2022-23: The Great Loop

by Ed Hedemann, War Resisters League July 4, 2023

Resources

Interactive map of the route
 
Map of Golden Rule’s position – real time on a map that’s updated every 10 minutes.

 
Current Schedule (https://bit.ly/GRGLSched) .

Brochure (with Schedule Summary)

facebook (best place to see live streaming, videos and pictures of events)
Ways to Take Action!
VFP Nuclear Posture Review

All Resources – templates and examples
 

Upcoming Events

Please follow the Golden Rule at share.garmin.com/goldenrule, where a new dot goes on a map every 10 minutes. It is very difficult to predict arrival times.
 
Here is a great map of our upcoming stops AND the location of nuclear facilities in the Great Lakes.

 
Mackinaw City: DELAY to night of 8/21
Mackinaw City Marina
NOTE: the Golden Rule will likely arrive in the evening on Mon 8/21. Please check the above Garmin tracker link if you want to come see us AND please call Helen at 206-992-6364 to let us know you want to come for a visit.

 
Traverse City: 8/23 – 8/24
Duncan L Clinch Marina
 
NOTE: the Golden Rule will probably arrive a day later than expected, on Wed 8/23. We will likely spend the night of 8/22 at Northport at the north end of Great Traverse Bay, with a flotilla coming in on Wed 8/23 to the marina. Final announcements will be made on 8/21 in the evening.
 
The film screenings, below, will happen regardless of the Golden Rule’s arrival time.
 
Golden Rule Peace Boat coming to Traverse City
Tue 8/22 6:30 pm Doors open
State Theatre, 235 E Front St
See “Making Waves: Rebirth of the Golden Rule” and
“The Phoenix of Hiroshima, An Odysey Interrupted”
Films 7 – 8 pm then Q&A
 

Wed 8/23
1 – 3 pm at Duncan L Clinch Marina
NOTE: the Golden Rule’s arrival time is unknown – please watch the Garmin tracker for an up-to-the-minute look at her location.
The crew and captain of the Golden Rule will host educational boat tours that bring to life the history and mission of the Golden Rule Project and provide an intimate look at how just a few people can make a difference.
 
4:30 – 8 pm at Open Space Park, 111 E Grandview Pkwy
next to Duncan L Clinch Marina
PEACE RALLY Speakers and music; the Golden Rule in the background
NOTE: This event will happen regardless of the arrival time of the Golden Rule.

 
Manitowoc: night of 8/24
 
Transit from Manitowoc to Sheboygan 8/25
Sail by – Point Beach NPP 8/25
 

Sheboygan, WI 8/25-29
Rotary Riverview Park, River Slip #4
401 Pennsylvania Ave Sheboygan
 

Sheboygan GR Flier FINAL
Sat Aug 26, 1 – 4 pm
Rotary Riverview Park
Brat fry, fundraiser, free live entertainment

Milwaukee, WI: 8/30 – 9/5
Lakeshore State Park
 
Fri Sept 1

10 AM NEWS CONFERENCE at Discovery World, 500 N Harbor Dr. Proclamation from Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Land acknowledgment by Mark Denning, remarks by Helen Jaccard, Janet Hilliker of Friends Meeting.
 
11-12 Boat visits and tours by news conference participants and attendees
 
12-4 Boat visits by the public at Discovery World
 
3-4 PM Presentation at St John’s On The Lake retirement community, 1984 N Prospect Ave, contact Roger Quindeel rq1945@gmail.com 414-651-4820.
 
6 PM – Potluck dinner organized by Peace Action Wisconsin at ZAO Milwaukee Church, 2319 E Kenwood Blvd. Contact to RSVP: Pam Richard, Peace Action office manager. pamrichard35@gmail.com, Peace Action 414-269-9525
 
Sat, Sept 2
 
PARTY IN THE PARK, 2-5pm, Lakeshore State Park, at Golden Rule boat slip. Music produced by Flagship Wisconsin, with folksingers David HB Drake, Rick Fitzgerald, John Higgins and Craig Siemsen; and the Raging Grannies! Water and light snacks available. Attendees encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Rain date is Sunday. Boat visits/tours will be offered during the 2-5pm party
 
Sun, Sept 3
 
10 AM: Unitarian Universalist Church West, 13001 W. North Ave. , Brookfield. Presentation during service, which will be built around theme of peace.
 
1-4 BOAT VISITS at Lakeshore State Park
 
RAIN DATE FOR PARTY IN PARK, 2-5
 
Mon, Sept 4 LABOR DAY
 
BOAT VISITS 1-5 at Lakeshore State Park
 
Laborfest sponsored by Milwaukee Area Labor Council is on nearby Summerfest grounds from 12-5pm, and Golden Rule is listed as the special guest. Admission is free.
 
Tues, Sept 5
 
DEPARTURE FOR RACINE
Possible Flotilla organized by Flagship Wisconsin, time to be announced later
 

Racine, WI: 9/5 – 9/7
Reefpoint Marina
2 Christopher Columbus Causeway
 
Tues Sep 5, 3:30 pm
Reefpoint Marina
Welcome – The Native American Color Guard, a welcome by Skip Twardosz, a welcome by the County, by a Potawatomi Elder, and a Proclamation by Mayor Cory Mason.
 
