Orians, as well as Dr. Dee Boersma and Dr. Estella Leopold, whom she knew from her work in Denver. While Wright’s role was not always readily apparent to the public, she kept building her resume and making connections. Networking came easily to her, and she quickly developed an impressive list of contacts to call for assistance or advice. She was also respected as a mentor to others, who valued her experience and wisdom.

A Plethora of Projects
In Seattle, Wright immediately became involved with the Seattle Audubon Society, and was soon coveted for many committee positions. Wright joined the Washington Environmental Council (WEC) in 1979 and remained on the board until 1998, helping to shape Washington’s environmental laws and create partnerships to benefit the plants and animals of the state.

In 1979 Wright was appointed to the Washington Department of Game, Non-Game Advisory Council, where she was a champion for non-game wildlife species. The department’s traditional focus on hunters and game species presented a challenge to Wright’s efforts to ensure that nongame species were protected by laws. Eventually, with the help of Gordon Orians and others, the game and non-game departments were integrated. Although Wright left her position in 1985, in 1987 the department changed its name to the Department of Wildlife, making its commitment to all animals clear. (In 1994 it merged with the Department of Fisheries, creating the Department of Fish and Wildlife.)

In 1980 Wright was appointed by Seattle Mayor Charles Royer (b. 1939) to the Copper Creek Citizens Advisory Committee, charged with researching whether the city of Seattle should build a dam on the Skagit River. Wright adamantly urged protection of the irreplaceable eagle habitat on the Skagit and, in its official report, the committee recommended not building the dam, on account of the eagles and also because of the impact it would have on the local population and Indian Treaty fishing rights. The need for additional energy did not overpower their concern about the loss of eagle habitat, a loss impossible to adequately mitigate. As stated in the report, “We are unanimous in our recommendation that a decision on the project should include the environmental and other critical issues themselves on their own merits, not just as potential courtroom losses” (Letter from CCCAC to Charles Royer, Feb 12, 1981, 4106-89-41). Based on this advice, Mayor Royer indefinitely postponed building the dam.

Wright’s displeasure with mitigation was a theme that would occur in much of her work. She wanted environmentally responsible projects, not just efforts to reduce damage after the fact.

Wright’s expertise and people skills made her a much-desired member of many environmental causes. Luckily, she had enough energy to go around and the list of her involvements runs long.

Board Involvements in Washington: A Selection

Seattle Audubon Society, Board (1977-1980)
Washington Environmental Council, Executive Committee (1979-2003)
Washington Environmental Foundation, Board (1980-1988)
Washington Environmental Political Action Committee (WENPAC), Founder and Co-chair, (1981-2003)
Washington’s League of Conservation Voters (1981-1995)
Northwest School for Arts and the Environment (1983)
Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (1984)
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, Executive Committee (1984-2003)
Environmental Fund of Washington (Earth Share), founder (1985-1992)
Citizens Toxics Clean-up Campaign, Board (1987-1989)
Mount Rainier National Park Association, Board (1991)
People for Puget Sound, Founder, Board and Executive Committee (1991-1992)
Committee Activities in Washington: A Selection

Seattle Environmental Review Committee (1977-1980)
Seattle City Light: Committee for Reorganization of Environmental Affairs Office (1980)
Environmental Impact Statement Technical Committee (1982)
Olympic Experimental State Forest Plan Policy Review Committee (1988-1989)
The Blue Ribbon Committee on Washington Old Growth (1988)
Seattle Mayor’s Search Committee for Supervisor of City Light (1978-1979)
The Citizens Toxics Cleanup Initiative (1987)
Seattle Water Department Planning Advisory Committee (1989-1992)
Washington Department of Ecology Cleanup Standards Committee (1989-1990)
Water Resources Data Management Task Force and Water Resources Implementing Committee (1992)
Metro Sustainable Seattle (1992)
Wildlife/Fisheries Merger Work Session (1993)
Washington State Department of Ecology Financial Assistance Advisory Council (1998)
Washington State Conservation Commission (1996-2001)
WSU College of Agriculture Advisory Board (1999-2003).
Founder, Initiator, Innovator

In addition to contributing her skills to a number of committees and already existing organizations, Wright took it upon herself to found several brand new organizations dedicated to different aspects of environmentalism.

Wright was strongly committed to democratic principles, a quality she attributed to her Greek heritage and to participation in environmental issues, evidenced by her work with several organizations devoted specifically to voter education. In 1981, after serving on the national board of the League of Conservation Voters for five years, Wright cofounded the League of Conservation Voters in Washington. She also founded the Washington Environmental Political Action Committee (WENPAC) and Washington Environmental Alliance for Voter Education (WEAVE).

