Department of Peace Minutes for January 13, 2011

Present: Neltja Brawer, John Coburn, Lowey Dickason, Carolyn Dixon, Marilyn Eccles, John Kinch, Janice Lakers, Michelle O'Nei ll ,Scott Spicer, Luana Van Dam.

1. The meeting was called to order at 6:37 pm.

2. Peace testimonials were given by attendees.

3. Scott Spicer spoke to the meeting's purpose: how do we re-energize our group? He asked the group to make suggestions.

John Coburn spoke of the necessity and difficulty of getting youth involved. Luana suggested using social e-media.

Janice suggested connecting with the statewide Moveable Peace group. Lowey Dickason spoke on the equally important

efforts of building a cultural of peace locally and opposing war and injustice on a national level.

Marilyn emphasized networking with other peace groups. John Kinch suggested that we act as a local department of peace

providing non violent alternatives to conflict in our community instead of continuing to lobby for establishing a US Department of Peace

which currently seems politically out of reach.

4. Scott asked us to do SWOT: Indentifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. How do these categories pertain to our organization?

5. We divided into four break out groups to generate some mission statements for our organization and then shared the results with each other.

The suggested mission statements will be posted on our list serve to get feedback from the general membership.

5. Scott spoke of internet strategies to promote the aims of our group. We could make our list serve publicly accessible as well as develop a Face book account.

Face book would be attractive for youth.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

John Kinch