4:00 to 5:30 pm “Open Boat” – visit the boat, meet the crew, discuss what you can do to stop the possibility of nuclear war

 
Wed, Sept 6th
Siena Center
5637 Erie Street
10:30 Presentation for the Sisters
11:30 “Dinner” for Sisters and the Golden Rule team
 
1:00 – 5:00 pm “Open Boat”, Reefpoint Marina
Meet the crew, learn about the Golden Rule and nuclear issues today!
1:00-1:45 Music by David HB Drake
1:45-2:45 Speakers, activities for kids, actions for adults
2:45-3:15 Music by David HB Drake
 
3:00 pm Ground Zero Veterans Outreach
1011 Main Street Union Grove WI 53182
Presentation by Golden Rule Ambassadors, public welcome!

5:30 pm dinner with crew
Infusino’s, 3225 Rapids Dr
Please RSVP to RCPJpeace@yahoo.com by Sept 1

 
7:00 pm First Presbyterian Church
716 College Ave, Racine, WI 53403
Presentation

 
St Joseph, Michigan / Kalamazoo (Palisades NPP): 9/7 – 9/13
West Basin Marina (273 Marina Dr.)
 
Thursday evening, September 7:
Daily boarding times will be announced for tours and oral history by the crew. (See: https://vfpgoldenruleproject.org/) The marina is about 15 miles from both the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant in Bridgman (to the south), and the Palisades atomic reactor in Covert (to the north).
 
Saturday evening, September 9:
Concert for the Great Lakes at Final Gravity Brewing Company in downtown Kalamazoo, MI (246 N. Burdick St.). Traverse City-based folk singer/songwriter Victor McManemy opens at 6pm (all times are Eastern Time); s.w. MI-based Great Lakes Brass Band opens at 8:30pm. During the inter-band intermission, Golden Rule Project Manager Helen Jaccard, crewmate Gerry Condon, and Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, will speak; so too local and state-wide watchdogs on the Palisades atomic reactor crisis. Info.-tabling throughout.
 
Monday, September 11:
Teach-Ins on Nuclear Issues
 
Noon-5pm: Food (pizza, bread, salad) and non-alcoholic beverages provided during teach-in at the Martini’s Restaurant Pronto Room (upstairs), 832 S. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo.
 
12pm, orientation/info.-tabling/lunch
1pm Golden Rule, Great Lakes nuclear issues
2pm, old, closed Palisades “zombie” atomic reactor restart scheme crisis
3pm Small Modular Reactor new build threats
4pm, radioactive waste risks at Palisades and beyond. Hybrid Zoom webcast provided for remote virtual participation. Speakers will include local, Great Lakes regional, national and binational (U.S. and Canada) experts and watchdogs, such as: Veterans for Peace Golden Rule Project Manager Helen Jaccard; Arnie Gundersen, Chief Engineer, Fairewinds – for more than a decade, the environmental coalition’s expert witness against Palisades; and many others.
 
6-8pm: Teach-In Main Event
sponsored by WMU Department of Sociology; co-sponsored by Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War, KNOW–http://kzoo4peace.org/
New Student Center (room number to be announced), 1070 Arcadia Loop, Western Michigan University main campus, Kalamazoo, MI 49006.
 
Speakers will include: WMU professor Dr. Ron Kramer, on his forthcoming book Apocalyptic Crimes, which argues that nuclear weapons pose an apocalyptic threat to humanity, are illegal under international law, and must be abolished; Veterans for Peace Golden Rule Project Manager Helen Jaccard; Denise Duffield (Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles); Fairewinds Chief Engineer Arnie Gundersen; and more! We hope to webcast this session for virtual viewing as well. Stay tuned!
 
Tuesday, September 12:
3-5pm, showing of two short films on the amazing history of the Golden Rule peace boat – “Making Waves: The Rebirth of the Golden Rule,” and “Phoenix of Hiroshima-An Odyssey Interrupted.” Discussion afterward with Golden Rule Project Manager Helen Jaccard, and crew mate Gerry Condon. Van Deusen Room (top floor), downtown Kalamazoo Public Library central location, 315 S. Rose St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007.
 
For more information, contact Kevin Kamps, Beyond Nuclear and Don’t Waste Michigan, at (240) 462-3216, kevin@beyondnuclear.org.
 
Chicago, IL: 9/12 – 9/18

 
9/19 – 9/24
Likely location – Racine
NEED VOLUNTEERS! Remove sails, rigging, bowsprit
Unstep and strip the masts
Prepare for trucking the Golden Rule to California
 
9/25 – 29 Five days on the truck to California
 
9/30 – ?
Likely location – Zerlang Boatyard in Samoa
NEED VOLUNTEERS! Re-rig the boat

Great Loop Organizing Meetings – ONLY UPON REQUEST!!!

Life has gotten a bit crazy and these regular meetings cannot always happen. So.. please contact Helen Jaccard, vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com or 206-992-6364 if you need a zoom meeting to discuss plans for your particular port.

Tuesdays at 3:30 PM Pacific, 4:30 Mountain, 5:30 Central, 6:30 Eastern
Wednesdays at 1:30 PM Pacific, 2:30 Mountain, 3:30 Central, 4:30 Eastern
Zoom Link – or phone in to 669-900-6833, Meeting ID 638 387 2592 Password 1234
If you come in and the meeting is not yet started, please text Helen at 206-992-6364.

Please Keep the Wind in our Sails!

Thank you to the many people who have contributed their love, time and money to the unique mission of the historic Golden Rule anti-nuclear sailboat. Because of you we have made many friends and educated tens of thousands of people about the continuing dangers of nuclear war, and we have helped build support for the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

This would be a great time for an infusion of cash and a vote of confidence for our continuing mission. Thank you so much for being part of the Golden Rule family!

Please click the donate button or send a check to:

VFP Golden Rule Project
PO Box 87
Samoa, CA 95564

Embedded interactive map of the Great Loop: