Community Cultural Celebration
Gathering meeting minutes
Feb 18, 2006

Meeting opened at 10:20 am, Karen Hawkins (recording secretary)
Attendees: Sally Chappell, Betty Dyer, Joan Emerson, Bev Larimore, Nancylou Stiles, Karen Hawkins

Introductions were made (names and interests)
Nancylou – was in Ecuador working with the Peace Corp, attends Bridgton UMC
Sally – climate changes, worked with the Peace Corp in Sierra Leone, Africa, attends St. Josephs Catholic Church
Betty – worked with Catholic Charities on Refugee Resettlement project, Attends Church of Good Fellowship, “all people, no matter how different, are equal”
Joan – interested in US cultures, talked about young woman (Dori) church sponsored doing missionary work, global warming, attends Bridgton UMC
Bev – lived in Germany & Hawaii and experienced being a minority which led to greater understanding of other cultural experiences, interested in learning more about other cultures migrating here to live in Maine, attends Bridgton UMC
Karen – interested in children and animals, attends Bridgton UMC
Alan Crabtree of Sebago was unable to attend this meeting as he was just deployed back to help in Louisiana during Mardi Gras 
Mike McClellan from the Bridgton Greater Lakes Chamber of Commerce also is interested in participating in this event, 647-3472 (mikem@mainelakeschamber.com)

Discussions included:
* creating a mission statement for this group – goal “The Community Cultural Celebration promotes understanding of worldwide cultures on a personal level.”
* list of potential cultures (presentors) to invite – Shakers (Gray), Quakers Rt 26, Poland), Amish Community (Symnria), French living in Maine (Lewiston), Native Americans, Hispanics (Fryeburg), Guatemalans (Lily), African culture (Henry Hamilton), South American (Rev Ed), Bridgton area (our culture), Russian (Juliet – also in Gorman), Seeds of Peace, homeless
* what would be presented at this event by the various cultural groups – demonstrations and/or videos of activities specific to the culture, apparel, food, music, recreation, language/dialect
* cultures interdependent on each other
* locating grant money (N.E. Conference, Portland Cultural Exchange)
* fundraising – buttons for purchase (like Winter Carnival ones), donation for meal
* difference between culture and religion – culture is how you live (eat, recreate, music, etc.), religion is your spiritual beliefs
* Sept 9 – invite representatives from each presentation to this meeting for finalization of programs
* Sept 24 – Grand Finale – all participants
* result of this event – gather info for presentations to schools, civic organizations, churches, community
 
Commitment to contact or present:
Sally – climate changes (maps, videos), research Seeds of Peace, Marshall Islands, G’wichins
Karen – Juliet (Russia), Amish, Native Americans, Homeless spokes group, grant money

Meeting closed at: 12:05 pm
Next meeting – March 11 from 10:00 am - noon