Present: Peter, Ellyn, Glenda Rae, Lois, Wanda
Old business
1. Approval of Minutes for August 27: The minutes were approved as corrected. Wanda pointed out that Glenda Rae had read "How to kill a city" and she had read "Educated."
2. Progress Reports:
a. Topic of the Month: We had not picked a topic last month. The possibilities were the issue of military recruitment in the local schools, U.S. involvement in Yemen by selling arms to Saudi Arabia, or the military budget. Lois is going to contact teachers we know to find out how problematic recruitment is. We felt that we should wait until after the elections to start another topic. Ellyn wondered if recruitment might be hard to research given our inability to have access to the schools. She thought that the Yemen conflict would have a lot more accessible information. Code Pink has taken this on as a major emphasis.
b. International Day of Prayer for Peace: This was Friday, September 21. The URC organized a gathering by the MLK-Fr. Hesburgh statue in Leighton plaza from noon to 12:30 that day. The program was very impressive although only 15 people attended. Perhaps the URC can put this day on their annual calendar so there is time to get out more publicity. The pastor of the First Baptist Church led the service and several other religion representatives offered prayers. Lois had hoped that school children would draw pictures and put them around the statue, but there was not time to organize this.
c. Book of the Month report: No one had any books to report, but Ellyn talked about the Doctors of the World exhibit she visited in Chicago the week before. This involved guided tours of stations showing their work in refugee camps. The exhibit will move to Indianapolis this week if anyone wants to drive down to see it.
d. Immigration Coalition Report: There has been no activity this month. The next meeting is on October 10 at 10:30am. At 11am the coalition will plan the program for Human Rights day. We wondered if there was a better venue than the library auditorium for the Human Rights Day program. The number of folks attending is shrinking every year. One way to get more attendees is to have children as part of the program. Their parents and relatives would attend.
3. Treasurer's Report: $124.52 with $30 in petty cash.
New Business
1. What do we (can we) do next? We incorporated this topic into other discussion
2. Topic of the Month: See above.
3. Indigenous Peoples Day: Also known as Columbus Day on October 8. We will have appropriate signs at our weekly vigil.
4. Armistice Day: Also known as Veterans Day on November 12. We will have appropriate signs at our weekly vigil.
5. FCNL training: Peter handed out a flier re forming a local Advocacy Team with training on October 20, 9-noon. Folks were interested in the FCNL training, but no one was willing to commit. There are so many things happening on the 20th including the annual meeting of CPNV. Peter encouraged them to register. Lois was going to take some fliers to Prince of Peace, but she was not very hopeful. She is the only member who is willing to take action. We also thought Roz should notify the Faith in Indiana folks.
3. Other Topics and Issues: On October 5 there will be the Hazel B Hunter NAACP dinner. On October 19 at 3pm on the courthouse steps downtown South Bend, the Nuns on the Bus group will hold a Truth Tour Rally. All are invited.
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4. Next meeting: Monday, November 12, at 2:30pm at Lois' assisted living center. We will send the directions in the meeting announcement.