Pelting rain and 40-60 mile an hour wind gusts from remnants of Hurricane Noel did not stop hardy souls from attending the first climate action event in Wareham/Buzzard's Bay. The severe weather heightened their resolve to send an urgent message to Congress, Presidential candidates and other leaders to, "Step It Up and lead in the fight to stop global warming."

Green finders lasted only long enough for a quick photo op before being washed away by torrents of rain. The things attendees long to protect, however, are inscribed upon each heart.

Teachers, high school students, retirees, town committee chair, social worker, minister, newspaper reporter, and sustainable designer/Cape Wind activist, 15 persons in all, braved the elements and represented a far greater number of people who planned to attend the event followed by an all age beach walk.

The group dispensed with prepared speeches and statements from political leaders to take shelter in a nearby pizza place. The restaurant owner not only provided a warm, dry place for conversation, but also contributed plates of cookies and new support for the cause.

Strangers quickly engaged in lively conversations about global warming- sustainable energy, the Cape Wind Project, globalization, consumerism, education, and local food. Emails were collected; next steps planned and a little sense of community was created on a stormy, National Day of Climate Action.

17 people braved the remnants of Hurricane Noel to meet at the gazebo in downtown Onset, a village of Wareham, MA. We discussed how we learned of StepItUp and 1Sky and moved inside to a friendly pizza parlor to continue the discussion without having to yell above the wind and heavy rain. There were no invited elected officials which told us everything and nothing. We are left feeling that this has got to be a Grassroots effort from now on and that the elected persons don't care and cannot be trusted.