Tom Sturtevant Chapter 1
October 23, 2014
Unitarian Universalist Church
Brunswick, Maine
Present: Clarence Smith, Richard Clement, Bruce Gagnon, Robin Spencer, Dan Ellis, Peter Woodruff, Bud Buzzell, Regis Tremblay
Secretary Report: Minutes from last meeting accepted and are on the web site with exception of three names spelled wrong in last minutes. Dan will make changes on web site.
Treasurer Report: Treasurer’s report accepted with $8,048.90 in our account.
Membership: Now have 133 members, 118 are currently paid-up with dues. Five new members via Common Ground Fair. Regis will follow-up with new contact in Portland who is connected to IVAW. We need to find ways to reach out to younger potential veteran members.
MaineShare: Dan will send email around again urging our members to donate to MaineShare following our Peace Walk as the VFP contribution to the annual Hike & Bike.
Education: Ghosts of Jeju now translated into Korean, Chinese, Japanese, French. Soon to be done in Spanish as well. In South Korea will be shown in coming weeks at five festivals.
Maine Walk for Peace & Sustainable Future: Walk went very well. Peter, Dan, Dud and Doug were big help with various aspects of the walk. Got some local media coverage in Farmington, Gray, Saco, Scarborough and interview on WERU. Had great finale event at Pratt-Whitney F-35 engine plant in North Berwick and large delegation of VFP members from Massachusetts joined us for that last day of walking. We will send Jim Freeman $200 as thank you for use of his mini-bus. We spent very little on the walk and had $250 donations to the chapter to help cover expenses.
Oct 28 Hospice Confab: Richard will table for the chapter at the Togus conference.
Charitable Solicitation: State legislature passed changes to the law. Tax exempt organizations no longer need to register with the state.
Jacob George Celebration: The chapter got a letter thanking us for four donation to the celebration honoring the memory of IVAW member who took his life.
Henry Braun: We remembered the wonderful Maine poet and activist Henry Braun who recently passed away. He was a friend to many of us.
New Board Member: Need one more board member at the end of this year to take Peggy’s place.
Climate March in NYC: Great visible and creative national VFP presence at the march. Doug, Peter and Regis went from our chapter. Regis made a good video about the event.
Smitty Honored: Smitty was honored as the national Hospice Volunteer of the year and will be flying to Nashville with his wife to receive the award. Congrats Smitty for your work with vets in Hospice.
Next Meeting: Our next meeting will be in Augusta but need to decide which location. The UU Church wants $30 and the UMA Holocaust Cernter wants $25-$50. No decision made at the meeting.
