Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

     Wednesday, June 14th we celebrate National Flag Day, an anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777. First celebrated in 1885, the observance of "Flag Birthday" a.k.a National Flag Day was signed into action by President Truman on August 3rd, 1949, but is still not an official federal holiday. 
Some suggested ways to celebrate Flag Day include flying a flag at your home or business, attending local flag day celebrations sponsored by the VFW or the American Legion, or celebrating with a cook-out or bbq. This year you may choose to think outside the box. Sometimes, the best way to be patriotic and channel the ideals of the Founding Generation is to resist.


HAPPENING TODAY SUNDAY JUNE 11TH, 2017

Regular Putney Huddle Meeting with guest speaker, Cynthia Stoddard
Sunday, June 11th, 2017 at the Putney Public Library (55 Main St, Putney, VT 05346).1:30pm-3:30pm. 
All are welcome. RSVP here or via email [email protected].


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HAPPENING THIS WEEK MONDAY JUNE 12TH, 2017-SUNDAY JUNE 18TH, 2017

Lost River/BLM VT-South Organizing Meeting
Monday, June 12th, 2017 at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio for the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). First Floor. 6pm-8pm.

Fragrance and nut-free space, please! 
For childcare contact [email protected]


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Tuesday, June 13th, 2017 at Elliot Street Fish, Chips, and More! (50 Elliot St, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 
5pm-8pm.
supported by the Lost River Racial Justice's Fundraising Working Group
Come on out to support The Root Social Justice Center on Tuesday June 13th from 5-8pm at Elliot Street Fish, Chips & More!
Eat in or take out! 
50% of sales go to The Root!
Funds raised from the evening will go to support The Root Social Justice Center, a local community organization that provides a physically and financially accessible space in Southern VT for social justice groups to meet AND is a hub for racial justice organizing. The Root prioritizes People Of Color leadership and shifting resources to People of Color-led racial justice work. 
For more information, check out: www.therootsjc.org


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Southern Vermont Pride Weekend 
Thursday, June 15th, 2017- Saturday, June 17th, 2017.
Times and Locations Vary. Please go here. for ticket information. 
Join Green Mountain Crossroads, Vermont Performance Lab, Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and Cineslam June 15-17 for another fabulous Southern Vermont Pride Weekend! 
Events include:
•The opening of GMC's Andrew's Inn Oral History Project - Opening Reception | June 15 6-7PM & open gallery June 16 5-7PM | at Next Stage Arts in Putney, VT | Learn about and celebrate the history of Andrew's Inn, an LGBT disco and community space that was in Bellows Falls, VT during the 1970s and 80s.  Experience stories of those who were there in their own words via printed and audio selections from 30+ hours of interviews conducted in 2015 and 2016 as well as present-day portraits by photographer Evie Lovett.
•Vermont Performance Lab artist Ain Gordon's Radicals in Miniature - June 15 & 16 at Next Stage Arts  
•CineSlam Vermont's LGBTQ Short Film Festival - June 17 | at The Latchis Theater in Brattleboro
•Andrew's Inn Dance Party - June 17 | 9PM-Midnight at Popolo (the former Andrew's Inn!) | Get your tickets here! Shake it all off and celebrate Southern Vermont Pride at the site of the former Andrew's Inn!
This is a 21+ event | $15 in advance $17 at the door | space is limited to 125 people.
We are also looking for a few volunteers to help out that evening. If you're interested in working a shift in exchange for a ticket, email HB.

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Women's Action Team Monthly Meeting
Thursday, June 15th, 2017 at the Winston Prouty School (209 Austine Dr, Brattleboro, VT 05301). Top Floor of Holton Hall. Dinner (and wine!) available starting at 5:30pm. Event begins at 6pm. 

The Women’s Action Team is focusing this month's meeting on the Vermont Equal Rights Amendment. As many of you know, we came within a hair of the ERA passing in the 80s through the passionate, powerful work of many Vermonters. We'll start the meeting hearing their stories and insights from the last fight, and then start building a set of strategies for the work ahead. The meeting will start at 6pm on Thursday the 15th, with dinner (and wine) available starting at 5:30. Please join us on the top floor of Holton Hall, on the Prouty (formerly Austine) campus. 

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Protest Vigils at TD Bank
sponsored by Post Oil Solutions

Brattleboro
Friday, June 16, 2017 (and every Friday) in front of TD Bank Brattleboro (215 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301). Noon-1pm. Signs will be provided.

Bellows Falls
Friday, June 16 (and every Friday) in front of the TD Bank Bellows Falls (2 Church St, Bellows Falls, VT 05101). 1pm-2pm. Please bring your own signs.
TD is a major investor in Tar Sands. TD helps to fund the Dakota Access Pipeline. The State of Vermont Keeps Most of Our Cash in TD.
What You Can You Do (besides attending the vigils)?:
If you’re a TD depositor, change banks!
If you’re a Vermonter, demand that state funds not be deposited with a bank investing in fossil fuels.

Contact your state legislators to support the bills in the House & Senate calling for a commission to explore the possibility of a State Bank. 
Founded in 2005, Post Oil Solutions is a 501c3 community organizing project in Southeastern Vermont whose mission is to help empower the people of the Central Connecticut River Valley bioregion to develop sustainable, resilient , collaborative, and socially just communities leading to a self- and community-sufficient post petroleum society. For more information please contact [email protected] or 802.869.2141


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CYCLE THE RAIN! Lessons from the New Water Paradigm
Announcement for The Living Earth Action Group 
Friday, June 16th, 2017 at Westminster West Church (44 Church St Putney, VT 05346). 5pm-6:30pm. Free; $10. 
You need to have email and internet access for this program. 
Online donations can be made by credit card or Paypal.

Basic requirements for course:
Textbook: Water, Land and Climate-The Critical Connection
Purchase from Jan for $21.15 includes VT sales tax; checks made out to Lone Leaf Publishing, or cash
Village Square Booksellers has a few copies
Order online at www.bcbookstore.com

Leader: Jan Lambert
Voices of Water for Climate
P.O. Box 97
Claremont NH 03743
j[email protected]
603-826-5947  Home Office
603-477-9947  Cell
Website: www.vow4climate.org

Some of you attended the presentation on April 14 given by Michal Kravcik and me, and there was considerable interest engendered in the New Water Paradigm approach to how we manage the rain falling on human-altered landscapes:  farms, forests, and developed areas. Because of the high level of enthusiasm in your locale ( some folks have already constructed Kravcik-style check dams on their properties!) I am developing the first official course of study, beginning with the presentation June 16, to be followed by more in-depth monthly workshops every third Friday. This will be an interactive course for community movers and shakers who want to spread the word and the practices!
On June 16th Jan Lambert will present a free program on how we manage the rain falling on human-altered landscapes: farms, forests, and developed areas. She has developed a course of study beginning with the presentation June 16th, to be followed by more in-depth monthly workshops every third Friday. This will be an interactive course for community movers and shakers who want to spread the word and the practices!
The first program is free and will include a chance for you to purchase the required text if needed, and also to give me feedback on what you would like to learn more about in depth. These additional courses will stand alone, so you can pick and choose, once you have received the basics through the intro program. (If you can’t make it, talk to me about alternative readings I can assign you so you can learn the basics.) The definite schedule of such future programs will be made available to you after the first program, but the first ones will likely be on Michal’s check dam projects, rain gardens, and the like so you can take advantage of the information during the summer. Later, towards the cold season we can get more into the history, science, and philosophy behind the New Water Paradigm.
This is a first time ever, experimental class and I want to keep it as economical as possible for everyone. You need to know that Michal Kravcik spent 6 weeks in the US on his own time with no pay, and whatever efforts I make need to earn him some well-deserved income. ( He could not earn anything while on US soil.) For simplicity’s sake I will be asking for a suggested  donation of $10 per class, cash or checks made out to Voices of Water.


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Rights and Democracy Summer Kickoff Webinar
sponsored by The Putney Huddle
Friday, June 16th, 2017 at Huddle Member Laura Chapman’s home in Putney, VT. Address will be given upon reservation. 6:30pm-8:30pm.
This event is limited to ten guests so please RSVP ASAP either through the event page or email Laura @ [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/1692394231061885/?ti=cl
Vermont's own home grown grass roots organization is launching its Democracy Summer Town Hall statewide campaign with a kickoff event on Friday, June 16th, webcasting to house parties and events across the state!
Keynote speakers to include: 350.org founder and environmentalist Bill McKibben, Shannon Jackson, executive director of Our Revolution, Ali Dieng, a founding RAD board member and Burlington City Council candidate, and more.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

MoveOn.Org Summer Community Potluck and Putney Huddle Meeting
Sunday, June 25th, 2017 at the Putney Public Library (55 Main St, Putney, VT 05346). 11:30am. 
Join the Putney Huddle and fellow progressives at Putney Public Library at 11:30am for a Resistance Summer Community Potluck. The regular Putney Huddle Meeting, with Tammy McNamara with the Sister District update, guest speakers Jaime Contois leading a discussion on racial justice and guest speaker Isaac Grimm, Rights and Democracy lead organizer, will follow at 1pm. 
RSVP through event link or email Laura @ [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/231564957336648/?ti=cl

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Climate Change Café: A Community of Concerned Citizens
“Council on the Uncertain Human Future”
a project of Post Oil Solutions
Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 at the Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 6:00pm.
FREE. Light Refreshments Available

For further Information please call 802.869.2141 or email [email protected].
Now more than ever, there is an immense need to stop and listen to one another, to recognize our shared humanity, and to seek cooperative solutions to our collective challenges, especially climate change.
Council is an ancient practice that brings people together into a talking circle for candid and heartfelt conversation. Each person has a voice, speaks from the heart, and all the others listen. Council draws on the life experience and wisdom of all participants to generate new understandings of the problem and new possibilities for solutions. It fosters attentive listening and authentic expression, supporting a deep sense of community and recognition of our interconnectedness as it does so.
By using the Council to consider the full scope of the climate crisis, participants slow down and listen well, to both themselves and others. . Sitting in a circle with heart communication creates connection and acceptance; a more collective consciousness gradually develops. Fears, anger, guilt, despair and other feelings may be experienced, perhaps transformed; new levels of awareness, possibility, and agency may emerge.


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The Southern Vermont Dance Festival 
Thursday, July 13th, 2017 - Sunday, June 16th, 2017. 
Locations and times vary.
This year’s theme is Diversity and throughout all of the classes, the community events, and the gala performances you will see themes of our times. Resistance, free speech, diversity, equality and beyond will all be represented. SVDF is arranging a special Resistance/Social Justice Promenade on Saturday July 15th from 10am to 1pm.  Come to the River Garden and get your map to the acts.  Then at 1pm, come on down to the Latchis for a short performance on the Story of Harriet Tubman called "Sister Moses".  For more information on the community events, to take classes, and to get your tickets to the galas please go to www.southernvermontdancefestival.com 
Come to the One and Only Brattleboro as the streets come alive with Movement!

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SAVE THE DATE:

Local Love Brigade Gatherings
Thursday, July 6th at the Brooks Memorial Library & Sunday, August 13th, at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center
In the meantime, we'll keep sending out postcards to folks that need it. Here are the addresses from past week's incidents. Let's keep the love flowing.
(If you missed the great article in the Commons about the impact the Love Brigade is having, you can check it out here.)


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Racial Justice Fundraiser 
Saturday, July 29th, 2017 at Super Fresh Organic Cafe (30 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6:30pm-8:30pm.

Live Music


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ONGOING SUMMER EVENTS

Vigil at TD Bank in Montpelier
sponsored by the Upper Valley Affinity Group
The Second Thursday of Each Month Through the Summer and Fall. At the Corner of State and Main Streets in Montpelier, VT. 
11:30am-1pm.

Ride share from Exit 5 off I91N. Departs at 10am. Contact Tim at 802.869.2141 or bereal@vermontel,net.
Come and stay as long as you can to peacefully protest TDBank’s huge investments in climate and water destroying pipeline infrastructure.
Urge the State of Vermont and other depositors to close their TDBank accounts.

Support moving swiftly to 100% renewable energy and a state bank for Vermont.
We will be bearing witness and distributing fact sheets about TD's extensive financial support for pipelines.
Bring a sign, bring your friends, bring your neighbors, bring your lunch or just come and join us by yourself.
For more information contact Duncan Nichols at 802.281.2692 or [email protected].


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STANDING REGULAR MEETINGS

350Brattleboro Regular Meetings
1st and 3rd Wednesdays (Leadership Team) in the Brattleboro Food Co-op Community Room (1 Canal Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6pm-8pm.


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SKILLED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Childcare as a Radical Act: Sign up to Provide Childcare! 
The Family Solidarity Action Network is moving forward with their next big effort to support families in local activism: a collective of folks to provide childcare for local activist meetings or events. If you or someone you know would be able and willing to offer childcare (as a volunteer, or paid) for meetings and events please fill out this spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YGVI8wECe4ZDdghtAG147j7ktwgB_J5ZoWUPkwGrOhM/edit#gid=0
We are looking for people young and old with varying degrees of experience.  Having a large pool of people to call on will make it much easier for organizers to arrange childcare for meetings, allowing for more voices of families with young children to participate in local activism!  We will then be making this list available to other local organizations so we can be sure that childcare doesn't have to be a barrier to participation for anyone. 


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VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

Sister District 
SisterDisrict is an organization that connects you with your local home district team to work on Sister Races in Virginia, Washington State, and Georgia. The goal? To turn Red states Blue. Support these critical races by donating to them and sharing about them on social media.  Or, get in on the fun by joining your local district team for even more action items! 
Here is an update from the Vermont district team:

SisterDistrict Soup

We have made a few changes to our SisterDistrict Soup project and will be offering a monthly soup subscription to benefit either SisterDistrict directly or our current candidate (subscriber's choice). 

Please help us by sharing this link with friends and family who may be interested in subscribing or volunteering to help make or sell soup: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfU1Vv1oJRgTBATJ8TTp8vHUaGFIz0coVCVe28gYVOrK9K-BQ/viewform?c=0&w=1 (NOTE: for more information please email [email protected])

In addition to raising money to help get our nation onto a better trajectory, we are also committed to providing you the most delicious and locally-sourced soup that we can. Vegetarian, gluten- and dairy-free options will be available. There is no reason that you can't eat well and resist at the same time!


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Thank you, as always, for your dedication to your community. We look forward to seeing you at a meeting or event in the near future! 

Your Friendly WeCAN Admins,
Ann and Joanna

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