Guest Post – from Al Braden

Here’s the new 2015 Christmas anthem from Junior Girl Scout Troop 471 and their friends at Troop 796 who helped out.

They go by the name of the Lightning Bolts and this spring they organized and led a Children’s Climate March from the steps of the Capitol and through downtown Austin. Many local leaders, including Austin City Council Members Delia Garza and Ann Kitchen, spoke at the rally which also featured this song written specially for the Lightning Bolts by Austin Eco-Troubadour Bill Oliver.

Over the summer Bill added to and polished the song and the girl scouts got back together for a recording session at Faith Presbyterian Church.

The girls continue to look for ways to draw attention to climate change – realizing that they are the ones who will have to face the progressively more extreme weather in the future. They learned a lot in organizing the march and now working on publicity and social media to bring attention to their cause. Rocking with guitars and wearing red noses are real ways to connect with other kids and families.

The Junior Scout Troop Lightning Bolts are led by Marty McDougal and the Troop 796 leader is Charla McDonald. Mr. Habitat, Bill Oliver wrote the song and and music. He was helped in recording and instrumentals by John Inmon. Beth Galiger added sax, Richard Bowden, fiddle and Doug Powell, mandolin. Vocals included the Lightning Bolts and Austin musicians Bob Livingston, Beth Galiger and Doug Powell. Lucas Miller, who inspires school kids as The Singing Zoologist did a bang up job of editing footage from that we all took during the recording session.

Applause please for the Lighting Bolts and Bill Oliver.

For more of the story and a video of their Children’s Climate March check out their website here>>