The Annual Meeting was held May 30, 2004 at the Mount Olive Retreat Center, Farmingon, Mn. A list of attendees is attached.

Donn Kesselheim opened with a moment of silence.

Terry Kayser introduced the agenda.

Minutes from Annual Meeting 2003 were approved.

Ann Ward presented an interim Financial Report. Mike Leatherwood has resigned as Treasurer and the Finance Committee has not yet found a replacement. The interim Financial Report is attached and a proper Finance Report should be completed and will be attached to this report.

Committee Reports were facilitated by Pat Parker-Roach. Committee reports are attached to this report.

Committees and presenters were:

CLARG – Dotty Joos

COMMUNICATIONS – Diana Couch/Hakim Al Siddiq/Alan Taplow

FINANCE – Ann Ward

CONFERENCE – Terry Kayser/Pat Parker-Roach

EDUCATION – Fred Feucht

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE – Donn Kesselheim

YOUTH ad-hoc - Darrell Hefte/Susan Hefte

An international report was given by Dick Nethercut, Giri Sequoya and Bob Barns.

A light and lively was led by Dotty Joos.

The following By-Law Changes were presented for acceptance:

Article 6.8, Standing Committee – New Article: The Annual National Gathering may establish or dissolve committees when there is an interest from the membership to do so. Such an action shall be noted in the minutes of the Gathering where it occurred. The current Article 6.8 shall be renumbered as 6.9.

Facilitated by Dick Nethercut. Approved.

Article 8, Fiscal Year – Change: The Fiscal Year of the Corporation shall be twelve months and shall run from April 1 through March 31.

Facilitated by Ann Ward. Approved

Article 3.3, Meetings – Change: A record of decisions made (at the annual meeting) is to be distributed to the members within 30 days after each meeting. (Changed from "10 days").

Facilitated by Diana Couch. Approved

A Proposed By-Law was presented by Dick Nethercut and Steve Angell.

It was proposed as an add-on to responsibilities of the Conference Committee.

"It shall also facilitate AVP/USA participation in the biennial International Gathering and any related organization. It shall, a year in advance, nominate a person to be appointed by the Annual National Gathering as the AVP/USA representative to the next international gathering,"

After discussion of the purpose and meaning of this suggested by-law, it was decided that the wording needed to be improved and then could be submitted as a proposed by-law for acceptance at the next annual meeting.

A new slate of officers was presented and approved:

President – Dick Nethercut

Vice President – Ann Ward

Secretary – Janet Riley

Treasurer – To be Announced

The announcement of the next Anuual Conference site was given. The 2005 AVP USA Annual conference will be held at the Headlands Institute just north of San Francisco, CA.

The 2006 International Conference will be held in South Africa.

Submitted by:

Diana Couch

AVP USA Secretary

$14,658.11

$54,426.61

OPERATING BALANCE $16,268.50 (minus funds for inmates)

Attendees – AVP USA 2004 Annual Meeting – Farmington, MN

MEMBER STATE

Diana Couch CA

Steve Angell PA

Dorenda Taylor WA

John Wiehmerding VT

Alan Taplow Vt

Marge Schlitt NE

Dotto Joos CA

Patrick Parker-Roach MA

Susan Hefte FL

Darrell Hefte FL

Scott Searles MO

Pat Hardy CA

Giri Sequoya WA, Australia

Nancy Shippen MA

Ann Ward PA

John Shuford DE

Abdul-Hakim As-Siddiq MN

Terrance Kayser MN

Richard Nethercut MA

Joann Perry MN

Chris Solyntyes MN

Ben Ennenga MN

Fred Feucht NY

Barbara Babin CA

Don Kesselheim WY

REGIONAL REPORTS

to AVP/USA National Conference - May, 2004

Please note this report is not as complete as it should be, I was somewhat hampered by not knowing the coordinators names and by the difficulty of reaching people by phone. The following information was collected April and May, 2004.

Springfield, SD - 5 workshops/year with seven total facilitators’

- currently working to be received at juvenile facilities after program was discontinued at Sioux Falls, SD.

Sioux Falls, SD - no current workshops, 2 facilitators in area - a community workshop series is anticipated this fall

Frankford, KY - no current workshops for past 1 - 5 years (depending on whom you speak with), they’ve been shut out of the main prison and will require more training if they can get help setting up an institution.

Jefferson City, MO - 6 workshops/year with about 10 facilitators

- I messages have been improved, have eliminated the Training for Facilitators level and use a different process for the T4F certificates.

