Alaska Peace Center web site is http://alaskapeace.org

Please click here to visit our new web site.

Friday Potluck; Peace Warriors Camilo Mejia and Kathy Kelly on DVD

This Friday, Sept.22, the Alaska Peace Center will
host a potluck (6pm) and DVD Presentations (7pm)of
Peace Warriors Camilo Mejia and Kathy Kelly who will
be coming to Fairbanks in person Oct.3 and 9th.

After serving 6 months in Iraq, Camilo's conscience
led him to refuse orders he believed to be illegal.
He was courtmartialed and served 9 months in the brig,
but continues to have the courage to speak out against
the war.

Kathy Kelly, humanitarian peace activist, is three
time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts
to smuggle medicine and toys to children in Iraq
during time of sanctions and war, and recently
returned from Lebanon where she witnessed the 34-day
war. All who have watched her DVD "In a Time of Siege"
have been terrifically inpired.

Peace and Justice Groups in Fairbanks, Alaska

Peace and Justice Groups in Fairbanks, Alaska

Alaska IMPACT Richard K. Heacock, Jr. ; 474-0700
Alaska IMPACT is an Interfaith Educational Legislative Network for Alaskans who care about Peace, Justice, and Creation. Publications include background papers on critical issues called PREPARE, current status of issues called UPDATE, and ACTION alerts. Membership is $20 per year and the annual meeting is one you won't want to miss.

Alaska Peace Center www.alaskapeace.org; 374-2822 The APC celebrated one year of operations on June 1, 2006. The APC promotes non-violent action at personal, local, and global levels and seeks to raise awareness of the roots of violence and means of practical peace-building. APC hosts a monthly potluck and evening program to share good food and real information with the community. The APC sponsors and hosts our local GI Rights Hotline; trained volunteer counselors provide information to (not advise) GIs about military discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, and other civil rights. The Peace Center is located at 507 Gaffney Road, and usually has open hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 8 pm. There is a lending library of books, video tapes, and DVDs—and a screen to watch them on—with two comfortable couches, tea, coffee, and like-minded friends.

Call to Action Alaska marjoriekc@yahoo.com; 455-7629
CTA Alaska is a chapter of the national organization, Call to Action, a 30-year-old network of some 25,000 persons, working for peace and justice at home, within the Catholic Church, and around the world.

Fairbanks Coalition for Peace and Justice www.fairbankspeace.org; 457-5578
The FCPJ is an “unorganized” anti-war group that came together after September Eleventh in response to the call for what seemed potentially unending global war. The FCPJ works to raise awareness issues of peace and justice with protests vigils, and other events that get the truth out. The FCPJ email list provides event announcements, pertinent news and opinion pieces, and action alerts (2-3 emails a week). We are especially focused on the War on Iraq, but are concerned with the many wars that our government is waging—on the environment, on civil liberties, on the poor, on (some) drugs, and more.

Grandmothers for Peace www.grandmothersforpeace.org Grandmothers for Peace International is composed of volunteers from all over the globe who share our philosophy of making the world a better place for this and future generations. Membership is open to all. We are grassroots activists and encourage others to become as actively involved as their health and time permit. Join our efforts to address the issues of violence and injustice that continue to plague our planet and the human family. The abolition of nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction remain a top priority. We believe it is imperative to foster in the next generation of world leaders the principles of non-violence and responsibility for their community and the world. We welcome the “stay at home” grandparents who care for and guide their grandchildren in these principles.

North Star Veterans for Peace (organizing committee)
Jeanne corvi@mosquitonet.com, 488-2906; Rob mulford.rob@gmail.com, 457-5578
Fairbanks area veterans and supporters have been organizing to open a chapter of the national organization of military veterans (www.veteransforpeace.org) working together for peace and justice through non-violence. They are dedicated to "the abolishment of war as an instrument of federal policy." The group intends to raise awareness of the costs of war through non-violent actions and educational efforts and by lending their support to efforts like the GI Rights Hotline and Positive Opportunities.

No Nukes North www.nonukesnorth.net; (281) 559-1958
NNN promotes educated opposition to missile defense in Alaska and encourages local peace activities. Stacey Fritz, founder and coordinator of NNN, will be away from Fairbanks for the next few years and the group is in a sort of dormancy. The email list is quiet but provides occasional, highly informative, and (often, somehow) even funny updates on provocative boondoggling in space.

Positive Opportunities posopps@yahoo.com; 479-0981
Parents and other community members concerned about military recruitment in our schools are working to lessen or at least bring balance to the access afforded recruiters and their propaganda. In addition to highlighting the issue of truth in recruiting, Positive Opportunities is a resource for how to find out about the many positive, patriotic, productive, profitable, and peaceful opportunities available to young people.

Fundraiser Dance and Auction August 19

There will be a contradance and auction fundraiser for the Alaska Peace Center dance on Saturday, August 19th with live and lively music by
Frostfire and calling by Lynn Bashamy.  There will also be food, auction items, fascinating conversation and information on the groups that are connected with APC.
Place:  Pioneer Park Dance Hall.  8 pm. The suggested donation is $10.00.
 For more information, or if you have auction items to donate, contact Barbara at 457-8957 or bbraley@acsalaska.net

Alaska Peace Center Fair Booth

 The Alaska Peace Center has a booth at the Tanana Valley Fair Friday, August 4th, through
Saturday, August 12th (2006).  It is in the Borealis Pavilion, near the north end and
coincidentally directly across the aisle from some recruiters.
One of the main emphases at the booth is Positive Opportunities: Alternatives to Enlistment,
and Truth in Recruiting (posopps@yahoo.com: see entry from last winter).  Other groups represented at
the booth are Alaska Impact, Veterans for Peace, No Nukes North, Fairbanks Coalition for Peace and
Justice, Grandmothers for Peace, GI Rights Hotline, and voter registration and information.
We have videos/DVDs going, a comfortable setup, and plenty of information. 

April's Potluck

Hello again, This April we will be addressing an important issue of environmental justice with our monthly potluck and program. On Friday April 28 Abel Bult-Ito will be giving a presentation on depleted uranium.
The potluck will begin at 6:00pm and be followed by the presentation.
I really enjoying seeing you at these monthly gatherings. Thank you so much for making them such a big success.

Safia

Peace Vigil in March - Update

Hello peace folk, I want to belatedly let you all know how meaningful the March 19 vigil was. Thank you all for helping to remember the beginning of this multiyear tragedy in Iraq. In a real way we were part of an international communtiy all standing for peace on that night...may we continue to be so.

Here are a few pictures David Koester took at the event.