Director's Report

February 9, 2010   from Liz Kelner

Hello Friends - In the face of great challenge, sorrow and hope we are moving ahead!!

We mourn the loss of Howard Zinn who has been such a sweet and powerful inspiration to us through his words and example. We invite everyone to join us at Traprock, 24 Miles Street on Thursday February 25th at 7 PM to remember and honor Howard. We'll show the documentary about his life: “You Can't be Neutral on a Moving Train” and share our favorite Howard Zinn quotes. Please join us.

The Alliance for Peace is meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at Traprock. This group is committed to both an in-depth and ongoing discussion about the issues of war and peace and the planning and implementation of direct actions to address and change the warring policies and priorities of our government. We are working toward an active collaboration with a similar newly formed group in Northampton (Alliance for Peace and Justice formally The Coalition of the Outraged).

The following are some of the areas of interest we will be pursuing:

• Bringing issues of peace and justice into the classrooms; reaching teachers, developing a primer that can be used in the classroom; working with the Northampton Alliance on a community “teach-in”.
  
• Studying cooperative learning and non-violence.
  
• Looking at our complicity with violence and injustice; developing alternative models
  
• Performance art and street theater
  
• Direct political action: meeting with Mayors for Peace to ask for their voice re the impact of war on the fiscal crisis; working with the Northampton Alliance in actions re congressional reps
  
• Use of the media; promoting Democracy Now; strengthening our voice in the media.

Our next meeting in Greenfield is on Tuesday, February 23rd at 6:30 - 8:30 and all are welcome.

Our website continues to grow including the interactive feature related to the Roots of War series. We encourage all of you to read the pieces posted, write your own piece and/or and respond to any of the work already posted. This is a real community dialog that we can all participate in.

Board members Bill Carrithers and Sher Sweet are currently organizing our cadre of volunteers... If you would like to volunteer please email them at info@traprock.info and they will help you get involved.

We are looking for new Board members - especially for folks with some fiscal and/or program development expertise. Please let us know if you are interested….

UPCOMING TRAPROCK EVENTS:

February 19 - second of our Roots of War Series. Michael Klare with speak on “The Global Struggle for Resources” 12:30 - 2 pm at the Stinchfield Lecture Hall at Greenfield Communitiy College. He will address how 21std century wars will be driven by competition over access to scarce and valuable natural resources.

February 23- Peace Alliance Meeting at Traprock (see above)

February 25 - Howard Zinn documentary “You Can't be Neutral on a Moving Train” (see above)

March 1st - fundraiser at Soup and Games night at the restaurant Hope and Olive - 44 Hope Street, Greenfield. Free soup, great fellowship, raffles, games, a great way to support Traprock. See you there!