Boonville, MO - 16 workshops per year with 16 facilitators

- I messages have been improved, have eliminated the Training for Facilitators level and use a different process for the T4F certificates.

Lincoln Correctional, NE - 12 workshops/year with 10 facilitators

- have received a $1000. grant, only have two outside facilitators but do have an inside coordinator and will be starting with the Girl Scouts in the fall of 2004.

Omaha Correctional Ctr, NE - 12 workshops/year with 8 facilitators

- have received a $1000. grant, will be holding a T4F in 6/04.

West River, SD - no current workshops, two facilitators in area

- plan to start at the Rapid City prison being built to open in 2005

Fort Dodge, IA - 12 workshops/year (share 20 facilitators with Mitchellville Women Facility.

- sometimes bypass the T4F, getting press coverage and IA is eager to add more AVP programs to its other prisons.

Mitchellville, IA - 12 workshops/year (share 20 facilitators with Fort Dodge, IA)

- just getting started but might need to change the name from AVP to something else, women don’t seem to believe the program could be helpful.

St. Louis, MO - 11 workshops/year with two facilitators

- due to restructuring of prisons, lost all inside facilitators but are hopeful to add four inside ones, soon. Also hoping to bring HIPP into the juvenile jail next year. Not doing T4Fs.

Dayton Correctional, OH - no current workshops

Minnesota shares its 75 facilitators with all four of the institutions and community workshops. Some facilitators are focused solely at a single prison but most facilitate at more than one. Prisons listed as follows:

Faribault Minimum - 6 workshops/year with additional one day focus workshops and support groups.

Faribault Medium - 12 workshops/year with additional one day focus workshops and support groups.

Stillwater Correctional - 11 workshops/year (allowed a maximum of 20 outside facilitators) Currently the backlog requires two of each level workshop with two upcoming T4F in May & June. Also, an effectiveness study is underway, data collection to be completed winter, 2004.

Hennepin County Workhouse - 12 workshops/year

- Short term facilities 5/year Basic & Advanced Men’s) and 2/year Basic level workshops on Women’s side.

Community workshops in Minnesota have been mostly canceled due to lack of participants but the community support group meets weekly. Doing approximate 3-4 community workshops annually.

I did not get return phone calls from Bellefontaine OH, Columbus OH, Bismarck ND, London OH, Chicago IL, nor Norfolk NE so I cant report on their activity.

Difficulties and ideas for improvement:

SD - need more outside facilitators and can use help with recruiting (from both Sioux falls & Springfield & West River)

SD - can use help getting into new institutions

KY - can use help getting into new institutions

MO - Can use help getting into African American community, everyone is Caucasian on AVP council

MO - Need more early childhood material (ages 6-8), more training and more collaboration with HIPP

MO - Would like more regional meetings and a smaller region for training and social purposes.

NE - need more outside facilitators and can use help with recruiting (from both Omaha and Lincoln)

NE - although inside facilitator names were turned in to the Transformer, the inside facilitators aren’t getting their copies, received only one in 2003 (outside facilitators would be willing to contribute if there were some sort of plan). (from both Lincoln & Omaha)

NE - would be willing to help work on Advanced Manual as it is out of date and would like the exercise index put into the new Basic manual as it was in the old one.

IA - need more outside facilitators and can use help with recruiting and although inside facilitator names were turned in to the Transformer, the inside facilitators aren’t getting their copies

MO - need more outside facilitators and can use help with recruiting

MN - would like more outreach from AVP USA, especially for inmates

MN - would like a contact for grant writing/proposals and general encouragement.

MN - would like AVP USA to make arrangements for housing traveling facilitators and their pets, also to make regions responsible for cross-pollination of facilitators.

MN - need more outside facilitators and can use help with recruiting, especially young ones.

MN - would like reminders in the Transformer regarding subscriptions and would like copies available on-line.

MN - Would like AVP (either MN or USA) to contact first time arrestees for violent offenses before incarceration, using public resources to contact.

MN - from the regional rep, make the Midwest region smaller and make data entry (to add new names to the database) easy for the coordinators at local level to do so.

REGIONAL REPORT

Maine:  Tracy Booth reports that Maine is in good AVP health.  There is a core of about a dozen volunteers, putting on workshops at 3 different facilities.  2 are women’s workshops at Cumberland County Jail, and Windham Correctional.  The 3rd is a men's prerelease at Bolduc.  A workshop is happening on average once a month, dispersed among the facilities.  Maine
has some funds to do outreach and community Service announcements. Relationships with the prisons are good.

