Helping Out

Show Your Support For De-amalgamation

One of the easiest and most effective ways to further the goal of de-amalgamation is to publicly proclaim your support by displaying a yellow ribbon. Yellow ribbon has been adopted as the symbol for de-amalgamation by campaigns across the province. Tied around a mailbox or tree, fastened to a front door or fence, it tells decision-makers and your fellow-citizens that you have not resigned yourself to the forced merger with Hamilton.

For exterior use, we've simply been using non-adhesive vinyl marking tape (also called flagging tape). We have already distributed thousands of feet door-to-door and during events such as the Cactus Festival. If you would like a length of yellow tape, call David Longo (905-628-5983) and arrange to pick some up at his house on Melville Street. Alternatively, you can inexpensively purchase enough for yourself and all your neighbours at hardware stores such as Canadian Tire and Home Depot. (A 300' roll costs less than $5.)

The Dundas Again Campaign has also produced simple signs designed to be taped onto a window, and round, self-adhesive stickers which you've probably already seen affixed to car windshields, blue boxes and green carts. You can obtain the window signs and stickers by calling David Longo, 905-628-5983, and arranging to pick them up. You can also print out the window signs on your home printer (click on the link below). If you choose to do it this way, we ask that you print or copy it onto bright yellow paper. (We've been using "CASCADE MP Brites, Banana".) Please note that you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these files. If this free software isn't already installed on your computer, download Acrobat Reader here.

Window sign (pdf, 1 page, 20KB)

Campaign poster (pdf, 1 page, 47KB)

Round sticker design (pdf, 1 page, 8KB)

Dundas Again t-shirts now available! These attractive, pure cotton Ts are a special, bright shade of de-amalgamation yellow, visible even to politicians, and feature the "bird & cage" campaign logo with the words "Dundas Again!" Call (905-628-5983) or to make sure we have your size. Suggested campaign contribution of $15 per t-shirt.

Other ways to help further the goals of the campaign include joining the steering committee or one of the working groups (see below). If you are able to contribute financially or through an in-kind donation, please refer to the Donations section of this page.

Working Groups

We have established several working groups to further the goals of the campaign. Each of these groups depends on volunteers to get its work done. If you have some time and energy to contribute, please contact the co-ordinator of the group which interests you. Thank you!

Publicity & Outreach

Co-ordinators: Brandi Reilly () and Jason McDonough ()

Help us get the word out! This group is working on enhancing the profile of the campaign and making its goals known to the citizens of Dundas. Activities to date have included producing and distributing flyers and posters, getting the yellow ribbon campaign off the ground and organizing our presence at the Cactus Festival.

If you are a local business owner or merchant and have some wall, window or counter space to spare, we would appreciate hearing from you. We are looking for distribution points for yellow ribbons (a tray containing ribbons and a labelled tin to collect donations will be provided) and locations to display the campaign poster. Please e-mail Brandi or Jason if you can help.

Petition

Co-ordinator: David Longo ()

This is one of our largest efforts, and will require a substantial number of volunteers. We plan to knock on the door of every household in Dundas to gather signatures for the de-amalgamation petition. Indications are that an overwhelming percentage of Dundas citizens will be only too happy to sign. The petition will be presented to the Ontario Legislature and used to lobby candidates during upcoming municipal elections. If you are interested in gathering signatures or keying collected data into a database, please contact David.

We are also looking for publicly-accessible locations to make the petition available. If you are a local business owner or merchant and have some counter space to spare, we would love to hear from you. Please contact David.

Fundraising

Co-ordinators: David Longo () and Brandi Reilly ()

Photocopying posters and newsletters, reserving a booth at the Cactus Festival, advertising in local media, producing outreach items such as t-shirts and buttons—these are among the campaign activities requiring funds. To get the ball rolling, we passed the hat at our last public meeting; through the generosity of those in attendance we collected enough for our Cactus Festival booth ($150) and used what was left to open a Dundas Again Campaign credit union account.

However, we need a more secure financial footing to run an effective campaign. Members of this working group are responsible for planning fundraising events and activities, producing saleable merchandise and soliciting donations from individuals and businesses. Please e-mail David or Brandi if you can help out.

Letter Writing Campaign

Co-ordinator: Mac Walker ()

With your help, we can provide a constant stream of letters to local newspapers and our elected representatives. If we don't repeatedly demonstrate our active, determined and wide-spread opposition to de-amalgamation, there is a risk that some of our fellow citizens will allow themselves to become resigned to the status quo. Political decision-makers need to know that this issue is dear to the people of Dundas. Candidates' positions on de-amalgamation, more than any other issue, will determine voting patterns in Dundas in the coming provincial and municipal elections.

Click here for contact information for local newspapers and elected representatives.

We would appreciate receiving a copy of your correspondence (and any answers you receive) so that we can post it on this website as a permanent, public record. Please e-mail it to the or mail it c/o Steven Nagy, 201 Melville St., Dundas, Ontario, L9H 2A9. Thank you!

Donations are gratefully accepted. All campaign workers are unpaid volunteers, so your contributions go directly towards realising the goal of de-amalgamation. Campaign expenditures are decided on and must be approved by the steering committee.

Cheques should be made out to "Dundas Again Campaign" and dropped off or mailed c/o David Longo, 188 Melville St., Dundas, Ontario, L9H 2B1. Unless you tell us that you prefer to remain anonymous, donors will be acknowledged on our Supporters & Sponsors webpage. Please note that we are not a charitable organization or political party, so we are unable to issue receipts for income tax purposes.

If you are a local merchant or business owner and would like to make an in-kind donation of goods or services, please see our Merchant Donation Request Letter (pdf, 2 pages, 87KB), David Longo or call him at 905-628-5983 to discuss our current needs. As in the case of individual donors, we will be delighted to acknowledge your contribution on our Supporters & Sponsors webpage.