2005 Green-Rainbow Party State Convention

Minutes of the convention -- not available yet.

Registration form due May 20th, 2005 to reserve free food and childcare

Green-Rainbow News 2005 Spring

On Saturday and Sunday, June 4th and 5th, the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party is holding its annual Convention at Camp Middlesex, 1031 Erickson Road, Ashby, MA. Camp Middlesex is a 4-H camp with lots of open space, lovely setting and a short distance from Willard Brook State Park.

The 2005 convention committee organized something new and unique this year. In keeping with our party’s pledge to Abolish Poverty, we are planning to have this convention be as inexpensive as possible for those attending.  The committee chose the “camping convention” venue this year to bring new people in and to showcase our party and its values.

The more we charge, or make people feel obligated to pay, the more we fail in our main goal of inclusion. We will, of course, ask for donations at the convention from any who are able to do so, and if we did our job correctly, we believe that folks will be willing to financially help the Green-Rainbow Party. We encourage committee chairs to bring this message to members and to others who attend their meetings. We want new faces from all walks of life. If you know friends, relatives, other activists please invite them.

We will offer free food and free childcare. We will be serving a continental breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and a continental breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Vegetarian meals will be offered also. Please complete the registration form so we will know how much food to prepare and how many childcare providers we will need. Please return the form by May 20, 2005. While there are no charges for the convention, it does cost money to put it on. So please consider sending in a donation along with your registration form.

Even if you don’t get your registration form in on time, you are still encouraged to come to the convention. If you can’t come, please send a donation if you can to help offset the cost for all our sisters and brothers who can’t afford to pay. You can download fill out a donation form and send it in with your donation, or donate online.

Volunteer help is needed at the convention. Please consider that this event is your event and by pitching in will make it run smoother and easier. Cleanup, especially on sunday afternoon, is always welcome, as well as food prep help. Email <office @ green-rainbow.org> or call 978-688-2068 to let us know in advance how you can help.

Travel and Directions

You can get to the camp by either:

• MBTA Commuter Train and shuttle to the camp. Please send in the registration form to indicate you will be needing a ride from the train and from which one. The line is the Boston - Fitchburg line (one-way fare : $5.75). You need to go to the last stop in Fitchburg. The schedule can be found here. If wheelchair assistance is required, we have access to a wheelchair accessible van with certified drivers. Please indicate that on your registration form.
• Car. Please fill it up with as many people as possible.

Driving Directions to the 4-H Camp Middlesex are as follows:

From points East/West/North

• Route 2 towards Fitchburg to exit 32 for Leominster/Lunenberg, Rte 13 north
• Bear left under train track bridge then right at Walmart Plaza and direct left to continue on 13 North for approximately 10-12 miles
• At Townsend Center take a left onto Route 119 West towards Ashby.
• Turn left at the intersection of Route 119 & 31, stay on 119 West.
• In Ashby center look for the sign for Camp Middlesex at Ashby Market.
• Turn left on South Street before Ashby market.
• Bear left at the fork in the road, then left on Ericson Road at the top of hill, watch for the sign for Camp Middlesex
• Follow the signs to parking, and welcome to 4-H Camp Middlesex!

From points South

• Take the Mass Pike (90) to Exit 10 (I-395/I-290 Worcester)
• Take I-290 north for approximately 9 miles to Exit 19-20 (towards I-190)
• Take I-190 North for approximately 19 miles to Route 2 West
• Exit Route 2 at first exit for Route 32/13 North
• Follow the directions "From points East/West/North" directions above

Overnight Accomodations

Overnight accommodations at the campsite are $10 per person and you need to bring your own linens, sleeping bag, pillow, etc. Arrangements can be made on Saturday after you arrive.

Convention Agenda and Schedule

Caucus meetings and workshops

Caucus meetings and workshops provide attendees with the opportunity to network and to learn. There will be a number of caucus meetings and workshops that will furnish information on diverse issues such as party building, diversity, environment, and poverty. Click here for descriptions of the confirmed workshops.

Saturday night entertainment

The entertainment for Saturday’s dinner will be music, the spoken word, and a guest speaker yet to be named, so stay tuned.  To help raise funds for the party, we are planning to have a silent auction.  If you have items that you are willing donate, please let us know.

Plenary sessions

We will nominate and elect officers, including a female and male co-chairs, treasurer, secretary, communications director, membership director, and fundraising director.  A plenary session will review any by-law changes that have taken place during the year. Committee chairs will give reports; proposals will be presented and voted on.

TENTATIVE AGENDA AND SCHEDULE (Subject to change)
Saturday, June 4
8:00 am - 9:00 am	Free Continental Breakfast, Registration and Credentialing starts
9:00 am	Day Care starts
9:00 am – 10:30 am	Plenary Session I with Welcome, Co-Chairs Address, March to Abolish Poverty Announcement, and 30 minute video "Tim Wise on White Priviledge"
10:45 am – 12:15 am	Caucuses: 1) 10:45-11:30 2) 11:30-12:15
12:15 – 1:30 pm	FREE LUNCH, Games, Tye-dye, Making signs
1:30 pm	Proposal ranking due at registration table
1:30 pm – 3:20 pm	2 Workshops (choice of two) 1) Addressing Race and Class Bias in the Party and 2) Rights-Based Organizing: Establishing Democracy in Massachusetts
3:30 pm – 4:50 pm	Plenary Session Two: Nominations and Nominators' Statements
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm	2 Workshops (choice of two) 1) Palestine 2) Does the Right to Vote Matter?
6:35 pm – 7:35 pm	FREE DINNER, Door Prizes
6:00 pm	Day Care ends
7:45 pm – 8:45 pm	Chuck Turner and District 7 Advisory Group will discuss what District 7 is doing including The Fund the Dream
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm	Evening Entertainment
Sunday, June 2
8:00 am – 9:00 am	Free Continental Breakfast, Registration and Credentialing
9:00 am – 10:00 am	Plenary Session III: Bylaws Changes Review, Ballots handed out
9:00 am	Day Care starts
10:10 am – 12:00 Noon	2 Workshops (choice of two) 1) The Future of the Party 2) The Failure of the Peace Movement
10:30 am – Noon	Workshops (choice of five)
Noon – 1:30 pm	FREE LUNCH
1:45 pm – 4:00 pm	Plenary Session IV: Ballots collected and tallied, Proposals, Election Results
5:00 pm	Day Care ends