[Freefromwar] WILPF Nanaimo September Minutes and Announcements

[DYANE BROWN]

WILPF Nanaimo Minutes – September 16 th , 2024 

Harbour Front Library in the medium room 



Eywayel - good day - ( icequail)(I-skweyul) 



Land acknowledgement: We would like to express our appreciation for being able to meet on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. May we always look for ways to confront past injustices and to support Snuneymuxw governance and jurisdiction. 



Present: Cathy McKenzie, Donna Birkinshaw, Dyane Brown, Rosie Rivera and Theresa Hood 


Treasurer ’ s Report: Opening Balance May, 2024: $1560.31, Expenses: Lantern Ceremony $281.76 for lights and sound. Bank fees $9.50 ( includes printed statements). Balance August 31 st : $1210.64 with $31.50 petty cash. 

Library is booked for October. 21, Nov 18 and Dec 9. 


Reports: 

• South End community picnic. It was a great community event and they thanked us for our donation (Rosie). Note that it is always the third Saturday in June. 

• Lisa Marie Young March. Catharine participated and also made some connections. 



Old Business, 
1. Yes to Peace, No To NATO: July 6 th We set up on the waterfront with signs and a table with information, handed out leaflets for our Lantern ceremony. Positive response. 



2. Palestinian Encampment: longest lasting one in Canada. Saturday marches continue with start time at 2.45 at Comox and Terminal. 



3. Lantern Ceremony report: Many thanks to all those who helped out!!!!! Harp ensemble magical, good speeches. electric candles brilliant. Setting up on the wall does not work with the wind. We discussed options including taking to the water in groups of four and getting a younger person to assemble them for launching. We will have a workshop next July to repair bases and lanterns and have a small gathering to test them out. We will get some double sided tape or Velcro tape for attaching candle holders to the bases. Next year our introduction to include an acknowledgement that we are following a Japanese tradition of launching lanterns on the water. 

We will have a list of tasks next time and have people assigned for each one of the following: 

Promotion, lantern set-up, procession to the water and back, Sound equipment, banner and table display, garbage and beach clean-up, applying for proclamation, media and guest invites, booking the space (if necessary) and getting key to drive in with supplies, take down - nice to have someone to direct what goes where, greeter for speakers and musicians. rides and heavy lifting (Neal said harps didn ’ t want help or brought their own help. Ben ’ s canoe, we offered but he brought a friend, sound equipment was heavy. 

We received a letter from the city and a form to fill out for booking the space in the future. Theresa and Dyane will have a conversation with them about if we have to book. Next year August 6 th will be on a Wednesday. 

New Business: 

1. International Day of Peace September 21 st : “ Friends of Peace” is a coalition of groups locally like the Vancouver Island Peace society and church groups and will hold an event at Maffeo Sutton Park on September 21 st from 1-4 with tents, tables, music, signs, story telling, etc. Dyane will email organizer Patricia Zogar a copy of the petition being circulated by Voice of Women for Peace asking Canada to sign the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons.( to be presented in Parliament in mid October) Theresa and Catherine attended meetings to plan and offered input. The decision was made that WILPF would set up at 12.30 at Swy-a-Lana Lagoon and stay til 2 pm We will have our our bannrs, signs, leaflets, the Little Peace Museum, and our star lantern. We will try to get a new WILPF leaflet together for next year. We will hand out candles wrapped in blue for peace with a little note on each. We prepared these at our meeting. 



2. Reconciliation . Day: September 30 th . We will put our offerings on the wall opposite the Vault downtown at 11 am on Sunday the 29 th sending a letter of invitation to friends and allies to add something meaningful of their own. We have five red dresses, flowers, two large orange sheets, signs ( land back), art and poetry from other years and will have blank poster board for people to leave messages. 



Announcements: 

• Sunday September 29 th at 3 pm Concert with David Rovics and Bob Bossin, a fundraiser for Gaza at the Unitarian Fellowship Hall, 595 Townsite Rd. Advance tickets ($20) can be purchased through an e transfer to [ mailto:knhiebert at shaw.ca | knhiebert at shaw.ca ] or take your chances at the door. 

• October 1 st . Council of Canadians are marking the Seniors for Climate Action Day by having a rocking chair rally in front of MLA Sheila Malcolmson ’ s office from 1 pm to 3 pm. Bring any kind of chair, a sign, photo of grandchildren, cup of tea or something to share. Sheila will be invited to sit in a rocking chair that has nursed two generations of babies and join a conversation about climate change. 

• October 3 rd : Sisters In Spirit Ceremony Indigenous led, open invitation from 10-12 in the Royal Arbutus Room above the cafeteria (building 300) at Vancouver Island University. Wear red in support. 

• October 22:book launch Dr Georgina Martin, “ Drumming Our way Home” 4.30-6.30 Malaspina Theatre (bldg 310) at Vancouver Island University 





Adjournment: 11:50am Hoyowehl goodbye ( hi a wesh) 



Next Meetings: October 21 st and November 18 th in the medium room upstairs at Harbour Front Library 
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