In 1985, Wright cofounded the Environmental Fund of Washington (now Earth Share), to represent environmental organizations in workplace giving campaigns. She served on the board until 1992. In 1994, Wright cofounded People for Puget Sound.

Vim Wright considered herself a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican” her entire life, but she was always able to work with people from diverse political backgrounds and she encouraged participation in all manifestations. On top of her official duties on boards and committees, Wright was always active in the political arena, campaigning for friends and soliciting help from her many acquaintances. She served as an advisor for many elected officials. Wright was known for holding fundraisers at the Ravenna home she shared with Estella Leopold. Her friends and frequent guests included Harriet Bullitt, Patsy Collins, Christine Gregoire, and Joan Thomas.

Life Changes

In 1992, the death of her son Edward caused Wright immense grief. This combined with disagreements with the new director of the Institute of Environmental Studies caused Wright to decide to retire. The environmental community and local government put forth a huge outpouring of support, hailing her as energetic, dedicated, and politically savvy. Her ability to bring together people of from both sides of the political spectrum on behalf of an environmental agenda was repeatedly praised. Many also expressed the hope that now she would have more time to devote to her “real” (volunteer) work. James Abernathy, of the Puget Sound Keeper Alliance, said:

“Your most long-lasting influence for the good is in the countless numbers of individuals you have inspired to go to work for environmental causes. Vim Wright has been there for those just starting out in this movement and for those who have labored long and become discouraged or tired. Your personal loyalty combined with your willingness to give what are sometimes difficult and unwelcome messages has made many of us better persons and better advocates for the environment” (James Abernathy letter).

In her retirement, Wright stayed busy. As David Mann, president of the Washington Environmental Council, said, “If you add up all of the time she spends working to educate and better others, you will likely have trouble finding any time for Vim to even sleep, much less do anything else. That is Vim” (Jefferson Award Nominations).

Returning to Her Farming Roots

In 1994 Wright decided she wanted to work to save farmland and help farmers. She was appointed to the Washington Conservation Commission, established in the 1930s to assist conservation districts in protecting public land. Even though she was the only non-farmer of the group, Wright had the environmental experience and skills they needed, and she quickly earned the trust of the group. She was elected chair of the commission twice in recognition for her leadership skills. She slowly built relationships with farmers, who were often apprehensive of environmentalists, and although other environmentalists were often suspicious of her new direction at first, she helped many of them see the value in preserving farmland and partnering with farmers.

In 1998 Wright was invited to join Washington State University’s (WSU) College of Agriculture and Home Economics Advisory Council. She advised the council on its Integrated Farming Systems/Holistic Management Project, learning much about sustainable agriculture and making valuable connections along the way.

In 2001, Wright co-founded Farming and the Environment (F&E) with WSU Regent Dr. Peter Goldmark and Skagitonians to Protect Farmland Director Bob Rose. This non-profit organization was founded to help bridge the gap between farming and environmental stewardship and to honor working landscapes while also promoting the importance of nature. Initially a project of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland, Farming and the Environment then became an independent organization. In recognition of the economic difficulties of modern farming and the traditional divide between farmers and environmentalists, Wright saw the possibility for collaboration between two groups both concerned about the future of the land. Their goal was to “Develop a structure and process to identify and re-evaluate the key state policies necessary to ensure the viability of productive and profitable farming integrated with environmental protection and enhancement” (project summary).

Their first step was to conduct an extensive statewide telephone poll to determine public opinion on farming and environmental issues. The results of the poll indicated that, despite their identification with a particular side of the divide, most people wanted to find a way to support farmers and the land. In Wright’s words, “People in Eastern and Western Washington agree that we need to keep the farmers on the land to maintain the land’s integrity. On this issue, there is no Cascade Curtain. ... We’ve accomplished something with this that will have national importance. This is a breath of fresh air” (quoted in Beecher).

Farming and the Environment set up a framework to provide incentives to farmers for acting as responsible stewards of the land and, in tribute to Vim, began awarding the "Vim Wright Land Stewardship Award" along with cash prizes once a year to worthy farms throughout the state.

Accolades and Honors

Over the years, Wright earned a number of awards for her hard work and expertise. In 1987 she was awarded the Washington State Environmental Excellence Award by Booth Gardner, after 10 years living and working in Washington state. In 2000 she received the Southwest Parks and Monument’s Danson Award for her work on their board since 1975.

Wright’s crowning achievement came in November of 2002, when she received the “Environmental Hero” award from the Washington Environmental Council for launching Farming and the Environment. In her acceptance speech she mentioned her Greek roots in farming and said:

“I am committed to working with the private land owners because I am convinced that these private lands are the last stand of the Endangered Species Act. The proper stewardship of these lands is all we have left. My work has always involved land and the creatures on it… yes, people, too… and that part of it continues. Only my style, not my values, have changed. I now work with farmers, not against them” (speech).

