AFSC Supporters "Make Lemonade"

Make Lemonade Slideshow

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When the politics and the economy hand out lemons, what do you do? Gather your friends to sing, share stories, inspire each other to keep on taking action for social justice, and make lemonade! That's what happened Nov. 12 at a benefit for the AFSC's New Hampshire Program, at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord.

Lew Feldstein was the guest speaker at the NH Program's annual dinner, Nov. 12.

Photos by: Sandy Isaacs

When politics and the economy hand out lemons, what do you do?  You gather friends, sing together, eat good food, share words to inspire continued action for social justice, and make lemonade!  That's what AFSC supporters did Nov. 12 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord.  

Recalling his days supporting voter registration drives in Mississippi in the 1960s, guest speaker Lew Feldstein drew on memories of another time when deteremined hope for change was balanced by grim realities.   His message for the AFSC community:  "You need to stay in the game."

From his desk at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, from which he has recently retired as president, Lew had a good view of the state's needs and of efforts to address them.  Although the AFSC is "so tiny you should be marginal," he said, the AFSC has often been ahead of the curve on issues facing the state.   "You are our tuning forks," he said, even when it sometimes feels lonely.

Lew reminded the gathering that "we need to take care of ourelves and the people around us.  None of us can do it alone."  

The evening also included energetic singing led by Carolyn Parrott and Brad Dorsey, and an "AFSC Quiz Show" hosted by Thato Ramoabi.   (See if you can guess the answer to this quiz question:  "The AFSC campaigned for 12 years for a state holiday honoring afamous American.  Was it Franklin Pierce, Martin Luther King, Jr., or Kim Kardashian?")   You can study for our next Quiz Show by looking at a chronology of AFSC-NH Highlights.

Everyone shared a wonderful dinner prepared by volunteers or donated by local restaurants.  And the event raised several thousand dollars to support the ongoing work of the New Hampshire Program.

If you missed it, contact the office for a copy of our program booklet.