BACP-BLUE met on Monday June 3, 2024, at 7:00 pm.
	  
1. Review the Spring BACP-BLUE Adopt a Highway cleanup held on Saturday, May 18.   Thank you to everyone who volunteered for the cleanup. 

2. Review the BACP-BLUE peace vigil held on Saturday, June 1.   The vigil will be held at the intersection of Highways 210 and 371, Baxter, near Kohl's.   The peace vigil is scheduled to last from 1 to 2 p.m.    The vigil will demand an immediate end to the Gaza War and the termination of U.S. military, financial, and diplomatic support for Israel.   BACP-BLUE will hold monthly vigils demanding an immediate end to the Gaza War.   Vigils will be held the first Saturday of every month (unless scheduled otherwise) until the war ends. 

Concerns were voiced about the location regarding safety and exposure to ticks in the tall grass. Location will stay the same and those who do not wish to stand near the road will assume a more distant position. We will car pool from the Kohls parking lot to the corner for those wishing to get a ride. Those needing a ride and those offering to drive should meet a few minutes before 2 in the parking lot.

3. Discuss plans for the Water Over Nickel vigil.   The Water Over Nickel vigil will be held on Saturday, June 8.   The vigil will be held at the intersection of Highways 210 and 371, Baxter, near Kohl's.   The vigil is scheduled to last from 1 to 2 p.m.   The vigil opposes the proposed copper-nickel mine near    Tamarack, a small town east of McGregor.    Brainerd Lakes Area Democratic Socialists of America (BLA DSA) and BACP-BLUE are hosting the vigil. 

The Water over Nickel vigil will be held on Saturday, June 8th from 1 to 2. Location will be at 371 and 210. We expect a good turn out with Brainerd DSA, BACP/BLUE and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Rio Tinto, who is pushing the mines, have a very bad record of environmental degradation, worldwide. 

4. Discuss plans for a possible peace vigil in Little Falls.   Fellow BACP-BLUE member Robin Hensel would like to hold a peace vigil in Little Falls demanding an immediate end to the Gaza War.   Possible dates for the Little Falls peace vigil include Saturday, June 15 and Saturday, June 22. 

Members present were in favor of having a vigil in Little Falls and decided on June 15th near the noon hour. Our suggestion was to have the vigil on the sidewalk south of Coburn's grocery store and have lunch afterward at Little Fiesta in Little Falls. Doug will contact Robin to see if that idea fits with her plans. 

5. Plan for BACP-BLUE marching in the Brainerd Fourth of July parade.   The Brainerd Fourth of July parade will be held on Thursday, July 4.   Fellow BACP-BLUE member Larry Fisk would like to set aside a date to repair and refurbish the BACP-BLUE float so the float can be used in the Brainerd Fourth of July parade.    BACP-BLUE members interested in helping Larry repair and refurbish the float would meet at Larry and Gayle's home, where the float is stored. 

Parade starts at 6 p.m. and Doug will receive information on our staging area.  It was decided that the work on the float will take place after the Little Falls vigil so people wouldn't need to make two trips to the area. Gayle will have refreshments.
       
6.  Decide whether BACP-BLUE will approve the political candidate support proposal offered by fellow BACP-BLUE members Larry Fisk and Gayle Nielsen. 

Issue was discussed at length and tabled. 

Announcements: Winona LaDuke will be the featured author at Brainerd Library's Brown Bag Lunch series. Monday, June 17 at Gichi-Ziibi Center at noon. 602 South 5th Street in Brainerd. 
Pride Event at Leech Lake Tribal College on June 7th from 4-8 p.m.
Two-spirit member of Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Arnold Dahl-Wodley, will be a guest speaker at Hackensack Union Congregational Church 401 Lake Ave.on June 23 at 10:45 a.m. 

In the event of bad weather, the BACP-BLUE meeting will be held in the Brainerd United Church of Christ (UCC) upstairs library.   The UCC is located at 415 Juniper Street, Brainerd, near Gregory Park.  If the weather is extremely hot (90 degrees and above), the BACP-BLUE meeting will be held on the Zoom website. 
Everyone is welcome to join the BACP-BLUE meeting.  Please join us.