VETERANS FOR PEACE, CORVALLIS

Minutes of 28 July 2008 meeting

 

I.  Introductions (present)   Bob Stebbins, George Hutchinson, Jim Spain, Bob Winget, Karen Winget, Esmeralda Allen, Todd Allen, Dianne Safford, Bart Bolger, Leah Bolger, Del Shirley (scribe)

           

II. Administration

            *Treasurers Report  $1224 Balance.  $500 approximately liquid cash.  $340 spent for 36 t-shirts that will be sold for $15.     Contributed to WITO and Benton Co fair.  We made a donation towards the repair of Carlos Arrandondo’s truck (He lost his son in Iraq and travels around protesting the War.) 

            *T-shirt order—36 ordered.

            *Website--Check out the website Phil has worked over—VFPCorvallis.org--.  Also go to Yahoo.com and search Groups & search VFP Corvallis.  The site has a calendar.   Discussion ensued about how these sites might facilitate getting information to the membership.

We decided to continue having Leah forward info as she has been doing.

                                                                                   

III. Actions/events status and debrief

            *Dept of Peace Resolution -- Corvallis City Council endorsed by 5-3 the Department of Peace Resolution.

            *Peace and Justice Coalition -- 20 to 25 groups have identified a delegate to attend.  Leah is encouraged.

            *FOR Conference  --  Leah did session on VFP, sold cards, t-shirts.  Leah made contacts/did networking.  Rebecca Michelson did a session on Counter Recruitment. 

            *George Mann—Bart went to hear the labor activist George Mann and saw the movie he made about Julius Margolin.  25-30 people attended and contributions were good. This event was sponsored by VFP.   

            *WITO – Iraqi mom and 3 kids arrive on Wednesday.  The boy is blind.  Because of the blind child, services to the family may extend beyond the normal 6 months.  Fundraising is going well.  The apartment is coming along well.  They need a 2 child stroller.  Children’s toys, bedding are also needed.

 

IV. Future actions/events

            *Benton County Fair Peace Booth--Starts Wednesday.  Tuesday, tomorrow, at 2pm is setup time.  Members welcome to help.  Bobbie is managing the cash box.  She has passes and parking passes.  All shifts are covered.  Help is needed to take down Sunday at 7pm.  VFP paid for about half the cost.  Alternatives to War and several other groups are supporting.    There will be a counter recruitment emphasis.   We will sell the note cards and t-shirts for $15, 8 assorted cards for $5, also the peace flags for $8, and with a flag and t-shirt you can have a “start a peace kit” for $20.

            *Keep the Guard Home Campaign—we will be collecting petitions all summer and all winter.  Leah is collecting the forms.   Sara Gelser will be a co-sponsor of the legislation.  Jason Brown, supports it.  Richard Riggs is also in favor of it.

            *www.militaryproject.org--We are encouraged to check it out.  It is about civilian groups reaching out to support military people.

 

Announcements--

*There is a link between hatred and the war.  A man entered a UU Church in Knoxville, killing 2 people and wounded others.  Gretchen Woods, the local UU minister, reported on what is being done.  UU trauma response ministers have gone to help.  There is general concern about the safety of UU congregations.  There will be a vigil service at UU Church at 6:30pm on Thursday.

*James Burmeister was convicted and given bad conduct discharge and 6 month sentence.   We could help with employment and letters can be written to him asking what he needs if he decides to make his home here. 

Leah will draft a letter to James Burmeister, from VFP, saying that if he decides to move to this area we would like to be of support. 

            *James (not Burmeister), an Iraqi vet, came to a concert in Miami and gave parachute cord bracelets for the 80 men that sang in the concert.  He makes the bracelets in memory of those that didn’t make it.  He has done 3 tours in Iraq and 21 years in the military.  (Reported by Bob Winget)

 

            *Action Team reports

                        --Counter-Military Recruitment—John Griffiths & Bob Stebbins.   Bob & Aleita will visit the CHS principle as soon as Aleita comes back from vacation.  Bob described how one on one talks with students are very effective.  The 2nd and 4th Fridays the team meets in one of the 2 high schools for about one hour in each.  Opt Out forms will also go to freshman students this year.

                        --Expand to Philomath  --  Bob Sonn and Rebecca were excited about doing something last spring but have done nothing so far.  The opt-out form needs to be in the student packet in August.     Rebecca is in Europe right now.  An appointment with the principal ASAP should be made very soon.  Bob Winget (Philomath resident) will call Bob Sonn about getting this going.

                        --Depleted Uranium/Cluster Bombs—Dianne

                                    *State legislation for funding the more expensive of the two DU tests.—The cost is about $1,200 per DU test.  The Urine Analysis DU test costs $200 but must be done within 2 weeks of exposure.    We should press our legislators to make the use of DU and cluster bombs a war crime.  Put testing on the agenda of the Governor’s Task Force for Veterans.  The Commission is completing its work.   Recommendations will be converted to legislation. 

                        --PTSD—Don Anderson (not present).

                                    *Public educational forum  LBCC is interested in  doing a large forum on PTSD.  Doug Clark and Bob Ross represent the Institute for Peace and Justice which is a member of the new Coalition. 

                        --Homeless shelter for non-abstinent homeless—Jim Spain-- Fraternity near the Methodist church parking lot on 13th and Monroe is being looked into.   One of the former shelter residents, Richard aka “Cave Man” went through rehab and has been sober for about a year.  Another example of another success story is another former client who dried up enough to get into Community Outreach.

                        --Veterans’ Affairs—Bart Bolger -- Don Johnson—Is our County Veterans  Affairs Officer—758-1595— He is part of the State VA Program.  His office is across the street from the Obama site on 4th Street.

                        --Resistance—Rebecca (not present).

                                    *GI Rights Hotline cards –Leah has not received the Hotlines cards she was expecting on download  from their website. Therefore Leah has made a business card and has put a variety of vet help hotline phone numbers on it.  Leah will make them for any of us that want them.

                        --Membership/Community Outreach—John Gaylord (not present)

                                    *Social event—Considering one in the fall that all the members of the Coalition would be invited to.

           

V.  Wrap-up 8:25

 

 

Important Dates

 

Daily, 5:00 to 6:00 pm—Corvallis Peace Vigil, Benton County Courthouse

Fridays, 4:30 pm--Albany Peace Vigil, Linn County Courthouse

Mon, 25 Aug—7:00 pm, Next Chapter Meeting, Unitarian Fellowship

Wed, 30 Jul through Sun, 3 Aug—Benton County Fair Peace Booth

28 through 31 August—VFP National Convention, Minneapolis