District Leader's Comments

Thirteen people attended the meeting.

We now have bylaws and another slate of officers for the next 12 months.

Alice Noecker led the adoption process for the bylaws, which experienced modest modification at the meeting.

The officers for the next year are Robert Weir continuing as District Leader, Carol Higgins continuing as Treasurer, Peg Bozarth as Secretary, and Bobbi Jo Gamache, Lyn Sperry and Chuck Harmon as trustees. This slate of officers represents as equitably as possible both genders and the entire area of the 6th District.

Our first annual financial audit was successful.

Thanks to the committees that worked on these endeavors: Alice Noecker, Marilyn Eccles, Chuck Harmon, Carol Higgins, Bobbi Jo Gamache, Peg Bozarth, Carolyn Dixon and Karen Chadwick.

The Crawlspace Eviction FUNdraiser and Awareness Raiser was a great success. The DoP campaign and co-sponsor Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents to War both gained a profit of $1,172.32. The DoP campaign will use this money to continue awareness outreach projects throughout the 6th District. Thanks to Deb Killarney, Lynn Kinch and John Kinch for their organizing efforts, and to several others who volunteered at the event itself.

We had a nice representation of 12 members, all wearing DoP buttons, at the ISAAC dinner in Kalamazoo on May 5. This generated some discussion among people who had previously not been aware of the DoP campaign.

John Kinch led a robust discussion about upcoming events at which the DoP could have an information table. We also talked about walking in parades, carrying our new DoP banners. We are looking at a modest number of events throughout the 6th District this summer and fall, focusing on venues that draw large crowds in order to maximize volunteer time. I hope you are able to walk in the parades and help table at the following events:

Kalamazoo Memorial Day Parade May 26,

Kalamazoo Doo-Dah Parade June 7,

Kalamazoo Art on the Mall June 7,

Three Rivers Water Fest Parade June 20,

Kalamazoo Ethnic Diversity Festival July 12,

Kalamazoo Kings baseball games July 20 and August 17,

Dowagiac Fun Fest circa July 26,

St. Joseph County Latino Festival August 16,

South Haven Blueberry Festival date TBD,

Bangor Apple Fest in October.

DoP campaign members will be at the upcoming STAR Awards breakfast for volunteer groups on Thursday, May 1, at the Radisson in Kalamazoo. We are among the nominated volunteer groups. If you want to attend the breakfast, please reply to me, Bob Weir, at robtweir@aol.com. The cost is $10. The breakfast is 7:30 to 9:00.

The DoP Midwest Regional conference is in Schaumburg, IL, June 19-21. To register, go online at www.thepeacealliance.org. The local campaign will cover the cost of lodging in shared rooms.

Our next DoP meeting is Thursday, May 8, 6:30 p.m. at Skyridge Church of the Brethren, 394 S. Drake Road, Kalamazoo.