New Hampshire: as reported by Judy Brophy, Mary Alice Warner, and Chuck Oropallo, has workshops happening at 3 different facilities, with varying success because of shortage of volunteers, and prison red tape.  They try to do 6 workshops per year at each facility.  The prisons covered are:  Lakes Region, Laconia;  Goffstown Women’s, and Concord Men’s.  Hopefully things will go more smoothly as the year progresses. Alan Taplow has not had workshops in 2004.  There had been community workshops in 2003.  I was unable to reach Judy Varner, who might have more current information.

Rhode Island:  As reported by Bobbie Houllihan, is conducting no workshops due to shortage of volunteers.  An anger management course, which models some AVP principles, is happening in one medium security facility.

Connecticut:  as reported by Ann Levinger, has its loyal group of Volunteers who live in Amhurs, MA.  They put on Workshops at Osborn Correctional Facility in Connecticut.  They occur once a month on average, due to the energy of Claude Tellier and his group.  Relationship with the facility is fair.

Massachusetts, as reported by Marianne Winship, has AVP workshops going on in 6 prisons, all mens.  They include: 1 federal facility, 1 maximum state prison, 1 minimum state center, and 3 medium security.  Our programs are thriving, but our volunteers are stretched thin.  We have requests from other prisons which we cannot help with at this time.  I think our AVP success and scope peaked around 2001.  We hope to hold our Fall New England in one of these places.

Report of the New York Region of AVP/USA:

AVP NY continues to have a strong program and a strong organizational structure.

Program for 2003:

In 2003, AVP NY completed 154 workshops. This included 124 prison workshops, 15 school workshops and 15 community workshops. Eighty eight of these were Basic Workshops, 40 Advanced workshops and 14 Adult Training for Facilitator workshops with 2 school Training for Facilitator workshops. We also conducted 10 special workshops.

The AVP program is available in 20 New York State Prisons. In 2003 a number of workshops were cancelled because of code orange alert and the great Northeastern Blackout.

We conduct weekly, bi-weekly or monthly support groups in 12 prisons.

We have conducted workshops in two halfway houses and one workshop in the Egyptian community in Jersey City.

A new community workshop initiative was begun with the sponsorship of Catholic Charities as the host site for workshops in Haverstraw, New York. They completed 10 workshops in 2003.

The Landing Strip support group for ex-prisoners continues to meet twice a month in Manhattan. The group provides transitional support and the meetings are attended by two to sixteen ex-prisoners.

Organizational Structure:

AVP New York is composed of ten active local area councils. The statewide region has strong leadership with two ex-prisoners as co-presidents. The statewide council meets four times a year with an annual meeting in the Finger Lakes region.

The problems that AVP New York is facing resistance from prison administrators to helping coordinators run smooth programs and arbitrary suspensions of outside volunteers. The suspension of volunteers has affected morale in the organization.

REGIONAL REPORT

NORTHWEST REGIONAL REPORT                               5/04

Peace Between People (AVP - Washington)

2003 Annual Report

We currently have two active prison programs offering AVP workshops. Both these facilities are located within the Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC) that houses four varying security-level prisons.

1) Twin Rivers Correctional Center (TRCC) - This is a medium-security men's prison that houses the only DOC Sexual Offender Treatment Program in Washington.  We have been very active in this facility since the mid-1990s and have consistently been able to facilitate one workshop per month (unless cancelled for reasons beyond our control). We work in teams of five at this facility - 2 outside facilitators and 3 inside facilitators. In 2003, we facilitated 6 Basic workshops, 3 Advanced, 1 T4T, and 1 Advanced for Facilitators Only. We average 19 participants per workshop (with the exceptions of the T4T and Facilitators-Only) and trained 9 new inside facilitators and. Many long-time facilitators have commented that Transforming Power has really come to be a part of the institution at TRU, with so many people having participated over the years.
Totals: 114 Basic participants, 57 Advanced participants, 9 new facilitators

2) Washington State Reformatory (WSR) - This is a maximum-security men's prison where we initially launched AVP in 1986.  In 1998, we lost the program there for various reasons and were invited back in 2003.  We returned with our first workshop in April of 2003 with 3 outside facilitators and 2 inside facilitators who had been very active in AVP and trained to facilitate several years earlier.  In 2003, we facilitated 4 Basics, 2 Advances, and 1 T4T, and now have 12 inside facilitators there.  We average 13 participants per workshop at this facility and work in teams of 2 inside and 2 outside facilitators.
Totals: 52 Basic participants, 26 Advanced participants, 10 new facilitators.

