BACP-BLUE November 3, 2025, Meeting Minutes

1. Review of the Saturday, October 11th highway clean-up project. Clean-up went well with 6 people participating. In the future, Larry and Gayle will be contact persons with the state for the Highway Clean-up. Contract to be renewed in January.

2. Review of the Saturday, October 18th "No Kings" rally. Reportedly, 2500 people attended the Brainerd rally.  Good response from passing cars, high energy and fun! Three hundred info sheets on Venezuela were passed out and about 20 signatures were obtained on the petition to encouorage divestment by the MN State Board of Investments from Israel.

3. Review of the Saturday, November 1st Gaza/Venezuela Peace Vigil. Four regulars attended and a traveler from Wisconsin stopped to hold a sign and express appreciation for our activities.

4. Update on the status of Kitchigami Regional Library's AFSCME intervention petition. Trish has been asked by the librarians to be a liaison between them and the public. Next Board meeting is Thursday, November 20th.

5. Update on the Minnesota Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Community's effort to repeal the state's anti-BDS law by Community member Angel Dobrow. The bill is now in committee and concerned citizens are encouraged to contact their local representatives and senators and encourage them to vote in favor of the bill, stressing that it's a violation of free speech. Angel is going to send a tool kit to Doug for distribution to the listserve. 

6. Update on the effort to form a local environmental group under the auspices of the Lakes Area Justice Table from co-founder Barb Cromwell (see their latest meeting notes attached to the BACP/BLUE meeting invitation)

Group Name:
Sally and I liked the name Lakes Area Nature Care. It includes the "Care" from Creation Care but doesn't imply an exclusive focus on religious participation. Laura suggested Lakes Area Environmental Justice Table, which aligns well with the Lakes Area Justice Table name. We also discussed Lakes Area Eco Table as another possible option with a similar structure. We had favored Lakes Area Nature Network; however, a Google search showed that it is nearly identical to another local organization's name.
Initial Action Preferences:
- Initiate a local Farm to School program. Sally and Barb will do some initial outreach this week to local schools and Sprout.
- Ongoing--share information within the group about local environmental events and opportunities to help spread the information widely
- Expand information sharing with more local churches by providing "Green Tips" or program options such as Lawns to Legumes
- Occasionally plan activities to enjoy our natural environment together, appropriate to the season, such as:
-- A bike ride from Baxter to Crow Wing State Park
-- A hike at the Northland Arboretum

Meetings are on Mondays from 11:00-12:30 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, and concerned citizens are welcome. 

Zoom meeting ended before last agenda items were addressed.

7. Update on the release of the film "Gaslit" by Greenpeace/TIRN:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1259056626266763&set=a.646307924208306

8. Treasury Report