At the end of her speech she invited all the farmers and their spouses to get up and trade spots with an “extreme enviro” in order to meet new people and continue finding common ground. “We may put another light in your lives,” she said (speech).

Death and Legacy

On June 1, 2003, Wright died of lung cancer in Seattle, surrounded by family and friends. Her memorial service, held at Daybreak Star Cultural Center in Seattle’s Discovery Park, overflowed with people. The WEC created an endowment on June 4, 2003, Wright’s 77th birthday, with an award in her name: “Vigorous, Inspiring, Motivating (VIM).”

Longtime friend and colleague Joan Thomas took over Farming and the Environment after Wright’s death. Now co-chaired by Estella Leopold, F&E continues to give out stewardship awards each year. Wright left an indelible mark on the political, environmental, and physical landscape of Washington state. Her legacy lives on through the organizations she founded and the inspiration she passed on to all who worked with her.


Sources:
Copper Creek Citizens Advisory Council to Charles Royer, February 12, 1981, Box 1, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-1, Special Collections, University of Washington (UW) Libraries, Seattle, Washington; Bill Morris (Western Association of Fish And Wildlife Agencies) to WAFWA Nongame and Endangered species Committee Members, June 27, 1983, Box 1, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-2, Special Collections, UW Libraries; "Memorandum from the Department of Game, Frank R. Lockard, Director, to Fred Hellberg, Assistant Director, Program Development Division, OFM, Washington state,” September 16, 1983, Box 1, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-2, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Farming and the Environment in Washington -- Project Summary,” September 14, 1999, Box 9, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Report of the Financial Assistance Restructuring Committee, Washington State Department of Ecology,” December 1998, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; James W. Abernathy (Environmental Support Center) to Vim Wright, November 1, 1994, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Speech notes,” No date, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Resumes for Vim Wright,” Various dates, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Washington Environmental Council Newsletter,” Winter 2002, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; Scott A. Yates, “Green Thinking, Farm Feeling Wright an Environmental Hero,” Capitol Press, January 3, 2003, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; Estella Leopold, “Nomination for Environmental Hero Awards; Washington Environmental Council," No Date, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; Lavonne Axford (Denver Audubon Society) to Vim Wright, November 9, 1994, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; Cookson Beecher, “Farms Good for Environment, Survey Says,” Capitol Press, November 17, 2000, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Cranes Bring Turkish Girl of 11 to U.S.,” June 27, 1936, unidentified clipping, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Jefferson Award Nominations for Vim Wright,” 1997, Box 7, V. Crane Wright Papers, acc. 4106-6, Special Collections, UW Libraries; “Preliminary Guide to the V. Crane Wright Papers,” Special Collections, UW Libraries website accessed March 21, 2011 (http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/findaids/docs/uarchives
/UA25_04_4106WrightVim.xml); “Private Incentive Programs in Washington State,” Washington Biodiversity Project website accessed March 20, 2011 (http://www.biodiversity.wa.gov/stewardship/privateprograms.html); “Announcements,” San Juan Islands Conservation District website accessed March 20, 2011 (http://www.sanjuanislandscd.org/Blog/Blog.html); "About Us," Audubon Society of Greater Denver website accessed March 20, 2011 (http://www.denveraudubon.com/about.htm); Polly Welts Kaufman, National Parks and the Woman’s Voice: A History (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1996); J. J. Jensen, “Vim Wright Was Friend to Farmers and the Land,” The Seattle Times, June 4, 2003 (http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/); “About the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,” Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website accessed March 15, 2011 (http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/); HistoryLink.org, The Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, “Thomas, Joan K. (b. 1931)” (by Dee Arntz), “Estella Leopold (b. 1927),” (By David B. Williams); “Towne, Chris Smith (b. 1934),” (by Dee Arntz), http://www.historylink.org/ (accessed March 22, 2011).
Note: This essay was corrected on April 20, 2011.


By Elise Fogel, March 28, 2011


< Browse to Previous Essay | Browse to Next Essay >

Related Topics: Biographies | Environment |

Licensing: This essay is licensed under a Creative Commons license that encourages reproduction with attribution. Credit should be given to both HistoryLink.org and to the author, and sources must be included with any reproduction. Click the icon for more info. Please note that this Creative Commons license applies to text only, and not to images. For more information regarding individual photos or images, please contact the source noted in the image credit.



Major Support for HistoryLink.org Provided By: The State of Washington | Patsy Bullitt Collins | Paul G. Allen Family Foundation | Museum Of History & Industry | 4Culture (King County Lodging Tax Revenue) | City of Seattle | City of Bellevue | City of Tacoma | King County | The Peach Foundation | Microsoft Corporation, Other Public and Private Sponsors and Visitors Like You