VETERANS FOR PEACE, CORVALLIS
Agenda—24 November 2008


I. Introductions—Attendees: Bob Winget, Karen Winget, Rebecca Michelson, John Gaylord, Bart Bolger, Leah Bolger, George Hutchinson, Joe Magner, and new member David Meade.

II. Administration
*Treasurers Report--$1063 total, $340 available
*Website—Phil’s move—Phil Scott (our webmaster) is moving to Vancouver, WA. Bob W. and Bart will take over website duties.
*Media Management Service—VFP National is trying to provide something they are calling a Media Management Service (MMS). MMS will involve the National Office identifying and prioritizing issues and actions and providing materials to support the chapters in bringing them to the attention of their communities. It will also involve drawing on the resources and activities of the chapters to provide materials for nation-wide dissemination. They are looking for stories of local character with strong elements of national policy implication.

III. Actions/events status and debrief
*Keep the Guard Home Campaign (http://www.pjw.info/troopshomecampaign.html)
--Please continue to gather petition signatures and survey your state representatives and senators. The organizers in Portland have established a cut-off date of Dec 15th, so that they can get them all entered into the data base.
--If you know someone who lives in the more rural parts of Oregon, please contact them and try to get them involved with the above.
--New VFP member Benji Lewis is planning four separate outreach events at local nightclubs. The intent is to identify vets, especially Guard members, educate them on the BTGH campaign, and possibly recruit them for VFP or IVAW. Benji has started an IVAW chapter in Oregon.
--On January 21st, we will have a press conference in the Press Room of the Salem capitol building at which we will present the thousands of petition signatures and introduce the campaign to the public. On the same day, there will be a similar press conference in Washington DC at the National Press Club about the national campaign.
--On March 15th, there will be a large anti-war, pro-peace rally/protest in Salem.
--On March 16th, there will be a smaller, focused rally about the BTGH campaign, followed by lobby visits to our state senators and representatives.
*Second Saturday (Josh Hough)—This was the most successful Second Saturday event ever, bringing in almost double the funds of our previous best effort. Josh will be able to return soon to Palestine/Israel to continue his work with the Christian Peacemaker Team.
*Veterans’ Day Parade—We had a good turnout for the parade despite the not-so-great weather. Thanks especially to Hank and Jim for making the drive up from Eugene to be with us. Just as last year, the announcer failed to read the entire description of our organization (which I had submitted with the application), so I pulled out the bullhorn and finished reading it for him. This seemed to cause a good bit of consternation amongst the organizers. Someone from our group heard someone from their group say “This is the last year we’re letting them in our parade.” We’ll see what happens next year ?
*Kathy Kelly visit—The evening event was very well attended, and Kathy spoke to 4 high school classes the next day.
*PTSD presentation—Albany Peace Seekers and the LBCC Institute for Peace and Justice (IPJ) recently organized a presentation on PTSD called “The Invisible Wounds of War.” It was very well attended with over 70 in the audience. APS and IPJ would like to have another forum on PTSD in partnership with VFP. Don Anderson, if you are up to it, I would like to ask you to be our representative, working with Judy Ross and Doug Clark.

IV. Future actions/events
*Corvallis Community Christmas Parade (28 Nov)—I hope to see many of you there—form up at 6:30 on Washington Street between 5th and 6th. We are entry #20. Dress warmly and bring any battery-powered lights you have.
*Soldiers of Conscience event—Bart has ordered the DVD and we will organize a public showing when it arrives.
*Action Team reports
--Counter-Military Recruitment—John Griffiths, Bob
*Expand to Philomath (Bob W. Bob S. Rebecca, Bart)—Rebecca and Bart continue to work this. Benji Lewis has been doing some work at LBCC.
--Depleted Uranium/Cluster Bombs—Dianne
*Hanford Bus trip—George—George reported on his trip with two other VFP members from Eugene: Jack Dresser and Gordon Sturrock. They took Jack and Gordon’s bio-diesel powered bus, and all three testified at public hearings. More detailed information was disseminated separately. Gordon donated several “Support the Troops, Bring them Home” signs as well as other information, stickers, etc. to us.
*Cluster Bombs legislation: S.594 (Wyden), HR1755 (Blumenauer)—There are currently two bills in Congress about cluster bombs: S.594 (only Wyden has co-sponsored) and HR 1755 (only Blumenauer has co-sponsored). Although this legislation will have to be reintroduced with a new bill number for the next Congress, we can be writing to our Oregon delegation now, and ask them to take the lead on this issue. Hopefully Kurt Schrader and Jeff Merkely will be more pro-active. Keep the heat on!
--PTSD—Don A.—see above
*Jan forum w/APS and IPJ
--Homelessness—Jim—VFP’s week to staff the Homeless Shelter is Sunday, 7 December through Saturday 13 December. We still need volunteers to take the sleep-over shift (11:00 to 7:00) on the 7th, 8th, 10th, and 11th, and one person for the 6:45 to 11:00 shift on the 13th.
--Veterans’ Affairs—Bart
--Resistance—Rebecca—Rebecca gave a recap on all the soldiers who are working with Courage to Resist. You can find lots of information about all of them, plus addresses where you can write at: www.couragetoresist.org. We plan to have a letter writing event soon.
*Tony Anderson—Tony is the latest prisoner of conscience. He was given a 14 month sentence for refusal to deploy. His request for CO status was denied. The group filled out a few postcards to send to him.
--Membership/Community Outreach—John Gaylord

The group consensus was to skip our monthly meeting in December, so our next regular business meeting will be Monday, 26 January 2009. We decided to have a social-type event where we would write cards to war resisters. Since our meeting, I have spoken with the Raging Grannies, who were planning to do something similar and write cards to our governor about the Guard. We agreed to have one big get-together and everyone can write to both. Since this could be a pretty big group, I suggest that we hold it at the UU, the Odd Fellows, or another church. Would anyone like to take the lead on this project?

V. Wrap-up
Bob W. announced two vocal concerts:
Dec 6th, 7:00 pm, First United Methodist Church, the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus (100 performers!)
Dec 14th, 4:30 pm, Unitarian Fellowship, Confluence
Contact Bob to purchase tickets or for more information.

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
Friday, 28 November—7:00 pm, Corvallis Holiday Parade—Washington Street line-up at 6:30
Through November—Gifts for a Better World Bazaar, First Congregational United Church of Christ
Sunday, 7 December, 3:00 to 4:30 pm—“Israel-Palestine: What the Media Leave Out” First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe
7 through 13 December (Sun through Sat)—VFP staffing of homeless shelter
Mon, 26 Jan, 7:00 pm—Next monthly VFP chapter meeting