Manitoban Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists

Exams are winding down, summer’s right around the corner, and the weather’s actually quite nice, so I thought it would be a good time to give a quick retrospective of the 2007-2008 academic year, and to thank everyone that gave up their time to make MASH into what it is today.

Which bears the question: what is MASH today? Well, since September of 2007, MASH has gone from non-existence to being an active student group recognized by UMSU, consisting of over fifty of the most interesting people at the University of Manitoba. The executive (recently joined by member-at-large Katie Hamilton) has worked hard over the year to put on events from a guest speaker discussing humanism to a celebration of Darwin Day. The forum on this website has been wildly successful, now teeming with nearly a thousand posts, and is responsible for two letters to the editor printed in the Winnipeg Sun and the Winnipeg Free Press. Members have been dedicated enough to plan and organize a trip to Minneapolis for the National Conference of American Atheists.

In short, MASH has gone from this:

To this:

in just eight short months. I want to express my gratitude to those who have helped make MASH a success, and note that this is just the beginning. We are starting to plan for the next academic year very soon - and we’re always looking for more people to help out!

You may notice a few small changes to the site. For one, the logo that Caelin graciously designed now adorns the top left corner. There is now also a Pictures section containing pictures taken over the year. If you have any pictures that you’d like to contribute, then please let me know and I’d be happy to add them!

If you still have exams to finish up, then I wish you luck! Otherwise, I hope you have a great summer. There may be MASH get-togethers over the summer, so check your inbox for more details as we have them.

Thanks again for a great year!

Posted by trevor under News | Comments Off

• Time: 4:05 - 4:20 p.m.
• Location: Fireplace Lounge in University Centre
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, Steve Coutts, Katie Hamilton, Katie Higham, Brian Latour, Kate, Marc

1. SiGEC meeting

• Trevor went to SiGEC meeting on March 4th
• UMSU will give a maximum of $1000 to a student group.
• Since UMSU already gave us $350 for the movie night, we could potentially get $650 for the trip.

2. Fundraising

• SiGEC people suggested bake sales as a fairly easy means of fundraising.
• Trevor thinks we should hold off on fundraising for this term as everyone is too busy right now.
• Katie Hamilton suggests that we should have a bake sale early next school year.
  • Everyone is in agreement over these points.
• Kate (grad student) suggests BBQs as a good fundraiser.
  • Everyone is intrigued by this idea.
  • Katie Hamilton says she will look into a space at Arthur Mauro Residence as a potential future location for this.

3. Executive position for Katie Hamilton

• Trevor proposes that we give Katie Hamilton the honourary executive position of “Member-at-large”, in light of all the hard work she has put into this group.
  • Vote taken.
    • Unanimous in favour.

4. Other business

• Kate & Marc and a couple other people are also planning on attending the American Atheists Conference.
• Cheques will be given next week to people who paid upfront for MASH supplies.

Posted by steve under Minutes | Comments Off

• Time: 4:20 - 5:00 p.m.
• Location: Science Students’ Lounge
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, Steve Coutts, Katie Hamilton, Katie Higham, Brian Latour, Dave Wesst

1. Fundraising

• Need to raise some funds for trip.
• Bake sale?
  • Both Katies can contribute baked goods.
  • Trevor will find more information on how to run a bake sale and possible locations/times.
• T-shirts?
  • Need to design.
    • Maybe ask Caelin.
  • Should we take a deposit from potential buyers?
  • Will have to wait because everyone is busy right now.
• UMSU Travel Grants
  • Possible source of funds for trip.
  • Each person would have to apply for on his/her own.

Posted by steve under Minutes | Comments Off

• Time: 4:35 - 5:25 p.m.
• Location: Student Group Resource Centre (180 Helen Glass)
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, Steve Coutts, Katie Hamilton, Jason Hatherly, Katie Higham, Hung Lam, Brian Latour

1. Darwin Day

• Things needed for table:
  • Poster?
  • Flyers (provided by Institute for Humanist Studies)
  • Party hats and noisemakers (Trevor and Katie Hamilton will get at dollar store)
• Cake:
  • Print picture of Darwin wearing party hat on cake
  • Katie Hamilton is entrusted with purchasing and delivering the cake
• Movie:
  • Trevor will get a copy of “Flock of Dodos”
• Beverages:
  • Free pop from UMSU
• Table schedule:
  • Trevor and Brian from 10:30 - 1:00
  • Katie Hamilton and Katie Higham from 1:00 - 3:00
• We have Student Group Resource Centre booked from 3:30 onwards.
  • Katie Higham will pick up the key.

