The Pioneer Valley Chapter has had a busy summer. Our members have been involved with a number of activist organizations. Rick Purcell helped to stop a gas pipeline from going through Holyoke thus making the pipeline a moot point. Lois Gagnon, Manny Pintado and Garrett Connelly have continued their work with the Western Mass Venezuela Solidarity Coalition. The group has held report backs from people who have been to Venezuela. Some of the Venezuela group members took part in the embassy protection action in Washington DC. The action committee of the coalition is in the process of showing films in order to educate the public about what is happening in Venezuela. Elizabeth Humphrey has been involved with the Wendell State Forest Alliance protesting logging of old growth oak trees. Other members of our chapter have agreed to join the alliance in an effort to help save the forest from further destruction. We are also collecting signatures to get Ranked Choice Voting on the ballot in 2020. We are in the process of setting up a calendar for tabling at events in the valley to try and recruit new members. Plus we've been trying to start a new chapter in Greenfield. Some of us took part in the Climate Strike in Boston and in Northampton. Five members of the chapter attended at least some of the ANM in July.

This year, the SouthCoast Green-Rainbow Chapter has met 17 times with an average attendance of 3.5. We have worked locally on two statewide campaigns 1. Ranked Choice Voting. We have worked closely with the Voter Choice MA team, collecting petition signatures, making calls, and lobbying on Beacon Hill. In January, we recruited the first (and only) Bristol County representative, Alan Silvia, to support the measure. Recently, we have met with Representative Paul Schmid to discuss his concerns. 2. Plastic Bag Ban Ordinances. The SouthCoast Green Rainbow chapter has proposed a Fall River city ordinance banning retail plastic bags. The local Our Revolution and the Green Futures of Fall River have publicly endorsed our proposal. We have also tabled on this matter at the Fall River Pride Day. Our chapter has supported a similar bag ban ordinance in New Bedford. At present, both proposed ordinances are with the respective Corporation Counsels. In January, we bore large “Greens March Forward” signs in the New Bedford Women’s March. In May, we met with Frances Boyd, organizer for Medicare for All. While endorsing her proposals we have not had the volunteers to actively recruit support in our county. In June, we met with the UMass Dartmouth chapter of the Sunrise movement. We will be continuing the conversation now that school has resumed. We have also twice donned our Green-Rainbow caps while standing out in opposition to the ICE program at the Bristol County jail in Dartmouth. Given the resignation in 2018 of our Co-Chair, Justin Rocha, and our Secretary, Sean Connell, we have been unable to maintain the multiple chapter roles or the participation on state working committees. Sadly, we have no local Green candidates to promote in this cycle. We would hope to participate in any state-sponsored ideas or programs to inspire Green candidates in our area. As the election season heats up, we expect that new blood will swell our depleted ranks. We look forward to amplifying our voices in support of the Green-Rainbow Party. Eileen Wheeler Sheehan, Treasurer October 5, 2019

The Comcom has had calls in June and August. We have had difficulty getting people to be active in the committee with certain exceptions. We attempt to announce local events members can volunteer at such as the Bread and Roses, the ANM, and the Climate Strikes. I do hear of people who are interested in working on the committee (which is exciting) and others who are concerned about our content who I'd like to in its to be active on the committee especially as I will be leaving the state party next month. Our functions include adding and maintaining website content, adding content to our social media, sending our press releases, cultivate media contacts and other miscellaneous duties including adjusting Bylaws when needed. With all of that in mind I'd like to recruit members who are interested.