Resources for Organizing and Social Change
161 Stovepipe Alley
Monroe, ME 04951
(207) 525-7776
rosc@psouth.net

Dear Friends of ROSC,

Thanks to almost 300 of you, ROSC has received about $22,000 so far during 2006 toward our goal of $25,000. We still welcome donations or a sign of life for 2006, and, for those who need it, those donations are tax deductible. If you're not sure if you already donated, you can donate and have the money put toward 2007 if you already gave in 2006. All donations make a real difference, whether $3 or $3,000.

Besides your individual support, which is what REALLY keeps us going, ROSC was awarded a grant from an aanos donor for our No Class project. We also welcome donations of stock and of property such as vehicles (which are given to activists who need one for their work).

ROSC has a new mailing address, our street address of 161 Stovepipe Alley, Monroe, ME 04951. We also have a new email: rosc@psouth.net.

Welcome to new people on our mailing list. We hope you will support ROSC and become involved in our work.

-Larry Dansinger

ROSC board members: Norm Meldrum, Jim Loomis, Hillary Lister, Annie Lunt, and jesse leah vear. Other staff are Karen Tucker and Sue Rudalevige (AVP), Rob Pfeiffer (MDMC), and Steve Hoad, Norm Meldrum, & Sharon Wachsler (AbilityMaine).

What's New?
Whether the ignorance is accidental or intentional, there is a huge lack of public and political awareness about nonviolence as a way to resolve conflicts and problems in both public and government. Larry Dansinger is organizing a training for nonviolent action trainers in early January to encourage more awareness and use of nonviolent action to address public policy (such as the Iraq occupation) problems. If you want to offer a training to your group or in your community, please contact Larry for details. Costs are minimal.

Breath & Shadow, the literary journal by and for people with disabilities, has gained national recognition as a source of great writing within and beyond the disability community in the U.S. It has become respected enough so that six of its best pieces for 2006 have been nominated for Pushcart Press Prizes, meaning that, if selected, they will be included in the next Pushcart Press anthology of small press literary work. Breath & Shadow is on the www.abilitymaine.org web site. Check out its latest writing, along with other important news about disability issues in Maine and beyond.

What's Ongoing

*No Class has done workshops on classism and class discrimination at several events in Maine and wants to do more in the winter/spring. Contact ROSC to arrange for your area;
*Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) continues its workshops in the Windham facility and Cumberland Co. Jail and did two community workshops in the Portland area. New coordinators are Karen Tucker and Sue Rudalevige;
*The 12th annual Changing Maine gathering will take place on January 27, with a theme of social transformation. A flyer about the event has been sent and will be sent again early in January;
*Kate Harris and Paul Eagle have begun work on the next (sixth edition) Changing Maine Directory. Contact ROSC if you want to order a copy(ies) of the new edition when it is ready;
*The Maine War Tax Resistance Resource Center had its information at the annual New England WTR gathering in early Nov. and has an annual workshop for new or current WTRs planned for February;
*Planning has begun for the 4th annual GROW (GrassRoots Organizers's Workshop) weekend in New Hampshire, which will probably take place in June, 2007, with several new GROW grads as planners.
*Planning for a 7th annual Youth Activism Gathering should begin in January, with the gathering happening in the spring.

Connected Projects

*ROSC continues as a member of MaineShare, with Larry Dansinger as its representative;
*Larry is phasing down his work with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Maine Program on Youth and Militarism by December. The committee is strong and should do a great job without him. He will continue to do draft/military counseling through Maine Draft and Military Counselors;
*Larry continues as an active member of the Peace and Justice Group of Waldo County, which sponsors weekly vigils, monthly films and programs, and other projects;
*Larry continues as a National Committee member to the War ResistersLeague, of which ROSC is an affiliate. He attended a national meeting in October in Texas;
*ROSC continues as a fiscal sponsor for various grassroots nonprofits, including Maine Books to Prisoners, GE-Free Maine, People's Free Space, CAPIT, BACORD, and the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine.