One of the requirements to get designated as a “Dark Sky Community” is demonstrating broad community support. So we would appreciate a letter of support from you. Send it from our “Contact page” page.
What should I say?
Start with a first paragraph similar to this: I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of a Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
Then add a second paragraph explaining why it is important to you to improve, protect, and preserve the night sky over Ivins.
Finally, include your name and address (or subdivision or HOA name). We will not display your address or email on our website.
Here are some examples:
Kai Reed – Kayenta
I was very excited to find out a local group has been formed to pursue the International Dark Sky Association’s (IDSA) Night Sky Community designation. I’ve lived in Ivins for almost 21 years and have sadly seen the degradation to our night skies which is why I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative to pursue the Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City. Ivins has long promoted itself as a destination community and a Night Sky Community designation would most certainly enhance that reputation.
I think Ivins has the best potential of any community in Washington County to become a Night Sky Community. We already have one large development, Kayenta, which has adopted a comprehensive night sky policy and Ivins City itself already has a night sky ordinance that can be enhanced and expanded to meet IDSA guidelines. In addition, we are surrounded on three sides by a national conservation and wilderness area, the Shivwits Indian Reservation and the Santa Clara River Reserve so the majority of all future development that could impact our night sky will be within Ivins City where we will have the opportunity under the Night Sky Initiative to mitigate the light pollution that threatens our night skies.
Having had a leadership role in local community advocacy groups (Citizens for Dixie’s Future, Friends of Snow Canyon and Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance) I know and appreciate how critical citizen involvement is in making positive improvements to our community. I hope to contribute in any way I can to support the Ivins Night Sky Initiative.
Marc and Chrystal Deshowitz – Eagle Rock
As residents of Ivins, My wife and myself strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
I have been a night sky advocate for the past 7 years and have been involved in educating the general public in both Nevada and Utah concerning the detrimental effects of light pollution and the health benefits of reduced lighting. My wife and myself have also spearheaded efforts to implement the retrofitting of our community lighting to be compliant with the Ivins Night Sky Ordinance.
We believe that our community benefits from being able to view the night sky and be able to ponder our existence and help us place all of our worries into perspective.
Ron Levandoski – Ivins
As a resident of Ivins, my wife and I are indeed in favor of maintaining the dark skies here in Ivins. So I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
My wife and I think that it is important to preserve the wonders of the night sky for the future of our families. My introduction to astronomy at eight years of age led to an intense interest in science and a career in the healthcare field. I that hope in the future other kids can gaze at the heavens as I did and that this can spark an intellectual interest as it did for me.
I am an amateur astronomer with an observatory in my back yard that I use for astrophotography. The sky in Ivins has become increasingly polluted in the past five years to the point that it is significantly impacting my hobby. Light pollution that obliterates dimmer stars needs to be controlled before a valuable irreplaceable natural resource is lost forever.
I applaud your efforts to try to save what is left. Let me know what I can do to help.
CJ Koharcheck – Padre Canyon
As a resident of Ivins, I am indeed in favor of maintaining the dark skies here in Ivins. So I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
I just went through the website, and it looks great! I’m glad to see the quantitative measurements. I’m already on your list of people who think this is important and are willing to help, but I wanted to give you a shout-out for all the good work you are doing!
Chris Haddad – Shadow Canyon
This is fantastic! As a resident of Ivins, I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
Your Position Paper touches upon so many of the reasons why I up and moved from California to Ivins. I had read about the St. George area and decided to take a road trip to check it out. I looked out over St George from my hotel and thought what a beautiful picture that was and so many stars. (In California, I didn’t see a lot of stars).
As I turned to look out towards Ivins, I realized how much darker it was out there and seemed to have more stars too! So, I got back in my car and drove back out to that same spot (boy, it was really dark out there) except for the unbelievable sky full of stars. Unbelievable sunset and dark sky full of stars all in one day, that did it. I told myself that night I was going to retire here. After almost 40 years in Law Enforcement I deserved to spend the rest of my life in the peace and beauty of this place. Every night I lay in bed and look out my window and fall asleep looking at the most beautiful sky full of stars. How’s that for peace and beauty!
James & Brenda Peters – Citadel Estates
As a resident of Ivins, I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
One of the things that impressed me most about the home that we purchased in Ivins just a year and a half ago is that we can walk out in our back yard and see the stars shining without the interference of light pollution. I have a dear friend in Ivins who has worked in astronomy all of his career and we have conversations about the night sky all of the time. Almost every night that I am there we study the constellations, planets etc. I use this information as I teach in the Boy Scout Organization. I have been a Boy Scout Leader for over 50 years. I sincerely hope that the City of Ivins will continue in the pursuit of the Dark Sky Community designation.
Dow & Stacy Williams – Vermillion Cliffs
As a resident of Ivins, I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
As our county continues to grow and welcome newcomers, I feel it has become even more important that the city of Ivins remain committed to its connection with the natural beauty that brought many of us here in the first place. In the frenetic pace of life, a jewel as rare as this place must be preserved for future residents as well as for those who have called Ivins home for generations.
Dan Krupicka – Kayenta
As a resident of Ivins, I am indeed in favor of maintaining the dark skies here in Ivins. So I strongly endorse and support the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative in the pursuit of Dark Sky Community designation for Ivins City from the International Dark Sky Association.
Thanks for bringing the issue of dark skies here to the fore, and the time and energy you are willing to put into the issue. As a resident of the nearby Kayenta subdivision for the last 24 years, I have come to take for granted the dark night skies of the area. You can imagine how dark it was here 20 years ago. However, I have noticed diffuse background illumination encroaching from the east and southeast, much of which I would guess originates in St. George, and have begun to wonder how long the dark skies will be with us here on the far west side of the rapidly developing St. George basin and Ivins Bench.