2. American Atheists Conference

• Trevor read and made some changes to the budget that Dave prepared for our trip.
• How much funding is reasonable to ask UMSU for?
  • At least registration fee ($50 each)
  • Possibly $100-150 per person
  • Trevor will contact UMSU and try to find out what we can ask for.
• Fundraising!
• Next meeting: fundraising ideas
  • T-shirts
  • Bake sale
    • Early March (10th-20th)?

3. Other business

• Some people have been asking if we could put minutes up for discussions on Friday meetings.
  • No, because:
    • Too much work for the Secretary
    • No reason for people to attend meetings
• Next executive meeting will take place on the Friday after Reading Week (Feb. 29th)

Posted by steve under Minutes | Comments Off

• Time: 4:38 - 5:00 p.m.
• Location: University Centre Eating Area
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, Steve Coutts, Katie Hamilton, Katie Higham, Dave Wesst

1. Events

• Trevor says there should be less focus on events this term.
• Katie Higham (Events Coordinator) will take more active role in planning events.
• Possibly have guest speakers.
• Katie Hamilton has offered to help out with planning events.
• Movie Night:
  • Katie Higham says we should plan another one soon.
  • Possible things to show: Heart of the Beholder, Penn & Teller’s Bullshit!
  • Set up poll on forums.

2. American Atheists Conference

• American Atheists Conference being held in Minneapolis from March 21-23.
• Need to know how many people are serious about going.
  • Steve and Katie Higham are already registered for conference.
  • Trevor and Katie Hamilton also plan on registering soon.
• Transportation:
  • Katie Hamilton has a car with room for 4-5 people.
• Hotel:
  • Steve has booked one room; need to book another.
• Will leave on Thursday, March 20 and return on Sunday, March 23.
• Limit of 5 people; is there another person who would like to come? Ask at next meeting?
• Need to find out whether passports are needed.
• Dave will find out about funding from UMSU.
  • We should forward hotel/conference confirmations to Dave.
• Steve will gather more information.

3. Bank account

• Motion made by Dave for the President and the Treasurer (Trevor and Dave) to have signing authority for bank account.
  • Motion seconded by Trevor.
  • Vote taken.
    • Unanimous in favour.

4. Fundraising

• Once bank account is set up, Dave will link it to a PayPal account to make donating easier.
• Need to design T-shirt
  • Since Caelin did such a good job on the logo, perhaps we could ask him if he would contribute a design.
  • In any case, designer would be compensated with free t-shirt.
  • T-shirts could also be sold through website.

Posted by steve under Minutes | Comments Off

• Time: 4:35 - 5:41 p.m.
• Location: Degree’s
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, David Wesst, Brian Latour, Katie Higham, Katie Hamilton, Jarrod Sumlak, Heather

1. Read minutes of last meeting.

2. Movie Night

• Went well!
• 17 people attended, most participated in discussion at the end.
• Dave collected receipts for applying for funding from UMSU.
• Venue and movie seletion was good.
• Things to improve on:
  • Plan further in advance for people that need to book days off of work.
  • Need to advertise better:
    • Can we put our event on the main UManitoba events page?
    • Some faculties/buildings were poorly flyer’d
    • Possible solution: have members in that faculty put up flyers (know the buildings better)
    • Another possible solution: have members gather together to split up into groups and flyer together (social event)

3. Bank account

• We can open up an account at a credit union like Cambrian without having to register as a non-profit organization
• Even with service fees, we’ll save more than the $85 it would take to register the organization.
• Dave will open the bank account soon.

4. January Recruitment Table

• “Business” side: What materials should we have available?
  • Business Cards (not for the table, but in general)
  • Pamphlets/Flyers
  • Poster board: make connection between superstition and religion.
  • Donation box
  • Small trinkets: Buttons, candy, bookmarks, condoms
• “Fun” side: How can we attract people and get their interest?
  • Superstition bash
    • Get a mirror to write on and later break. Take donations for spaces to write on. Charge ‘penis tax’ for the more vulgar things people might be likely to write/draw.
    • Possibly debunk some other stuff - magic tricks, things like that. Check Bullshit & Mythbusters for things that might be demonstratable.
    • Have the small trinkets under a ladder so that people must go under the ladder to get free stuff.
    • If we do multiple days, would be nice to have storage:
      • Talk to UMSU about storage (pottery salespeople store their wares somewhere)
      • Arthur Mauro has storage rooms
      • 102N in University Centre is a possibility for small stuff

5. Meetings for next semester

• Frequency: go from biweekly to weekly? Reasoning: meetings are fun, we usually run a bit long, weekly means less pressure to come to every meeting
  • Vote: All in favour
• Location:
  • Possibilities: small room in Engineering, many rooms in UC (4th-5th floor), Helen Glass boardroom, etc
  • Trevor will talk to UMSU about rooms available, compile a list, then decide on forums or early January

6. December break

• All correspondence will be done through email, the forums, phone, etc. No official meetings until January.

