Farmer's Market 10/11/14

I pedaled up to the Saturday Farmer's Market at a leisurely 9:44 am and set up under the old magnolia tree.  Perfect weather, good traffic and an anti fracking parade!  What a kick!  Sold a few books; got

some great encouragement and conversations that had me feeling like the movement to more peace and justice is building.  It was a good day!

Chico Peace & Justice Annual Dinner 2014

The Peace Movement was alive and well last night at the Chico Peace & Justice Annual Dinner!  We packed the place!  Thanks to many volunteers a good meal and a great time was had by all.  We honored Michael Pike and Steven and Susan Tchudi.  Sue Hildebrand was an inspiring "mistress" of ceremonies.  We got inspired by Kristian Davis Bailey, a recent Stanford grad who connected the dots between Gaza and Ferguson.  Mini Peace Panels were on display and new large Peace Panels were unveiled.  The new Censored 2015 sold out!  It was a good showing for peace, justice and environmental stewardship.

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Peace Panel Project's
Career Builders at Fair View High School’s “Night Out”

It was a rocking time.  Wet sponge toss at teachers; Plunkit (a carnival type game); bean bag toss; pizza; cake; cookies; music; Career Builders counter recruitment and the U.S. Army military recruiter.  I was so glad to be there to offer alternatives to the students and parents.  I just had just one easel up with Career Builders on the front and “Doubt is Creative” on one side and Project Censored on the other.  Our six foot table was full of brochures of alternative programs; counter recruitment brochures, flyers and cookies!  Students would come up and ask for a cookie and I would say they will cost you picking up two brochures; reading them and telling your friends about what you read.  It was a deal.  We got lots of takers.  As the evening wore on a sad mom came up to check out our table.  I asked her if she knew anyone who was thinking about joining the military.  She said yes, her son.  I showed her some of our alternative programs and a Career Builders brochure and her face lit up!  She was thrilled to get the info and thanked me profusely.  I knew I was doing some good!  It was a rockin’ good night.   

The Petaluma Progressive Festival 2014

If you haven't checked out the Petaluma Progressive Fest you are in for a treat!  It was a great group of people; great entertainment; a lot of cool booths about every activist cause; the weather was great and the food was good; big trees all around.  I got to meet Peter Phillips of Project Censored and was serenaded by Maria Muldaur and her band and the gang was brought to their feet by the encouraging and clever words of Jim Hightower.  And I sold out of Better World Shopping Guides by 2 pm!  A woman came up to me and described the Peace Panels as songs.  She was grateful for the Peace Panels.  This is an event not to be missed the next time it comes around.
www.progressivefestival.org

Smallest Exhibit yet

Last Saturday, was the last Saturday of Chico Tree Advocates' Community Grant Fundraising campaign for this year.  I was a little slow off the blocks that morning, since I had just got back from the Peace Panel Project Fall 2014 Valley Tour.  So it was my smallest exhibit yet, just one easel, one large Peace Panel, a card table and a few books.  Small is good.  It seemed as many people as ever stopped by to say hi or see what was going on.

Modesto - Stockton Exhibit and Speaking Fall Tour 2014: Why is the US 23rd in Freedom of the Press?

Goals got accomplished this week!  I was able to set up, schedule, and complete an exhibit and speaking tour (Why is the US 23rd in Freedom of the Press?) in Modesto and Stockton, that resulted in many new volunteer sign ups for the peace group in each of those towns.   Last Tuesday I addressed a group at the Church of the Brethren, in Modesto.  After which I received a warm applause and some interested questions and some brisk book sales.  The next day John Lucas and I got a good response from the students and faculty that stopped by the Peace Panel exhibit at the Modesto Junior College Quad, in front of the cafeteria.  There turned out to be a Career Fair that day so we were happy to show off our Career Builders programs.  The Modesto Peace/Life Center had a volunteer doing outreach at Modesto High School so I provided him with a handful of our Career Builder brochures that he put to good use.

The next day I was in Stockton at the First Unitarian Church and participated in their simple meal and short readings and sing along and then was the featured speaker at that gathering. Then the next day Christie Kelley of the Peace & Justice Network joined me tabling at Delta College.

Four successful events in coordination with the local peace groups in as many days. It felt so good we all resolved to do it again in the spring.