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Stirred to Action: W A M M 2004 Annual Meeting
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Anne Graham, W A M M
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What a fabulous time we had at the 22nd Annual Meeting on March 20, 2004! There was great food, moving music, books and baked goodies, an inspiring talk, and a productive business meeting. For those of you who could not come or would like words to remember the experience by, here is a wrap-up.
The gym at St. Joan of Arc Church was beautifully decorated with spring colors and blooms. Over a wonderful breakfast, people connected with each other, bought and donated books and baked goodies, signed up to volunteer for WAMM, donated by paying WAMM bills brought table to table by Nikki LaSorella, and bought raffle tickets and new WAMM signs. The raffle prizes were quilted and donated by Jane Regan and Theresa Walsh. There are two new WAMM signs, which are available for purchase. Jane Evershed also displayed one of her paintings, You Shall Not Have My Children for Your War, which can be seen online.
Highlights of the business meeting included an introduction of the staff and interns, stirring spoken word by Silas Girmay, presentation and approval of the 2004 budget, singing of the annual report by Phyllis Goldin (see her lyrics below), and approval of two bylaw changes. With some discussion, the name of the steering committee was changed to “board.” The second change added the new office of secretary and designated that no office is to be filled by paid staff. Also, new board members were elected: Shvonne Johnson, April Knutson, Betty McKenzie, and Ellie Skelton. Outgoing members were honored.
The musician originally asked to perform, Lisa Kane, was feeling ill and could not perform. Kimberly Brown and her crew stepped up to perform in her place, with beautiful songs of resistance and strength. We stood, clapped, sang, and danced to her music.
Vivian Jenkins Nelsen, who is working with W A M M through the Intercultural Action for Peace and Justice Project, spoke on her life and history as a peace and justice advocate. She spoke of how her childhood shaped her life as an activist and of her experiences meeting Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Theresa.
Stirred to action by Marie Braun, we left the meeting to rally and march in St. Paul to protest the continued occupation of Iraq, one year after the beginning of the war.
WAMM thanks everyone who made this a wonderful annual meeting: our volunteer members, Einstein Bagels, Bruegger’s Bagels, Valley Mills Bread Company, Breadsmith, Peace Coffee, the Eastside Food Co-op, Log Cabin Flowers, and all those named above. |
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2004 WAMM Annual Song
by Phyllis Goldin, W A M M
(Sung to the tune of “The Ash Grove”)
In yonder green valley
A garden is growing
Seeds W A M M is sowing
For harvesting peace
And loyal dissenters
From Marshall to Lake Street
Bridging divisions
With strong steady feet
W A M M ever linking
Nonviolent thinking
Helps diverse people
Create harmony
All cultures and races
Deserve the Earth’s graces
W A M M won’t stop short
Of equality
Paulette and Anne
Like Heather before them
Water the garden
So W A M M can grow on
With great dedication
To peace education
Interns and students
Keep coming along
Making connections
W A M M offers corrections
For dealing with poverty,
Racism, war
Killing is ruthless
Shortsighted and fruitless
Caring with action
Is what W A M M is for
A new day is breaking
The earth fairly quaking
W A M M holds compassion
Abundantly clear
With eye on the forest
And justice the chorus
Unswayed by the bushes
W A M M plants a new year.
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© 2004 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete May 2004 Index - click here
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