7. New Business

• When we have storage, create a donor wall. Donors get some space for a polaroid, small message, something like that. Possible link with donuts…?
• Fundraising
  • Bake sales
  • T-shirts - have a contest for witty slogans

Posted by trevor under Minutes | Comments Off

MASH is having its first movie night! It will take place in EITC E2-105 at 5:45PM on Thursday, November 22nd.

We will be featuring:

• Jesus Camp
  Jesus Camp follows three young children to the “Kids on Fire” summer camp where kids as young as 6-years-old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in “God’s army.”
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
  Magician duo Penn & Teller debunks pseudoscientific ideas, supernatural beliefs, and popular fads.
  We’ll be showing “12-Stepping” and “The Boy Scouts of America”
• Pizza
  An oven-baked, flat, usually round bread covered with tomato sauce and often cheese, with other toppings left optional.

To ensure we have enough pizza for everyone, please email events (at) ummash.org if you plan to attend.

Feel free to distribute this flyer.  If you have any questions, ask on the forum.

Posted by trevor under News | Comments Off

• Time: 4:39 - 5:31 p.m.
• Location: Degree’s
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, David Wesst, Brian Latour, Katie Hamilton, Caelin White

1. Read minutes of last meeting.

2. Constitutional amendments

• Statements of affirmation/condemnation
  • Can’t vote - not enough members for quorum
• Trevor will open a forum to propose statements of affirmation/condemnation

3. Bank account

• Dave went to HSBC to open an account
• Opening an account requires a non-profit business number
• Will apply for the business license on Monday

4. Movie Night

• On November 22 (Thurs) at 5:30 in E2-105
• Showing Jesus Camp and two episodes of Bullshit
  • Episodes suggested: Superstitions and Alien Abductions (Trevor will make final decision, for he is a powerful and benevolent tyrant)
• Will serve pizza
• Will design a flyer over the weekend, using new logo
• Put up flyers early next week
• Use UMSU’s advertising channels:
  • Event listing on website, LED board, Manitoban page

5. SiGEC Meeting

• Trevor went to the SiGEC meeting on Tuesday
• Met members of Campus for Christ, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, and others
  • Intervarsity Christian Fellowship is having a lunch-thing on November 21, from 11:30-1:30, at the Grad Students Association room in University Centre. They are supposedly engaging in some debate; it might be a good idea for us to go and join in the debate. Will find out more details and email with details.
  • Campus for Christ is having a debate in January; apparently they invite a Christian speaker and an atheistic speaker. Trevor said that we could provide the atheistic speaker and co-host the debate.
    • Katie recommended her friend in Brandon for the debate; he is an atheist and has won provincial debate competitions
• Got details on the January recruitment week. Goes from Jan. 7th - 11th, the application form must be filled out by December 10th
  • Preferred days: Tuesday and Thursday first, Friday second, the rest third
  • Will discuss our display at next meeting

6. New Business

• CBC’s Alex Freedman
  • Came to talk with Katie’s small class and spoke about a creation science museum in Alberta
    • Partially funded with public money
    • Near an actual science museum
    • Reactions
      • Article for the Manitoban? (Trevor / Katie will write)
      • Statement of condemnation?
• Fundraising
  • Set up donations through paypal
  • Other ways to get money without direct donations on the website (affiliates, filling out surveys, etc)
  • Designing and selling T-shirts, hoodies (start off with T-shirts)
• Darwin Day (Feb. 12)
  • More info: http://www.darwinday.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Day
  • “Darwin is my homeboy” T-shirts?
• 5:26 - Caelin arrives
• Logo designs
  • Caelin showed two pages of possible designs
    • Consensus seemed to be on a design with a circle within a circle with mash inside the smaller circle
      • Design is already in photoshop and being refined; bonus!
      • Caelin remains modest, but the logo is super awesome
      • Will try to finish this weekend so it can be used on movie night flyers
• Next meeting on Friday, November 23rd at 4:30 p.m.

Posted by trevor under Minutes | Comments Off

• Time: 4:45 - 5:42 p.m.
• Location: Degree’s
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, Brian Latour, Dave Wesst, Steve Coutts, Jen Robinson, Caelin White

1. Read minutes of last meeting.

2. Vote on amendment to Constitution, excluding office of Vice President and including offices of Public Relations Officer and Event Coordinator.

