Veterans for Peace

VETERANS FOR PEACE, CORVALLIS

Minutes—26 January 2009

 

I.  Present:  Bart Bolger, Leah Bolger, Bryan Puckett, Don Anderson, Tracy Rupp, Tony Wright, William Orner, Jim Spain, David Meade, John Gaylord, Bob Winget, Bob Stebbins, Joe Magner, Karen Winget, Benji Lewis, Tina Empol, Del Shirley and Rebecca Michelson.

II. Administration

            *Treasurers Report—$1,020 in the checking account.

                        Bart Moved to renew Blue Pages ad.  Motion 2nded and then tabled.

                        Don Anderson will check cost of advertising in phone book.

            *Website Update (Bob & Bart) They cleaned up VFPCorvallis.org.  Send input to Bart.

            *Dues/Contact Info—Latest list—send dues if so indicated.

            *Israel Postcards—Leah will mail them.

            *Officers— elected:

 Bob Stebbins – president  (  stebbinr@peak.org  )

Bart Bolger--vice-president/treasurer

Del Shirley—secretary (maintains position)

                        Rebecca—PR (a new position)                                                                                       

III. Actions/events status and debrief

            *Bring the Guard Home Campaign (www.bringtheguardhome.org)

                        Oregon update

January 21 – Salem press conference with good media coverage, although the Oregonian did a non-favorable editorial.  Rebuttal will be printed soon.

Currently known as LC1122—will get official bill number soon.  We want our reps and senators to co-sponsor.  Call Andy Olson, Sara Gelser and Frank Morse and ask them to sign on to the green sheet located in Rep Shields’ office.

Monday 16 Mar is lobby day for Bring the Guard Home legislation.

                        National/DC trip update

National campaign press conference filmed by Bill Moyer’s Journal & reported on by stars & Stripes.

Schrader & Merkley are in support.  Visited all 7 Oregon Congressional offices to explain the campaign.  Leah has a sense that legislators are much more open with the new administration & she was not hassled by the police.

Our state is the 5^th or 6^th to introduce legislation.  Campaign is now active in 19 states.  Leah is one of the national coordinators so refer people from out of state to her and she will contact them—also contact them for VFP.

 

            *Second Saturdays (BTGH) See below Feb. 14

 

            *Letter writing event—Soldiers of Conscience

Writing Event—30 writers showed up   Wrote to Gov and those in jail, and looked at Soldiers of Conscience video.

 

            *Homeless shelter staffing—VFP national website.

 We staffed the Homeless Shelter for one week. (see Action Report, below)

            *Community Christmas parade

            *Visit to Chapter 141

Bandon Chapter hosted Leah.  Small chapters have the same problems of membership and money that we do.  One common effort can be LC 1122.

            *Board meeting debrief

                       

IV. Future actions/events

            *Oregon Peace Works Peace Summit—Feb 7

OPW Peace Summit is a one day thing for $10 which includes lunch.  A great way to meet other peace activists on Feb 7.  You can register on-line.  http://www.oregonpeaceworks.org/site/index.php

 

            *Salem rally/lobby day planning—Benji Lewis will be our representative for this planning.

 

            *Iraq War 6^th anniversary planning

Friday March 20   LoErna Simpson is coordinating for Corvallis.  Bob Stebbins will call LoErna--Rebecca and Don are interested in planning. 

 

            *VFP NW Regional Conference—6-8 March, Seattle

This is a good opportunity to meet other VFP members.  Bob Stebbins, Don Anderson,  Rebecca, Leah, Benji, Bill, and Tony are interested in going.

* WPJC Report

-Planning an event to coincide with the International Day of Peace, Sep 21^st.  Create a “Peace Award” for deserving member of community.  Have poetry/essay/art contest for children and youth.

-PTSD Forum-- Doug Clark, Judy Ross and Don Anderson will plan. 

-Brian Newberg planning on doing a theater production on a peace theme at LBCC next fall.

-Peace Studies Program at LBCC on peace & justice.  They are thinking of how to limit military to special events or places, not in the halls.  They want  to instittutionalize peace.

-Friends of Middle East Peace meet on 3^rd Sunday

-Feb 6 is Palestinian Cultural Night (see below)

-Member of Albany Peace Seekers have an art exhibit at LBCC.

