2021-08-06 Announcements for

Concord Friends Meeting

[1]

The Meeting Calendar

Please mask for indoor events.

CFM Float Down the Merrimack - Sun Aug 29

(If you are interested in this fun fellowship event, contact Ruth Heath at ruthmheath [at] comcast [dot] net (subject: CFM%20Float%20Down%20the%20Merrimack) )

Dear Floating Friends,

The clear winner for best date was Sunday August 29 after Meeting for the float down the Merrimack. Let's hope the weather cooperates! Let's shoot for a 12:30 beginning (knowing the paddling probably won't begin until about 1pm.

I've included in this email everyone who said they wanted to come, even if the date wasn't good or even if they weren't sure they would be able to come. FYI Donna and Rob will be bringing their niece Michaela and her friend Savannah. The more the merrier!

Just to make planning easier, let's do the same thing as last year. Leave several cars at take out (not sure what to call it, but to refresh your memory, it is under the railroad bridge just south of passing under Route 4, just past Oxbow Pond Riverland Beach ). We'll put in at the Boscawen public boat launch at Jamie Welch Memorial Field. Here's a link to a Google map showing the route we'll take in our cars to leave cars and go retrieve cars left at the put-in. https://goo.gl/maps/r2VRykbTi4QFbdyB8  [2] (are you impressed that I figured out how to do that? I am!)

Hints about the Put-in and Take-out sites (I'm adding this now to get our memory juices flowing....I will repeat it again as time gets nearer) :

Put-in: After you turn right off from Route 4 onto Depot St, you must make right turn from Depot St into the long parking areas along the fields and the launch is at the far end of the parking area. 

Take Out: When you get to where Merrimack St ends (Penacook St hits it from the right), go straight ahead into the parking area and to the left of that big commercial building - you'll see a gravel road on your left winding down to the public launch. (Hope the potholes are not ridiculous this year - they were better last year.)

So glad we'll be together to have floating fun!

Ruth

Tragedy for our Neighbor "River Dave"

This past week a very sad story has evolved and crescendoed over the head of our neighbor "River Dave". Please read these two stories that have appeared in the news.

https://manchesterunionleader-nh-app.newsmemory.com/?publink=072cf9a3c_1345e97 [3]

and https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/firefighters-battling-blaze-near-river-daves-canterbury-cabin [4]

NEYM Sessions (Nearly) Last Call!

Invitation to gather in our Meetinghouse to experience the first day of New England Yearly Meeting's Annual Sessions.

Some of us will gather at the Concord Meetinghouse for the Opening Celebration at 10:00 AM Saturday August 7.

 -We will break for a bag lunch from 11:30 to 1 and rejoin the online program at 1-2:30 for the Plenary with Shirley Hager and gkisedtanamoogk.

-After the plenary there is time for us to gather and talk about our reflections on this plenary event.

If you wish to experience this or any part of the 6 days of events from your home you may register in advance for the link and pay as led.

neym.org/sessions [5]

Getting the link takes time so it is best to register the day before. Check out all the options when you go to the link!

Registration is now open!

REGISTER TODAY [6]

Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund

Special Focus Grants

Quakers all over New England are working on social justice issues, and the Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund intends to support that work by setting aside a substantial amount of our grant making funds for Special Focus grants.

The purpose of these Special Focus grants is to support work in New England on issues that New England Friends are passionate about -- issues that reflect our Quaker values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Sustainability.

The Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund is seeking grant applications for the 2021-2022 fiscal year that focus on issues of racial justice and immigration. These Special Focus grants can be applied for and implemented in cooperation with non-Quaker groups as long a New England Monthly Meeting, a New England Friend(s) or a New England Quaker organization is willing to make a meaningful contribution of human and/or financial resources to add to the implementation of these special projects.

More information about how to apply for a grant, as well as the grant application, can be found at:

https://neym.org/sites/default/files/2019-06/OBBF%20Application%20%26%20Guidelines%2010.23.15.pdf [7]

or by searching for “Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund” on the internet. Grant applications are accepted three times per year on; September 15, January 15 and April 15.

FCNL Advocacy Team

is happy to announce that the repeal of the 2002 Iraq War Authorization has passed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with bipartisan support and will now go to the floor of the Senate where it is likely to pass and be signed by Biden. This historic taking up of war powers was driven by the national network of FCNL advocacy teams. This is a huge achievement.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2021/08/04/iraq-war-military-authorizations/ [8]

Epsom Lunch - Solidarity Walkers for Immigrant Justice

Hello friends!

Please see the below information and all-call for volunteers to help host the 9/23 lunch in Epsom for the Solidarity Walkers for Immigrant Justice! Reply to this email to request more information or confirm that you are able be part of this fun volunteer team! Feel free to specify how you'd like to be involved and please forward the email to anyone else who might be interested! A follow-up email with additional details we will then be sent to the group of volunteers soon!

--with gratitude,

Kim

Solidarity Walk for Immigrant Justice

--HELP is NEEDED with 9/23 Lunch Preparation!

Each year activists for immigrant justice complete a 3-day walk to the ICE detention facility in Dover to bring awareness to the need for greater justice in our state system. The Epsom Democrats are hosting lunch on day-2 of this year’s Solidarity Walk for Immigrant Justice. We'll offer bagged lunches on Thursday, September 23rd for 30-50 Immigrant Solidarity walkers. We hope to set up at the Epsom Library but are waiting for final confirmation of the location.

Volunteers are needed to donate funds to purchase food & paper goods, shop for supplies, and prepare lunch items. The lunches will include a choice of wraps and sandwiches, fruit, chips, cookies and canned/bottled beverages. Help is needed with advanced sandwich/wrap preparation and cookie baking, both of which can be done in your own home. There will also be a group prep event at the home of Kim Gillis in Epsom, on the morning of 9/23. Support for set-up and clean-up at the at the lunch are needed too! Please contact Kim Gillis at kgillis [at] live [dot] com or (603) 892-4271 for more information or to pitch-in on this worthy cause! All aspects of hosting the lunch offer fun opportunities to be of service in community and support immigrant justice, so please join us in whatever way you can!