We have trained 5 new outside facilitators since our last report in 2002.

We have solid support from the prisons' program staff, and at each institution we are also fortunate to have a very committed and gifted inmate facilitator who serves tirelessly as program coordinator.

A small, committed group of volunteers have been handling Peace Between People's organizational needs on an all-volunteer basis since 2002.  Our core group meets monthly and shares the responsibilities of financial management, communications (phone, email, mail), new volunteer orientation, scheduling of facilitators, etc.  We have two volunteers working as liaisons with the prisons' program staff to ensure that workshops run smoothly.  We maintain a small office (mostly for storage and meeting space) at University Temple United Methodist Church in Seattle.  We keep in touch as a whole group (on the outside) primarily by email.  We also have meetings for inmate facilitators, attended by at least one outside facilitator (held monthly at TRU, and quarterly at WSR).  These guys are an empowered bunch who do a great deal to keep the programs running.

We currently (as of May, 2004) have 31 outside facilitators (17 active) and 34 inmate facilitators, with 22 at TRU (16 active) and 12 (active) at WSR.  We generally have 3 or so new volunteers from the community find us through friendship with a current facilitator or the Friends, and this year a couple of experienced facilitators relocated to the area from Australia (lucky us).  For simplicity's sake, we have new volunteers go through the series of workshops as participants in the prison (rather than conducting community workshops, which proved to be cumbersome to orchestrate).  For the past couple years we have been focusing our efforts on prison work, with only an occasional community workshop in response to a request or opportunity arising.

We have been approached about two new program offerings: to start a program at Stafford Creek prison in Aberdeen, WA and at the Minimum Security Unit (MSU) at MCC to offer one-day workshops for inmates-soon-to-be-released and their spouses.  While these requests are testaments to the program's success, we are assessing whether we have the person-power to pull either of these off.

Financially, we are currently operating with income and expenses of approximately $2,000 annually, with our expenses consisting mainly of travel reimbursements, our phone bill, and various office/workshop supplies. Our income comes from Inmate Betterment Funds and private contributions, thankfully requiring minimal fundraising effort.
 

-Julia Field, Chair

[email protected]


 AVP in OREGON - May 2004

AVP has a new state-wide organization. Portland workshop programs have become inactive, Eugene workshops are experiencing a revival of energy, and the workshops in Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution are into their sixth year of operation with an average of four workshops per year. After ten years of activity under the care of our Portland organization, we seek a stronger, broader organizational structure.

Vision for the Future:  We are still working to build an even greater base of trained facilitators. We'd like to form local councils of trainers in additional areas in Oregon. It may take another year for us to have enough staff strength and inside support to begin workshops in other correctional facilities such as the state women's prison in Wilsonville.  We'd like local facilitator councils to have their own funds that can support room rentals, travel for distant guest facilitators, scholarships and advertising.  And we hope to have a statewide treasury that allows us to function as an independent, all-volunteer influence that can initiate workshops in institutional settings as well as support local councils of trainers in new areas.

Oregon AVP Chair
Ethen Perkins
2410 Monroe
Eugene  OR 97405
541-345-3944

[email protected]

Plus about 5 active outside facilitators and about 6 inside facilitators

AVP - Nevada  -  May 2004

We conducted two Basics in the Nevada State Prison this year, last summer and again in November.  This gave us a base of approximately 60 inmates in the Nevada State prison (the oldest and one of the toughest prisons in Nevada).

In January we held our very first Advanced workshop in Nevada.  18 inmates and 5 outmates attended in the Nevada State prison.  The facilitators were Bill Murphy-Sharp, Audrey Miller (of New Mexico), and Rev/Chaplain Jane Foraker-Thompson of the Nevada Department of Corrections.  Outmates included three AVP facilitators, Ellen Sorensen, Harbert Rice, and Donna Murphy-Sharp.  The workshop was an incredible experience for everyone and a thorough affirmation of the value of AVP.

Our plan is to hold a T4T now in the same prison (NSP) to get that program up and running somewhat on its own and reduce the burden on the few AVP facilitators that we have here in Nevada.  This coordinator's opinion is that in order to be a viable program, we must bring in outside facilitators in order to avoid burnout of the present AVP core members.  Additionally, we have hopes of continuing and beginning the presentation of AVP in other prisons in the state.  We have many to choose from.  It seems necessary to concentrate our efforts on one prison at a time to establish the 'base' of experienced AVP attendees to fully enable a program to continue without a heavy reliance on outside facilitators.

