Young people, ages 13-18 in the greater Brattleboro area are invited to attend the meeting of an interfaith youth group on Sunday, February 11 from 5 to 7:30 pm at the Guilford Community Church, supported by various local faith communities.

February is an apt month for our young people to focus on how 'love can counter hate', explains organizer Brian Remer. He says that the objective of the evening is for the group to learn an example of how by banding together when there is an incident of hate, and responding with 'giant helpings of love', they can make a difference.

Guest speaker Ann Braden, founder of the 'Local Love Brigade' will be sharing how people can respond to incidents of hate in Vermont by making and mailing postcards to Vermonters facing hate. In the past 5+ years, the brigade has sent thousands of heart-strewn postcards to victims of harassment statewide.
"Love can be fierce and strong and powerful," Braden says. "That's really what we're channeling here."

Remer says he also hopes the youth are inspired by learning about how Braden, a middle school teacher, founded two organizations: Local Love Brigade and Gun Sense Vermont (which addresses the root causes of school shootings) to create change in Vermont.

"Who knows, someday one of the young people in the room could be inspired to set out to address an issue they're passionate about by starting an organization, as Braden has," Remer says.

Attendees will get to know each other through games, sharing a meal and exploring which activities they'd be interested in pursuing one Sunday afternoon a month this year.
Affiliation with a congregation is not expected though the one-Sunday-evening-a-month gathering is supported by various local faith communities.

Past groups have tackled community service projects, social justice issues, learned about different faith traditions, canoed and camped together, held overnight "Lock-Ins" locally, attended youth leadership conferences and explored New York City's diversity and rich traditions.
The goal for this group is to build leadership skills and friendships among young people who care and want to make a difference in their communities.

In the past decade, youth have taken a service trip each year to places as diverse as New Orleans, Kenya, St. Croix, El Salvador, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, with the group fundraising to support each venture and to ensure its affordability.

The Guilford Community Church is located at 38 Church Drive. in Guilford, VT. Directions: 1-91 to Vermont Exit 1 (Brattleboro), south on Route 5 to just past the Guilford Country Store, left on Bee Barn Road, left again on Church Drive.

For information, please contact Nanci at (802) 258-8348 or email nanci.leitch@gmail.com

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