top of page

VETERANS FOR PEACE, Chapter 23, MINUTES of meeting 7/21/2021

 

Present: Rev. James Swarts, Jeremiah Knowles, Marybeth Knowles, Bruce Pease, Roger Griswold, Bill Benet, Jack Spula

 

Treasurer's Report

  • 18 Paid members. Current balance $869.68. Payment to national for $125, new balance $744.68

  • National has received both the advertisement and payment for our advertisement for the convention.

  • Maybeth has been working with the national office and IRS to obtain an EIN number. This means we can file taxes as a non-profit organization. Marybeth also applied for NYS sales tax exemption as well. 

  • Marybeth received an email from international family members of David Dornford requesting banking information in order to make a donation. Marybeth will get information from the bank in order to send to them.

Chapter Contact Meeting Update

  • 15-20 people attended the meeting. Jules, from national, has been running an orderly meeting.

  • Chapters are reporting difficulty maintaining membership. 

  • First meeting of the National Book Club 

  • Armistice Committee has been meeting regularly and are hoping to have city mayors use armistice instead of Veterans Day.

  • Warriors Writers workshop

  • Gamers for Peace is a growing membership and a good way to recruit and retain Post 9/11 members.

  • The Convention and Business Meeting is coming up. The Business meeting is free to attend.

  • Early August Creech Airforce Base drone base. Annual protest with Code Pink and other organizations. September 26 - October 2nd. 

  • Code Pink is hosting a webinar on Resisting Drone Warfare tomorrow, July 22nd 2021. 

  • Let national know about our concern about the new “Soldier Hymn.”

  • Nick was with the NY City chapter and was involved with a drone protest. Nick and Bruce had previously built several model drones for protests.

  • There were several workshop suggestions and several had to be turned down. 

Poor Peoples Campaign

  • In person rally for voters rights in Washington DC. 100 people were arrested for civil disobedience. Moral Mondays Reverend Barber was one who had been arrested.  

  • Code Pink and MoveOn.org were also present.

  • Marybeth would like to try and get national more involved. 

  • Anything on the Convention Agenda for Poor Peoples Campaign? Unknown.

Old Business

  • Picnic: 

    • Chapter will pay for whatever supplies that the Fischer's purchase for us.

    • The picnic will take place on August 29th approximately around 2pm. 

    • Families are welcome. 

  •  Golden Rule Visit to Rochester

    • August 12th - 16th 2022.

    • Starting in September we will start working on events and hosting. 

    • Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace is also anxious to work with us as well. 

  • Deported Veterans Banner

  • David Dornford

    • His memorial will be Sunday August 1st at the Seneca Falls Elks Lodge.

    • Very casual memorial service, some food will be provided. 

    • Chapter 23 will be donating $100 towards his obituary. 

  • Chapter Newsletter

    • Creating a google drive folder with stored Newsletters inside that people can view and download themselves. 

  • Annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Vigil

    • August 5th, Thursday at 7:30pm. Be there by 7:15 to help set up. 

  • NYS Soldiers Hymn

    • It was sent to Jim by Bob Goldstein from Americans United

    • Do we as a chapter want to take action against this hymn? 

    • Motion to empower Jim and Lew to write a letter with Bob Goldstein to be distributed to local officials and public distribution we see fit. Motion passed.

  • Gamers for Peace

  • Good Trouble Vigil July 17th

    • Marybeth attended wearing her VFP T-Shirt. Approximately 50-70 people attended. 

    • The vigil was held in memory of John Lewis and in support of voters' right legislation.

    • John Lewis has a nephew that lives in Victor. John and Louis Slaughter were friends and John Lewis would visit Rochester on occasion.

  •  Stand with Daniel Hale

bottom of page