July Flew By for MAAF Affiliates

July has been an extremely productive month for MAAF and its Affiliate groups around the globe!  Jason, MAAF President, and Maj. Ryan Jean, local MAAF member, participated as panelist experts during the American Humanist Association’s Congressional briefing concerning Humanist Chaplains.  The following week, both participated in a Twitter Chat, also sponsored by the AHA, discussing the same topic in more detail.  See the hashtag #AHAChat to read the posts.  In related news, a Humanist Navy Chaplain Candidate has been hired by the AHA as a Coordinator for the United Coalition of Reason, pending legal action against the Navy.

Rose piloting a volunteer recognition program for all MAAF Affiliate organizations and their members to better recognize the activities and community contributions conducted throughout the year.  As of July, MAAF Affiliate members have conducted over 850 hours of volunteer service around the world.  Write in to get your volunteer service recognized.

Rose also worked closely with the MAAF Point of Contact in Guam, and they were able to make MAAF Guam an official affiliate group.  MAAF Guam held their first meeting in July, despite several days of poor weather, and are looking forward to future activities and community building.

Fort Bragg MASH had a busy July! They held an Independence Day cookout at a member’s home, coming together as a group to celebrate our country’s independence.  During the month, they also fundraised to buy $200 worth of school supplies for the Ferguson-Easly Elementary School in Fayetteville.  Between using an ongoing Coke Reward fundraiser and some awesome local sales, Ft Bragg MASH was able to purchase 412 notebooks, 118 crayon packs, 480 pencils, 42 rulers, glue sticks, colored pencils, 10 reams of multiuse paper, and 50 packs of construction paper. This was supply donation was able to supply every child in the school with a notebook ad pencil!  Ferguson-Easley Elementary is the only STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) school in Fayetteville. In a poor neighborhood and predominately African-American, they treasure and truly need every donation. MASH supports this school because with the STEM curriculum, students learn valuable critical thinking skills crucial to producing rational and scientifically literate students.

CENTEX MAAF made it a month of shared meals, camaraderie, and conversation.  One meal was to bid farewell to their local event coordinator, Emily, who will be headed to Florida for graduate school.  This affiliate is looking for individuals to step up and help this group grow by organizing events and fundraisers, meetings, and socializing.

MASH Ft Campbell is still on the trivia circuit, with Team Flying Spaghetti Monster taking 3rd and 4th place in two different events.  The team was composed of local MAAF members and other area atheists and freethinkers in true community building style.  This local Affiliate is also looking to put together a military contingent to attend Skepticon in Springfield, MO on November 21-23, 2014.  Any interested individuals may contact MAAF National directly to be put in touch with the attendees by contacting MAAF.

The Patrick Atheists & Freethinkers held a monthly discussion group in early July, meeting over coffee.  Topics of discussion included recent Supreme Court decisions and the removal of the bible from the POW table in the base dining facility.

KMC-MAAF also held a monthly pub night, with fifteen attendees coming together in a night of community and friendship.

Humanists at and around Ft Leavenworth are working with Rose to get a group going.  If you’re in the Fort Leavenworth area, and are looking to be part of  freethinking community, please contact MAAF National to be put in touch with the local leader.