Thursday, April 28 th 2016. Meeting held at the University of Maine at Augusta Holocaust and Human Rights Center.
Members in Attendance
Richard Clement, Rita Clement, Dan Ellis, Peter Woodruff, Regis Tremblay, Clarence Smith, Martha Morrison, Nicole Moreau, Doug Rawlings, John Morrin, Peter Morgan JR, David Larsen.
● Monthly Reading/Inspiration – Smitty saw someone in the parking lot that reminded him of Tim, and he said it was nice to be reminded of him.
● Secretary’s Report – accepted
● Treasurer’s Report
○ Income $455 / expenses $144.
○ Balance is $7,777.73
● Maineshare annual meeting is May 17 from 2 to 4:30, Richard and Doug will be attending.
● Membership – 132 members, 10 honorary, 24 associate. 87 are paid up.
● Outreach Regis went to San Francisco, interviewed for his film Three Minutes to Midnight. He’s leaving for another trip on Saturday, will be back May 6
○ He is also going to DC on the 12 th and 13 th to interview Ray McGovern, David Vine, author of Base Nation/Professor at American University. Also interviewing Peter Kuznik, who worked with Oliver Stone. He will also be interviewing Dr. Helen Caldicott. He hopes to finish the film sometime soon after the August interview.
● Richard asked if we wanted to sign onto the letter of solidarity that is going to be delivered to the Ukranian Embassy on the anniversary of the massacre in Oddessa.
○ Doug seconded the motion. Chapter approved unanimously.
● Elders for Future Generations – they’re meeting on the 29 th
Martha is going to ask them what they want from VFP and will get back to Richard.
○ There was some discussion about how the chapter wants to proceed with the paper from the group that was sent to the listserv.
○ Rita suggested that a smaller group gets together to discuss the paper, and then make a recommendation to the group.
○ Doug suggested that everyone reads it and then at the next meeting we make a decision to endorse it at the next meeting.
● Memorial Day Parade. May 30 th VFP will have a presence there with Peaceworks. There will be more details at the May meeting about a meeting spot. Dan is going to attend the general parade meeting for more details.
● The Moving Vietnam Wall, 26th to the 30th in Thomaston at the Knox Museum. It will be open 24 hours a day while its there.
● Letters to the Wall
○ Doug says about 7 people from the chapter have provided letters.
○ People have until May 14th to write a letter.
○ 151 letters were written last year. Doug wanted 1500 this year, but isn’t close to the goal
○ National has been plugging the project. There will be a display set up on the national mall to encourage people to write letters.
○ National is renting the William Penn House, trying to get into memorial day ceremony, trying to get a spot for a speech in the program.
○ Letters don’t have to be Vietnam War specific, they can be feelings about war.
○ Doug made a request for assistance to get to DC for the project, Regis made a motion for $300, Smitty seconded motion. Chapter approved.
○ Regis raised the question of if anyone is going to be there to video the event. Doug reiterated that this isn’t a political event, its a more solemn affair.
● Peace Walk Update: October 11th to the 26th
○ specific dollar amount has not.been brought forth by Bruce yet for support, but the chapter has his back in terms of $$ support.
○ For more information on the walk please contact Bruce at globalnet@mindspring.com
Honoring Peacemaker, things are lining up to honor Suzanne at the next meeting per Peggy.
Peggy is working out the details.
● Veterans Challenge Islamaphobia
Doug and David Olson, met with Hasan, the cultural leader of the mosque in Lewiston, gave him Regis’s dvd and some VFP brochures, told him that we supported the community, wanted to provide support to the community.
○ Doug wants to go back to the community and bring up the idea of a meal in Lewiston, VFP will pay for it, but the community will host it.
○ Smitty and Regis brought up the idea that the community doesn’t do “catering” it will be more of a potluck idea. Regis made motion to support Doug in this endeavor. It was seconded and approved.
● Veteran’s Suicide – Rick and Carol’s son committed suicide, Rita suggested sending a card from the chapter. Richard and Rita will take care of card
● MOFGA Application – $10 to put in an application. $230 for the fair. Application is due MidMay.
○ We need to be thinking about what we want to do for the fair. Richard suggested something to do with AntiIslamaphobia for the theme.
● Convention Booklet Ad application for ads is on the website, cost is going to be the same as last year.
○ Last year we did a full page ad. Theme hasn’t been announced yet. Doug made a motion for a full page add, it was seconded and approved. Dan will design it when the theme is announced.
● Extremists for Peace, Pat Scanlon. He wants to put together a CD of protest songs from VFP.
○ May 28th Pat wants people in Boston to sing along for the CD. He also is looking for donations, has already raised about 56k, National is donating some money.
○ Regis urged the chapter to support this, he thinks it is very important work, thinks we need to support the Smedlies like they have supported us.
○ Moves that we support the venture with 500, and that we would like to be shown in the video part with a video of the peace walk. Chapter voted to approve funds.
○ Doug is going to get in touch with him about the funds/details. Rob Shetterly is doing the artwork for the cd.
● Peace Fair Planning MeetingSaturday May 7 th
○ Richard will be attending. Dan has let Rosalie know that the chapter will be there with the buttonmaker.
■ Meeting is at St. Charles Church on McCain St, 9:30 to 1,
● BIW Christening for the Destroyer. June 18th protest, from 9 to noon.
○ Planning meeting on May 14th .
○ Email Bruce for more information.
● Robin brought up Vegis Puerto Rico, and how the island has been devastated since then.
Doug suggested she contact Dud about more information on what we can do. Robin asked
we put it on the agenda for the next meeting.
● The Event on the April 19th global day against military spending.
○ Richard spoke, there was a minute of coverage of the protest. Richard said
that he was glad he went, and it ended up being a better event than he thought it
was going to be.
● Richard, Rita and Robin went to see Memorial: The Play – they are unsure how they felt
about it.
○ Unsure about how the play came about, how accurate the “memories” are
Recommended Books and Movies
Letters home from Vietnam (HBO Special) film
recommended by Doug
Lights Out by Ted Koppell
This Changes Everything, Naomi Klein
Base Nation, David Vine.
Next meeting May 28 th in Portland. Location TBD.
