➢Member showed chapter the opening to his new documentary. Approved $ to continue his work
➢Report to chapter of meeting with Sen. King’s staff.(along with the Elders group)
➢Report to chapter of members’ travels to Jeju Island, South Korea and Okinawa, Japan. Approved $ for presentations
➢Approved donation to chapter 003 in Bangor
➢Report read of members trip to Germany/Italy/Turkey
➢Fred Brancato from Elders group read us the draft of his groups white paper entitled “Peace as a Powerful Alternative to War and Violence”
➢Ginny Schnieder from the War Tax Resistance Center spoke at meeting
➢Members joined Smedley’s in Boston for anti-Islamophobia action
➢Members spoke at USM at Bill McKibben and 350.org event
➢New chapter secretary appointed. Welcome Nicole
➢Member traveled to West coast for documentary interviews. Approved $ for travel ➢Members spoke to High Schoolers in Yarmouth
➢Chapter signed onto letter of solidarity to be delivered to the Ukrainian Embassy ➢Approved $ for travel to D.C. for “Letters to the Wall” project
➢Members met with cultural leader of Lewiston Mosque to offer support from VFP to the Muslim population
➢The passing of chapter member’s son was recognized. Patrick-Presente!
➢Approved $ for full page ad in convention booklet
➢Approved $ for Pat Scanlon and “Extremists for Peace” CD
➢Members spoke at Global Day Against Military Spending event in Portland
➢Members attended the play “Memorial” in Gardiner. It was billed as a “theatrical oral history of Americans in Vietnam”
➢Suzanne Hedrick recognized at chapter meeting for her many, many years of working for a more peaceful world.
➢Members attended annual MaineShare meeting in Augusta
➢Report made of members travel to Odessa, Ukraine
➢Member reported on efforts made with the BDS movement
➢Members participated in Memorial Day Parade in Brunswick. Way to go Victor Skorapa!
➢Members visited the “Moving Wall” Vietnam Memorial in Thomaston
➢Members in D.C. for “Letters to the Wall” event at the Vietnam Memorial. Sobering, dignified presentation of respect!
➢Members protest Zumwalt destroyer “christening”. Mass arrests ensue!
➢MaineShare Director Kate Cronin speaks to chapter of the organization that is so important to our financial well being
➢Member attended Pride parade in Portland. We should participate in this as a chapter in 2017!
➢Members designed “Imagine” ad for convention booklet. Beautiful!
➢Chapter approved Elders statement after it was reworked when we had concerns about a couple of parts ➢Approved $ for member to travel to our National Convention. Another great gathering! ➢Approved $ to support younger veterans getting to convention
➢Members participated in parades in Bath and Hallowell
➢Approved $ for members travel to Russia
➢Members staffed table at Brunswick Peace Fair. More peaceful buttons made and given away!
➢Approved $ for computer upgrade for webmaster to make sure our online content stays top notch!
➢Member attended veterans gathering at Augusta Civic Center
➢“Letters to the Wall” book published and available for purchase.
➢Chapter purchases 24 copies of “Letters to the Wall” to be handed out and donated whenever the occasion arises
➢Member was a participant in conference call to begin work on full disclosure information getting into our schools
➢Member reported on trip to West bank and town of Nablus
➢Members visited Arlington National Cemetery. Sobering reminder of what a total failure of humankind when we wage war!
➢Longtime member Miles Freeman passed. Presente!
➢Approved $ to help repair mural at My Lai
➢Member spoke of her work at the wonderful “Seeds of Peace” camp
➢Guest Simon Radecki spoke to chapter about his work with “Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership” in the upcoming voting
➢Tabled all three days at the magnificent Common Ground Country Fair. This yearly event is great exposure for our commitment to PEACE! Money spent for app and booth space are more than made up by generous donations of fairgoers!
➢Members descended on the home of longtime member Hersch Sternlieb to present book and certificate recognizing his many years of contributing to our chapter
➢Members attended TriCounty veterans conference
➢Members participated in and chapter supported ($) the Maine Peace Walk. What a great yearly event this has turned into!
➢Members participated in vigil for disarmament at BIW
➢Members participated in protest at “Artic Council” conference in Portland
➢New chapter secretary installed. Welcome John
➢Work undertaken on getting Zinn grant for calendar project
➢Members present at Monument Square in Portland with many VFP flags flying for Armistice Day observation during parade
➢Approved $ for Penobscot Nation in support of their efforts in the DAPL “Water is Life” movement at Standing Rock
➢Member profiled by local paper as part of Armistice Day coverage
➢Member reported on talk to class at UMF and also on attendance at High School teachers Social Studies conference in Augusta. Member also tabled at the event!
➢Members attend Elders meeting to discuss areas of common concern
➢Members attend showing of Brian Wilson’s film in Brunswick
➢Members attended and reported on Ann Wrights’ lectures in Portland and Brunswick
➢Sadly the Tom Sturtevant chapter of Maine Veterans For Peace did not hold a meeting in December. Mother Nature proved to us that she still holds all the cards and remains firmly in charge!
➢Apologies are made for omissions in this reporting. I gathered information from our chapter minutes and may have missed some items. (I am positive the chapter secretaries made no such omissions in their reporting). We have once again had a most productive year and everyone should be justly proud of our efforts for a more peaceful world. Now we have to “double down” for the coming times.
