In 2018, a grassroots team of “political rookies” from Oneida County and the Lac du Flambeau Tribe set out to inform their community about the urgent need to protect the Willow River and Flowage from the risks of sulfide mining being proposed in a November ballot referendum. With only a few months to get organized and the support of the River Alliance of WI, they campaigned tirelessly—going door-to-door, holding conversations with their neighbors, showing up at town halls and getting the facts out. Despite being in a traditionally conservative leaning county, 62% of voters said NO to mining!