• Unanimous in favour

3. Office space

• Trevor spoke to UMSU and found out that:
  • Office space is allocated on a term by term basis.
  • We would need to write up a proposal, detailing why we require office space, and submit it by the first week of November.
• Pros and cons discussed:
  • Pro: Due to everyone’s erratic schedules, it would be good to have a communal area to store group materials.
  • Con: There is not much time to write the proposal.
• Motion to have proposal written by December in order to submit for next term.
  • Unanimous in favour

4. Bank account

• Dave presented his research on various banks and features of their accounts.
• After discussion, it is agreed that HSBC offers the best deal.
• Motion to open account at HSBC.
  • Unanimous in favour

5. Meeting schedule

• Discussion about best times/days to have meetings
  • Most people are not able to make it during the day due to classes.
  • Many people have Friday evening off.
  • We should at least meet once every two weeks.
• Motion to hold biweekly meetings on Friday at 4:30.
  • Unanimous in favour

6. Affiliation with Campus Freethought Alliance (CFA)

• Discussion:
  • If we affiliate with the CFA, we have access to resources such as speakers and promotional materials.
  • It is important that we make connections especially in our first year as a group.
• Motion to affiliate with CFA.
  • Unanimous in favour

7. Halloween Superstition Bash

• After discussion, it is agreed that it is not realistic to organize this event on such short notice.
• Motion to put in the “idea bank” for next year.
  • Unanimous in favour

8. New business

• Future speakers
  • Professors
  • Email shortlist to members and solicit for more.
• Identify possible faculty advisors
  • Rhonda Martens or Arthur Schafer?
  • Maybe others
• Fundraising ideas
  • Dave will bring for next meeting.
• Movie night
  • Need to decide on a date
    • Should be held in mid-November
  • Liquor license
    • Brian should find out who to talk to in UMSU/Administration about serving alcohol.
    • Might not be worth the trouble of getting license if only a few people show up.
  • Possible things to show will be put to a poll on forum.
• Logo design
  • Should be simple, look good in black and white, and include the acronym M.A.S.H.
  • Will discuss on forum where people can give input.
  • Caelin offered to come up with some different concepts and bring them to the next meeting.
• Statements of affirmation/condemnation
  • SSA suggests we write up statements to give people a better idea of what our group stands for.
  • Will discuss on forum.
• Secular Society conference on Nov. 9th
  • Should we send someone?
  • Discussed and determined to be unrealistic at this time but possible for next year.
• Next meeting of Humanist Association of Manitoba on Saturday, November 10th.

• Next general meeting on Friday, November 9th at 4:30 p.m.

Posted by steve under Minutes | Comments Off

• Time: 4:30 pm - 5:37 pm
• Location: Degree’s
• In attendance: Trevor Bekolay, Katie Higham, Brian Latour, Steve Coutts, Dave Wesst

1. General discussion

• Affiliations
  • Things we receive through UMSU affiliation
    • Should we apply for office space?
      • If possible, vote next meeting
  • Things we receive through SSA (Secular Student Alliance) affiliation

• Membership dues
  • All opposed

• Constitution amendment
  • change constitution to exclude office of Vice President and include offices of Public Relations Officer and Event Coordinator
    • vote next meeting

• Executive duties
  • Public Relations Officer (Brian)
    • Coordinate advertising and publicity for events
    • Maintain contact with the media
  • Event Coordinator (Katie)
    • Plan, organize, and coordinate events
    • Reserve event space
    • Thank presenters
  • Treasurer (Dave)
    • Open bank account
      • By next meeting, gather information and propose a bank at which to open an account
    • Keep track of donations and possible donators
    • Identify and pursue new sources of funding
  • Secretary (Steve)
    • Keep track of membership
      • Possibly set up webform for new members
    • Take attendance and vote counts at meetings
    • Take meeting minutes and post on website

2. Other orders of business

• Meeting schedule
  • Vote on possible times at next meeting

• Next event: Movie night?
  • Possible things to show: Dogma, Cosmos, South Park
  • Investigate possibility of offering alcohol

• Promotional materials: needed urgently
  • Business cards (free from SSA, need to design)
  • Pamphlets
  • Banners with logo
    • Will need graphic design help

3. New business

• Executive email addresses
  • Will be forwarded to existing email addresses

• Fundraisers/advertising
  • Best to hold any events before exam period
  • For the M/T/W of Halloween week, have an anti-superstition table set up in University Centre
  • Have ladders to walk under, umbrellas to open indoors, etc.
  • Possibly a mirror that we will break on Halloween (donators can write on)
  • We would need some promotional materials ready
    • A poster board with information about us and other things
    • Pamphlets that people can take with them
    • Information about next event
  • Will discuss in more detail at next meeting

• Next meeting: Friday, October 26th at 4:30 at Degree’s

Posted by steve under Minutes | Comments Off