Moving on from Illinois Stewardship Alliance

[Wes King]

Dear friends, colleagues and allies:

I have some exciting but somewhat emotional news to share. At the end of the year I will be leaving Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA) and moving to Washington, DC; where on January 4th I will be starting a new job with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition as a Policy Specialist working on Marketing, Food Systems and Rural Development issues.

Luckily, our board of directors, staff and I have been able to pull together an almost ideal transition plan. Starting in December, Lindsay Record will be returning to full-time work as the Executive Director (ED) of  ISA. Almost three years ago, Lindsay stepped down from the ED position to focus on raising her young daughter and son and I stepped up into the ED role along with carrying forward ISA’s policy advocacy work. Lindsay is now in a position within her personal life in which she is able to step back-up into the role as executive director. In addition, to carry on ISA’s policy advocacy work, we hired a new Policy Associate named Rebecca Osland. Rebecca started work at ISA on October 12. I will be spending the next two months training her and transitioning her into the position. Rebecca is licensed attorney with a passion for local food and sustainable agriculture, you can read more about her by clicking here.

It has been a pleasure working with all of you to promote local food systems and sustainable agriculture over the last 6 years. It was a hard decision for me to leave Illinois, my home, and Illinois Stewardship Alliance, which has been like a second family for me; but I take solace in knowing that we have a great team in place to continue on with the important work of ISA and just as importantly I am happy that through my job in DC I will be able to still work with some of you and continue to fight for family farms, local food, and sustainable agriculture. If you would like to stay in touch you will be able to reach me at my ISA email until December 11th afterwards I can be reached at my personal email wkin...@gmail.com, on Facebook, on twitter @WAKing14 or you can follow me on Instagram @DIY_Foodie.

Illinois is my home and my middle name is Abraham, so it is only fitting that I end with a Lincoln quote/excerpt from his 1861 farewell address when he left Springfield, Illinois, to start his inaugural journey for Washington, D.C:

“My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century… I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return... Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

Sincerely,

--

Wes King

Executive Director

Illinois Stewardship Alliance
"Local Food Matters"

217-528-1563

www.ilstewards.org

 
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[Wes King]

Thank you very much!

They definitely recruited me and it just seemed like the timing was right, I felt ISA was in the right position and the stars just seemed to align for me to make the jump.

I would love to stay in touch in the future. Not sure what my work email will be yet. My personal email is: wkin...@gmail.com

I'm sure you will here from me again in the future!

Here in DC right now... actually and just signed a lease on an apartment.  

WK

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 27, 2015, at 6:45 PM, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery <prairi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Wes,

I KNEW they'd get you, just a matter of time!  Congratulations, they are very lucky.   Looking for great things from DC now, optimism is soaring!  

Take care, don't be a stranger.  Let us know if there's anything we can do to help.

Wes (a different one) and Leslie

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--

Leslie Cooperband & Wes Jarrell
Co-owners
Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, LLC
4410 N. Lincoln Ave.
Champaign, IL 61822
Tel & Fax No: 217-643-2314
website: www.prairiefruits.com

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