Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace (BACP) held our monthly meeting on Monday, April 3, 2023, at 7 p.m.   The meeting took place online via the Zoom website.  Richard and Judi Schiller, Doug Olson, and Steve Newcom joined the BACP meeting.   

Steve Newcom is the Brainerd United Church of Christ (UCC) Social Justice Coordinator.  Steve is meeting with Brainerd area progressive organizations and churches.  BACP members were happy Steve could join the BACP meeting.

Meeting participants reviewed the BACP peace vigil held on Saturday, March 18.   The vigil took place across from the historic Brainerd water tower on Washington Street.   The vigil lasted from 1 to 2 p.m.

The BACP peace vigil went very well.   Gayle Nielsen, Larry Fisk, and Doug joined the peace vigil.   The peace vigil received an almost entirely positive response from passing motorists.   Many passing motorists honked their horns, gave thumps up, or made peace signs in support of the peace vigil.   Only one person made a negative comment.   This is a good indication most people are tired of the wars and want peace.


Meeting participants agreed BACP should endorse the Brainerd May Day March.   Brainerd Lakes Area Democratic Socialists of America (BLA DSA) and Brainerd Trades and Labor are hosting the third annual Brainerd May Day March.   The Brainerd May Day March is a pro-union march advocating workers' rights and economic justice.   This year's Brainerd May Day March supports proposed legislation in the Minnesota legislature establishing paid sick and family leave time for workers.

The Brainerd May Day march will be held on Saturday, April 29.   The Brainerd May Day march begins with a rally at the Brainerd AFL-CIO headquarters at 1 p.m.  The Brainerd AFL-CIO headquarters is located at 804 Laurel Street, Suite 103 in downtown Brainerd.    After the rally, Brainerd May Day March participants will walk to Brainerd city hall.   Brainerd city hall is located at 501 Laurel Street, Brainerd.   March participants will rally at Brainerd city hall before returning to the Brainerd AFL-CIO headquarters for a potluck dinner.

[The Brainerd May Day March went very well.   13 people joined the Brainerd May Day March.  Doug and fellow BACP members Pat Scott, Isaiah Oleson, and Holden Hollister joined the Brainerd May Day March.   The march received a mostly positive response from passing motorists.]


The Spring BACP Adopt a Highway cleanup will be held on either Saturday, May 6 or Saturday, May 20, depending on which date works best for the most potential cleanup volunteers.   Cleanup volunteers will meet at the former Knottys on 371 restaurant parking lot at 11 a.m. for a short assembly to plan the cleanup.  The former Knottys on 371 parking lot is located off Highway 76 north of Little Falls.   The cleanup will probably take a few hours.

[Doug sent an inquiry to ask potential cleanup volunteers which date worked best for them.   Potential cleanup volunteers were roughly split between Saturday, May 6 and Saturday, May 20.   Because of this split outcome, the Spring BACP Adopt a Highway cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, May 6.   If bad weather forces the cleanup to be cancelled, the Spring BACP Adopt a Highway cleanup will be rescheduled for Saturday, May 20.]

The next monthly BACP meeting will be held on Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m.    The BACP meeting will be held in the Brainerd UCC upstairs library.   The Brainerd UCC is located at 415 Juniper Street, Brainerd near Gregory Park.   

If extremely bad weather prevents an in-person meeting in the Brainerd UCC upstairs library, the BACP meeting will be held on the Zoom website.


The BACP meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.   


BACP Meeting Notes Submitted by Doug Olson