Tom Sturtevant Chapter 1
September 24, 2015
Unitarian Universalist Church
Brunswick Maine
Present: Richard Clement, Clarence Smith, Bruce Gagnon, Dan Ellis, Doug Rawlings, Regis Tremblay, David Larsen, Robin Spencer, Peter Morgan, John Morris, Bud Buzzell, Dave Crowley, Peggy Akers, Rita Clement
Reading/Inspiration: Bud shared that his great grandson has Parkinson’s disease. Regis shared that one of his sons flunked induction physical into Air Force which is a big relief to him. Gerry Kamke has a hurt leg and will miss some meetings.
Secretary Report: Minutes from last meeting accepted and are on the web site with a few corrections that had to be made.
Treasurer Report: We now have $7,047 in our account. Robin, with help from Dan, is setting up a Quicken bookkeeping program for our bank account. It was agreed that we should purchase a gift certificate to a local Farmington restaurant for Dovey who was our past treasurer and her husband. Doug will do this.
Membership: Now have 132 members, 93 are currently paid-up with dues. Dan was authorized to print business cards with chapter info that we can all use. VFP mission statement will be on the back side of the card.
MaineShare: Richard took MaineShare tables to Common ground Fair which will get the chapter extra points. Four of our members went to the Maine Share fair at the Maine Marine Research Institute in Portland.
Upcoming Peace Walk: Walk begins Oct 9 in Ellsworth. Sweatshirts made with VFP logo on front and walk dolphin/sonar artwork on back. Lead banner has been made and can be taken to Common Ground Fair along with walk flyers. Going to work hard to make connection to Navy impact on ocean from pollution/sonar/overseas bases like Jeju Island. Buddhist nun Jun-san will join walk in Freeport and Brother Kato and others like join last couple days of walk.) Please support the nightly pot lucks that are near you. $600 for the walk arrived in mail from Maine Community Foundation, we later learned that this came from a contact Dud had with someone who wanted to support the walk. See all walk info at www.vfpmaine.org/archives/minutesjun2015.html
CGFair: We still need volunteers to work our tables at the fair. Smitty is coordinating the schedule.
Blue Angels: Some of our members joined the protest at the airshow in Brunswick. Very unfriendly reception, especially from bikers who at one point interrupted our protest and tried to hassle Tom Whitney.
VFP Jeju/Okinawa Delegation: Dud and Bruce are going on this December 3-16 VFP national delegation. John Morris is interested (but later decided he could not go). It was approved that the chapter donate $500 travel money for John and if he does not go the money will be sent to national ASAP for the fund to send a couple young post-911 vets on the trip.
MaineShare Bowling Fundraiser: Each year we must do a fundraiser for MaineShare. Peggy & Rita working on a Nov 7 bowling event in Brunswick at Yankee Lanes. Chapter will pay for the lanes and each person pay for their shoes. Everyone will eat dinner at a local restaurant after the bowling. Everyone is requested to make a donation to MaineShare on behalf of our chapter as our part of the fundraiser.
Phyllis Bennis: Peace Action Maine is hosting Middle East expert Phyllis Bennis at Woodfords Club in Portland on Oct 27, 7pm.
SOA: We will not be a sponsor of the November SOA protest in Georgia.
Ferner Donation: Doug suggested we not donate to former national director Mike Ferner’s political campaign for mayor in Toledo due to our non-profit status. Agreed.
NLG Journal: We sent $50 too much to the NLG dinner journal fund and they will return that to us.
Annual Harvest Supper: We approved 1/2 page advert in the Oct 3 program book for P & J Center in Bangor. Dud handling this. Dud also tabled at the recent Belfast Peace Festival on our behalf.
Pope Francis: While speaking before Congress the pope condemned the international arms sales trade and Congress applauded.
Next Meeting: Will meet on October 29 in Augusta at the UM-Augusta campus.