Donna Murphy-Sharp

Coordinator, AVP Nevada

[email protected]

 AVP in Northern California  -  May 2004

ACTIVE AREAS:  AVP is currently active in the "North Bay" region (the area just north of San Francisco), on the "Peninsula" (the area south of San Francisco) with a spur group at the Ben Lomond Quaker Retreat Center, under the auspices of the Pacific Yearly Meeting. San Luis Obispo has an active program at the California Mens Colony. 

INACTIVE AREAS:  Other contacts exist in Sacramento (John Donovan), Shasta County (Joy O'Connell),the Sierra Foothills (Bob Barns), Lake County (Barbara and Bill Christwitz), San Francisco (John Helding), Santa Cruz (Mimi and Alan Edgar), and the "East Bay" (Oakland and Berkeley area/Chia Hamilton), but those areas have no active councils and workshops have not been held.  Facilitators add nearby councils as needed.

CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE:  Representatives from California met as a group earlier this year and it is possible California will form as its own region.  Another meeting is scheduled after the National Gathering.

COUNCIL ACTIVITY:

AVP North Bay has scheduled some community workshops and also done a Basic for a substance abuse center.  Facilitators also help Friends Outside maintain their monthly Basic contract with the jail.  There are about a dozen active facilitators.
Contact:   
Dotty Joos
      Box 28
  Occidental, CA 95465
    707-874-2638
    [email protected]


The Peninsula AVP group is a sub-committee of Peace and Social Action Committee of Palo Alto Monthly Meeting.  We began a little over a year ago and now have 7 facilitators in our core group with strong support from neighboring councils.  We've held one Basic community workshop and plan another for this fall.  Meanwhile we've managed to gain acceptance at the
Federal Women's Prison in Dublin and our first workshop is scheduled.
Though our group is small, we feel active and well connected.

Submitted by: Sunflower Sandy [email protected]

Contact:
        Barbara Babin
   1031 Vera Ave
   Redwood City, CA 94061
  650-369-1398

        [email protected]

Ben Lomond Quaker Center has been scheduling three residential AVP workshops per year as part of its larger Quaker program.  Many of their staff/interns have taken it.  We are in connection with the Peninsula group and their project in Dublin.
Contact:

        Walter Sullivan

        [email protected]
   http://www.quakercenter.org

San Luis Obispo/California Mens Colony
The AVP program at the California Men's Colony (CMC) in San Luis Obispo, CA. began in January 2001. It took about four years to gain administrative approval to begin holding workshops. Workshops now take place once a month and have been held on all three levels of training. Monthly Process/Refresher groups were held for about a year and a half and were unfortunately terminated. After considerable negotiation, inside facilitators became part of the program, however, they are called "helpers." Presently, there are twelve committed inside "helpers" who serve on the workshop teams. Ten outside facilitators have served on workshop teams, including four "leads". Some live close by and others travel up to four hours each way to get to the prison. We hold meetings about six times a year and have held a few joint meetings inside.
       Contact:
        Janet Riley
     822 Santa Maria Ave, #8
Los Osos, CA 93402-1231
805-534-9597
    [email protected]
      
Projecto de Alternativos a la Violencia, a subsidiary of the North Bay Council, has been inactive for the past year, since our now 97-year-old go-getter elder no longer has the energy for a three-day workshop.  About 8 Spanish-speaking facilitators are available with more in the Greater Bay Area.
       Contact:
        Barbara Moulton
        P.O. Box 90    
        Kenwood   CA   95452   
        (707)833-5308  
        [email protected]

                                        Submitted 5/21/04
                                       Dotty Joos

                                        [email protected]

REGIONAL REPORT

SOUTHWEST REGION

by Diana Couch

No community workshops are being held in San Diego however, there is a program being developed by San Diego facilitators in Tijuana, Mexico.

Santa Barbara has done Girl Scout workshops and community workshops looking to revitalize their program. They are also working with Northern California in the Men’s Colony.

Pat Hardy is working with Diana Couch in developing a new program in the Antelope Valley.

The Tuscon Arizona group is active but has not provided me with a report.

The Phoenix, Arizona group appears to be inactive.

The program in Santa Monica is active but did not provide me with a report.

