2014 Chapter 004 Summary of Actions, News, and Events

December 20, 2014 | Reports

veterans for peace maine
  • January
  • New chapter by-laws rewritten and approved
  • Hosted Tarak Kauff & Ellen Davidson who gave a talk on their recent visit in Palestine
  • Work on “Full Disclosure”
  • Sponsored talk by author/activist David Swanson
  • Donated $ to Chamber Music Society in memory of Marianne Whitman
  • Supported & donated to Regis Tremblays’ tour with film “Ghosts of Jeju”
  • New USPS stamp from portrait by member Robert Shetterly
  • Veterans interviewed by students in local schools
  • February
  • New Board of Directors set for chapter 001
  • March
  • Larry Dansinger talk about Draft and Military Counseling
  • Members attended St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston
  • Richard Wolff speaks at USM Hannaford Hall
  • Native American, Oren Lyons speaks at Bates College
  • April
  • Member Clarence Smith chosen Hospice Volunteer of the year for State of Maine
  • Members went to NYC for “Full Disclosure” kick-off events
  • Asia-Pacific speaking tour & panel discussions at UMO & Brunswick
  • Protest at BIW Zumwalt stealth destroyer “christening”
  • Members visited Palestine
  • May
  • Member denied access to Maine National Guard and UMO sponsored conference on “Opportunities” on Arctic ice melting
  • $ sent to National to support younger vets to be able to attend National Convention in Asheville, NC
  • Members “marched” with PeaceWorks in Memorial Day Parade in Brunswick
  • Co-sponsored Adolph Reed to speak in Brunswick
  • Members attend annual MaineShare meeting in Augusta
  • June
  • Members attend 25th anniversary celebration of MaineShare at Bowdoin College in Brunswick
  • Continued success for “Ghosts of Jeju”-screened in Amsterdam and translated into several languages
  • Contributed $ to World Beyond War Billboards campaign
  • Sponsorship for Tri County Mental Health event
  • Supported public forum on conversion/diversification of the military production system across Maine
  • $ support to jailed fellow VFP member in Florida
  • Donated $ to place add in National Convention booklet
  • July
  • Members attended VFP National Convention in Asheville, NC
  • Member Doug Rawlings named VFP Poet Laureate
  • Members “march” in 4th July Parade in Bath
  • Sponsored Lily Yeh and donated $ to her organization “Barefoot Artists”
  • August
  • Members table at 10th annual Brunswick Peace Fair
  • 2014 PeaceMakers Award presented to Maine Veterans For Peace from PeaceWorks
  • September
  • Tabled all three days of Common Ground Country Fair. Shared space on table with BDS campaign. Member had poetry reading in Social/Political Action tent. Member helped MaineShare in talk in Social/Political Action tent. Member took MaineShare supplies out to Fair and back which earns us points for year total.
  • Members working on plan to hold veterans song writing and performance event in Portland in the Spring
  • Member held two workshops at Farmington PTSD Conference
  • $ donation given for a talk at UMF about the plight of Palestinian children
  • Members speak on panel at the first annual Belfast Peace Festival
  • PRESENTE: $ donation made to Jacob George Celebration of Life (veteran committed suicide)
  • $ donation in support of member and White Cane Awareness Walk
  • October
  • Members participated and we supported the Maine Walk for Peace & Sustainable Future. Walk from Rangeley to North Berwick. Pledges made to MaineShare for annual Hike & Bike event
  • Members attend Maine Hospice Council event at Togus featuring Dr. Ed Tick as main speaker/moderator
  • PRESENTE: Remembered the life of wonderful Maine poet and activist Henry Braun
  • Members attend Climate March in NYC
  • Member Clarence Smith honored as “National” Hospice Volunteer of the Year
  • November
  • Robin Spencer voted to Board of Directors replacing Peggy Ackers (term expired)
  • PRESENTE: Remembered the all too short life of Iraq War vet Tomas Young (Body of War)
  • Members attend and stand in remembrance at Armistice Day Parade in Portland
  • Member in DC on Armistice Day and did the “Walk the Wall”
  • Endorsed NAACP action in Portland to support the Ferguson movement
  • Members attend march and rally in Portland to support Ferguson movement
  • Member supported in his travels to Ferguson, Mo to witness and stand with the black community
  • Member has written book about his remarkable life
  • Support to Ivan Karakashian to speak at UMF & Blue Hill. He is a lawyer & journalist from Jerusalem
  • December
  • MaineShare annual report completed and submitted
  • Regis interviewed S. Brian Wilson for his upcoming series of videos with veterans
  • Planning underway to protest yet another return to Brunswick of the Blue Angels
  • Letter drafted and sent to National Board of Directors with statement from chapter 001 supporting Peace at Home, Peace Abroad
  • Members working on a Teach-In on Vietnam at UMO in 2015 as part of National VFP “Full Disclosure” project
  • Sponsored Lily Yeh and Alice Rothchild for speaking events in Blue Hill, Ellsworth and Bangor
  • Donated $ to Kennebec Habitat for Humanity which is building a home for a veteran
  • Wonderful poem by Gerry Kamke that has been put to music. Gerry agreed to let Regis use it in his upcoming videos with veterans