Occupy Boise

Occupy Boise by Katie F

I’m here in DC spending Christmas with the dogs and Linda M (who is visiting from LA). Linda made potato latkes for dinner last night while the dogs snacked on chewy chicken jerky treats from Bev W. This morning they are angling for liver snaps from Scarecrow, but we all agree that the best gifts we got were the photos and emails from the occupations across the country. We thought we’d share some of them with you today.

Katie F. is the FDL member liaison to Occupy Boise. She is one over 110 liaisons who are helping Occupy Supply to provide holiday meals today to occupations across the country. Yesterday the local Channel 6 news was at the Boise encampment reporting on 10 die-hard occupiers who will be there over Christmas. Katie happened to be there as well and was also interviewed for the segment:

Occupy Boise

Occupy Boise by Katie F.

“I came down to talk about boots,” said Volunteer Katie Fite, “military surplus boots that are really made for cold weather.”Through donations, the protesters had free clothes, heating devices and new equipment.

Occupy Boise most recently installed a solar panel to charge cell phones, laptops and anything electrical.

Fite, a volunteer of the Firedoglake Blog, talked about why she sympathizes with the occupy protesters.

“The banks and all the large corporations are able to have their way. Occupy is a way to advance that, hopefully to bring about some change,” she said, “Who wouldn’t be supportive of people willing to camp out in the cold?”

Fortunately Donna P, one of our Boston liaisons, was able to re-route new boots she’d ordered for Occupy Boston after they were raided.  They’ve been delayed by midwest storms,  but Katie should be receiving them for Occupy Boise soon.

We’re able to keep close tabs on the occupations through our network of OccupySupply liaisons (you can see our working list of encampments here). We only supply things we think people can wear (and walk away with) unless we believe the occupation is very stable, and have been able to quickly re-route supplies when that status changes. So to the best of our knowledge none the OccupySupply gear has wound up in landfills, or been confiscated by police.

It’s 19 degrees today in Boise.  Katie delivered thick arctic-weight polypropylene base layer to them earlier this week which is no doubt going to good use.  Several people were sleeping on cardboard for insulation from the cold ground, so Katie brought them some temporary foam mats and we sent them 2″ self-inflating mats that should also be arriving soon.  She has been doing an amazing job supporting Occupy Boise, and helping us to help them  hold their camp site through the winter in any way we can.

And yes, the guy in the photo with the holes in his clogs is one of those receiving boots for Christmas that will keep his feet warm in temperatures to -20 degrees. I’m so thankful for big hearts and hopeful spirits of the FDL community who are making that possible.

But most of all, I’m thankful to all the occupiers who are out there in the cold on behalf of all of us.  You give us hope.

FDL OccupySupply State of the Occupation: Updated List of Encampments Across the Country