Last Vigil for 2011

 This evening, the Veterans for Peace, Chapter 099, held their last vigil for peace for the years 2011.  They will continue into the new year, and one of them made the comment tonight that maybe if the US gets out of Afghanistan in 2013, then they could stop by 2014.  But many of us do not think that will happen - most likely, a new war will be started by then. 

Many thanks to the Veterans for Peace for standing vigil for all these years.  They have been holding this vigil since 2003.  It is cold out there, but at this point in time, many people honk and many people support them. 

A Happy and Peaceful New Year to all!

New sign

This is a picture of Ron Harayda beside the new sign saying that Veterans for Peace will be cleaning up Roberts Street in the River Arts District of Asheville.  Across the street is the Phil Mechanic Studio, where the Vets for Peace Chapter 099 office is located.  This office is staffed from 11 AM to 3 PM Tuesday to Saturday.  Stop by and visit us!

Street cleanup

 On Saturday, November 12, 2011, Veterans for Peace, Chapter 099 did our first clean up of Roberts Street.  This is the street that our office is located on.  There was a studio stroll today in the River Arts district, and lots of people were out on the street.  The weather was beautiful.  Above is Ron and Kim on the clean up.

 James was also involved in the clean up (on the left) and there is another picture of Kim.

 Paul was another member of our clean up crew on November 12, 2011.

 This is the back of Ron, James, Kim and Paul walking up Roberts Street.

We were later joined by Susan C. and her dog, Sylvie, (in photo above) and Susan C. was the one who took this photo of all of us at the end of the clean up.  We did have several bags of trash, and there is probably more but the area was crowded with cars (from the studio stroll) so we could not get to them.  We will be doing this once a month.  Hope we always have this nice of weather.

Vigil and arrests at Pack Square on Veteran's Day

 

APD waited until after midnight to arrest these three veterans, so that they would not be arresting Veterans on Veterans Day.  They arrested these veterans for staying at Pack Square past the curfew.  They were charged with second degree trespass and released.   

Earlier in the evening, there was a vigil and a reading of the names of US military who were killed in our wars on Iraq and Afghanistan.

Here is some information from the Asheville CitizenTimes:

The suspects are Kenyon Canoll McClellan, 72, of Wezeltown Road, Old Fort; Jonathan Scott Geler, 25, of Buchanan Road, Asheville; and Kindra Ajanemi Phillips, 41, of Grandview Road, Asheville.

Twenty-eight Occupy Asheville participants were arrested and charged with minor offenses following vigils at the Vance Monument on Nov. 2 and 5.

 There were 24 arrested (or cited) on November 2, 2011 after a vigil for Scott Owen.  Four more were arrested on November 5, 2001.  In October, there were eight arrested for the same offense outside of City Hall.  Total arrested for staying in the park after curfew:  39.

Photos came from Kindra Phillips Facebook page.

Some VFP Chapter 099 members at Freedom Square

 These photos were taken on October 8, 2011 at Freedom Square in DC.  This was the beginning of the STOP THE MACHINE!  CREATE A NEW WORLD! protest that is still ongoing.  Above is Ken Ashe talking to another veteran.  The next picture below is Ymani Simmons, with a couple of other activists.  She is wearing her Veterans for Peace shirt.  And the last picture below is Paul Turner, another local Veterans for Peace Chapter 099 member.

Some views of Freedom Plaza - October 2011

The national Veterans for Peace have a large presence here at this protest.  We are now in day three, and here are some photos from the first day (October 6, 2011) when the march to the US Chamber of Commerce returned to Freedom Plaza.

Helping Homeless Veterans into Housing -- September 10, 2011

 

Thanks to all of you who helped in any way with the event at the Veterans Restoration Quarters this past Saturday morning.

The Land of the Sky UCC folks met with members of Veterans for Peace 099 and several veterans from the VRQ.

There was a flurry of activity as many "welcome home" baskets were assembled for those veterans who are transitioning from the center to independent living in their own apartments. Baskets were stuffed with

donated linens, towels, dishes, kitchen utensils, lamps, cleaning materials, brooms, tools and the like. There were some big items as well that got taken to the storage facility at the VA. A  mattress, bookcase,

TV, microwave oven, etc.

 There was a short program during which we got to hear from three of the veterans who told us their stories. We had coffee and refreshments and the children present made refrigerator decorations for the transitioning vets.

It was a worthwhile event and I wanted to thank everyone who participated.

Susan Carlyle

"Every year I am moved by the stories of the veterans, and one of our members was very moved by what Ken Ashe had to say re: how the militarism of our nation impacts those who serve.  She shared his words with everyone in church on Sunday."

--Rev. Amanda Hendler-Voss

Land of the Sky UCC

www.landoftheskychurch.org

photos by Susan Carlyle