-Anna Anderson—peace on earth club raised $300 for “invisible children”

-Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia—Contact Aleita Hass-Holcombe if interested.

-WITO—Iraqi family relocated to Detroit from Corvallis—not working out and want to return.

-International Amnesty letter writers on 2^nd Sunday at FUMC.

 

            *Action Team reports

                        --Counter-Military Recruitment—John Griffiths, Bob Stebbins

·      Truth In Recruitment is name which is becoming more used because it is more accurate description of what is being done. 

·      Bart called principal at Philomath because he was not getting results from conversations with a teacher’s aide.  He will include Aleita H-H and a concerned parent in meeting on 1/24.

·       Future emphasis will be on “truth in recruitment” and alternatives to military.  We say war is not the answer but we do not say what the alternatives are. 

 

 ‘Peace Please’ stickers were handed out.

 

                        --Depleted Uranium/Cluster Bombs—Dianne

                                    *National signed on to letter from FNCL re cluster bombs and mines

                                    *Petition from CA VFP chapter

                                    *Cluster Bombs legislation:  S.594 (Wyden), HR1755 (Blumenauer)

* Depleted uranium, cluster bombs, and white phosphorus are being used by Israelis in Gaza 

*We discussed the need for new legislation—send letters to legislators. And we should be adding anti--personnel mines.

*Friends Committee on National Legislation and VFP are supporting national legislation opposing uses of these materials.

*Tina will draft letter for Bob S. signature urging Oregon legislators to pursue federal legislation banning the use of DU, cluster bombs, and anti-personnel mines.

--Chapter Coordination--Leah

*Leah is working to coordinate VFP chapters with petitions in a national campaign rather than each chapter doing their own thing.

 

                        --PTSD—Don A.

                                    *Second forum with IPJ and APS (see more above under WPJC Report.)

                        --Homelessness—Jim

*Men’s Shelter is becoming overcrowded.  Neighbor resistance has settled down primarily through positive efforts of one of the neighbors who brings food, Money was donated for a Christmas party.

*Homeless shelter has been overwhelmed in recent days.

*The shelter could use a health person to drop in regularly or be on call.  Wounds need dressing.  Some men split their daily meds with those who are out.

*The current facility has no place to store extra clothing. 

* The Homeless Coalition is looking to lease property from First Christian Church on Madison.St. 

 

                        --Veterans’ Affairs—Bart

*Governor’s Task Force has just about completed its work.   No Oregon base so difficult to do things.  Current news will be posted on the website.

 

                        --Resistance—Rebecca

                                    *Canadian deportations, national letters

*See   www.couragetoresist.org

*Benji is joining CTR

                        --Membership/Community Outreach—John Gaylord

* Community service day to plant indigenous plants which are essential for a butterfly species at Finley Wildlife refuge.  Good opportunity for VFP to get involved with community effort.

--Benji Lewis  talked about his becoming president of IVAW chapter in Portland.

V.  Wrap-up 9:15 pm

Next meeting is the 4^th Monday, 23 February 2009 at the Unitarian Universalist Church.

 

Important Dates

 

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

Sun 1 Feb—4:00 to 5:30 pm—Presentation on lives of immigrants.  David Bacon, photojournalist, Library

Fri. 6 Feb—5:00 to 7:00 pm—Palestinian Cultural Night, Multi-Cultural Literacy Center  (9^th & Monroe)

Sat. 7 Feb. 9:00 am—Oregon State Legislature Town Hall. (Gelser, Olson, Morse).  Library

Sat 7 Feb—Oregon Peace Summit, Salem

Mon. 9 Feb—7:00pm Amnesty International Letter Writers, Martha Room, FUMC*

Sat. 14 Feb—6:00 pm , Second Saturday Concert (MECA—Middle East Children’s Alliance), Sunnyside Up.

Sun. 15 Feb---FoMEP film, “Occupation 101” Martha Room FUMC

6-8 March—VFP NW Regional Convention, Seattle

Sun. 15 Mar—End the Wars at Home and Abroad rally, Salem

Mon, 16 Mar—Keep Oregon’s Guard in Oregon Lobby Day, Salem

13-14 Jun—Festival of Hope, fundraiser for Albany social service agencies, LBCC

 

*FUMC—First United Methodist Church, 11^th & Monroe.