REGIONAL REPORT

AVP Tampa Bay sponsored workshops at FCC Coleman

AVP-Coleman---Women’s Basic, Sept. 19,20 & 22, 2003

12 parts.

AVP-Coleman---Basic Spanish, Oct. 17, 18 & 19, 2003, 3 inside facs. plus

Helen and Chris, 16 participants

AVP-Coleman Medium Basic, Oct. 17-19, 2003, 3 inside facs, Dr. D. outside, 10 parts.

AVP-Coleman---Women’s Basic, Nov. 14, 15 & 16, 2003, 2 inside facs,

12 participants

AVP-Coleman Medium Basic Workshop Dec. 12, 13 & 14, 2003---16 parts. 4 inside facs and Dr. D. outside fac.

AVP-Women’s Camp Advanced---Dec. 12, 13 & 14, 2003---12 parts? 2 inside facs. and Susan as outside.

AVP- Coleman Medium Advanced Spanish, Dec. 12-14, 2003, 16 parts, 3 inside facs. and Cece as outside fac.

AVP-Women’s Camp T for F---Jan 16, 17 & 18, 20004---8 parts? 2 inside facs & 1 outside fac.

AVP-Women’s Camp Basic Spanish---Feb 20, 21 & 22, 2004---12 parts, 2 inside facs and 2 outside facs (Cece and Susan)

AVP-Coleman Medium Basic Workshop Feb 20, 21 & 22, 2004---7 participants and 3 inside facs. Darrell and Christina outside facs.

AVP-Coleman-Basic II---March 19-21, 2004---8 parts and 3 inside facs & Dr. D. as outside fac.

AVP-Coleman Women’s Advanced---April 16-18---12 participants; 2 inside facs---Susan & Darrell outside lead fac.

AVP-Coleman Medium Advanced Workshop April 23, 24, 25, 2004---12 participants, 3 inside facs. Dr. D. outside fac.

AVP-Coleman Women’s T for F---May 14-16, 2004---12 part. 2 inside facs.---Susan and Helen outside facs.

AVP-Coleman Medium T for F Workshop May 14-16, 2004

13 facs. 3 inside facs---Dr. D. olutside lead fac.

So there was a total of 3 women basic, 3 women advanced and 2 women T for F workshops. During the same time there were 5 men basic, 3 men advanced and one T for F. All total 60 men have participated while 8 have facilitated while there has been 36 women participants and 8 facilitators. Twenty women have completed the three workshop series. Six have left the prison fully trained. Presently there is a cadre of 20 men facilitators.

In May Adventurous Ann was our first outside participant completing her T for F workshop.ssss

AVP Sponsored Community Workshops

2 Saturday workshop July 26 & Aug 2, 2003 Basic Workshop at First United Church of Tampa. Four facs & 16 paticipants.

2 Saturday Advanced Workshop, Nov. 1 & 8, 2003. Two facs. & 5 parts.

2 Saturday Basic, March 6 & 13, 2004 at St. Pete Meeting Annex, Three facs, & 4 participants.

Total of three workshops, envolving 7 facs. & 25 parts.

Dedicated Darrell (aka Dr. D.) consulted in and facilitated 12 HIPP styled Basic Workshops in public school system, involving 3rd, 5th, middles school and highschool grades. The workshops involved 188 students and 22 staff members participating. Elihu Brayboy, a trained AVP/HIPP facilitator, co-facilitated in most of the workshops.

JACKSONVILLE

Here's my report for Jacksonville. It will be short and sweet. We have been holding monthly meetings on a regularly basis, but hadn't had many workshops. So in September of last year we had a goal setting meeting to get back on track facilitated by Sarah Robinson, one of our AVP Facilitators. It was a great meeting and we set some goals that we have accomplished. Our first goal was to have a Basic Workshop for the Wage Peace Organization here in Jacksonville. We had that with five attendees, and have scheduled an Advanced Workshop for the last weekend in June. In the meantime an opportunity came up for us to have another Basic in May for those that missed the first Basic. That would give us some more participants for the up coming Advanced.  We are also going to donate money for a scholarship for a youth to Peace Camp this year. One of our members has a youth in mind. Hopefully, by the time of the Advanced Workshop we will have a date selected for a T for T Workshop. WE are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to hold workshops without overloading ourselves. We presently have eight facilitators, and maybe by the summer's end even more.
 
That's about it -- remember I said short and sweet.
Shalom,
Barry Heath