Core Members

Core members attend monthly planning meetings and participate in scheduled events, including Java Chats, special presentations, demonstrations and vigils.

	Patti Barrette patriciabarrette@gmail.com Patti was born in Puerto Rico, the daughter of an officer and registered nurse who served in the military meeting in France during World War ll. She grew up in the Army moving often, seeing many places. A graduate of Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan with two majors, Sociology and Family and Consumer Resources . She is retired from Social Work, has coached Soccer, was a field director for Girl Scouts and is at present Area Representative for Youth For Understanding, a foreign exchange program. She is married with three children and three grandchildren. She endeavors to work for peace and the environment. She has lived in Cheboygan for thirty-two years in the passive solar home she and her husband built on their farm.
	Anabel Dwyer anabeldwyer@yahoo.com 231-436-5654 Anabel is an international lawyer dealing with the illegality of nuclear weapons. She is a member of the Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy and has defended individuals resisting nuclear weapons. She was an active participant in the World Court Project in the Hague (the World Court concluded that Nuclear Weapons were illegal under international law). She has presented papers on these topics at international conference. Anabel is also a founding member of Urban Options and the Lansing Area Peace Center. She holds degrees from Welsley College (music), Michigan State (Urban Planning) and the Cooley Law School).
	David Dwyer dwyer@msu.edu 231 436-5654 www.msu.edu/~dwyer David retired from teaching African linguistics and linguistic anthropology at Michigan State University, where he also cofounded the specialization in Peace and Justice Studies. He has also been active in the Lansing Area Peace Center and has served on East Lansing City Council's Transportation Commision. David is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Cameroon) and has a B.A. in Anthropology from Michigan and an M.A. and PhD in Linguistics from Michigan State.
	Dale Giddings P.O. Box 336 Wolverine, Michigan 49706-0336 Dale retired from teaching high school German and physics for 14 years in Oregon as well as overseas in Germany and Belgium. He retired in 2000 and now trying to lead a post oil age life style in Wolverine Michigan. These activities include growing a provisioning garden, bee colonies and heating with wood, which he cuts himself by hand. Dale is a US Army veteran and holds a B.S. in Physics, an M.A. in German and a Diploma for Advanced Graduate Studies at Michigan State University.
	Joann P. Leal jpl0206@att.net Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Joann’s roots were planted in Mackinaw City as far back as 1917 when her grandfather purchased property along Wawatam Beach in Mackinaw City where in 1923 he built the family summer cottage which has since passed down through five generations.Joanne moved here permanently in 1987 and in 1992 became the Executive Director of the Cheboygan Area Arts Council and Manager of the historic Opera House in Cheboygan. Having retired in May of 2008, she keeps herself busy with local civic and charitable organizations.
	Karen Martin Karen4peace@yahoo.com Karen was born in N.Y., and grew up in S. California. She moved to Cheboygan in 11/1970. She and Dennis have been married for 37 years. Karen received her B.S. Degree in Human Services at Lake Superior State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She worked for Michigan Dept. of Human Services from 1995-1/2008. Other activities: Den Mother (4 yrs.); Co-coordinator of Cheboygan County's 1980 Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising Drive; she worked on saving the Mourning Doves (2006); Hospice volunteer & College Intern (5yrs.); she urged the Cheboygan City Council to adopt the Greenpeace STOP GLOBAL WARMING proposal, and the Cheboygan County Recycling plan, and she put forth to the council & urged them to endorse a Federal level Dept. of Peace; she is a frequent contributor to Letters to the Editor on important social issues; Karen attended two major anti-war rallies in Washington D.C. (9/05 & 1/07); and finally Karen is the founder of the SACCFPJ (5/06).
	Sherry Nelson sherrynels@aol.com Sherry Nelson is a free lance writer and marketing consultant. She is recently retired from publishing Nelson's Today a monthly newspaper which she and her husband operated for twenty years in Chicago's western suburbs. Following his passing, she moved permanently to their dream retirement home on Mullett Lake. An MSU grad, Sherry also worked in retail for fifteen years--as a buyer with J.L. Hudson Co, store manager with Bonwit Teller, and merchandise manager with I. Magnin. She also taught figure skating for ten years. Her four children are spread across the United States and have diverse careers, including a daughter playing flute with the Band of Flight in the USAF, and a son serving in the Peace Corps in Cameroon. Sherry volunteers in supporting topical programs and works with the Earth Week group.
	Leonard Page leonard@thepages.net "Butch" is currently a Cheboygan County Commissioner, and "of counsel" with an employee-side law firm in the Detroit area. He worked on the legal staff of the United Auto Workers from 1970 througy 1999 and was appointed by President Clinton to serve as General Counsel of the National Labor Relation Board in 1999. He resigned in 2001 after the supreme court election of "W". He has bachelors and masters degree in business administration from Michigan and a law degree from Michigan State College of Law. He came in third place at the county fair lawnmower race in 2007!
	Susan Page susan@thepages.net Susan Page was born in Manchester, England. She received a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan; and a Master's Degree in Gifted Child Education from Wayne State University. She taught in the Detroit area; and volunteered as a teacher of adult non-readers , and English as a Second Language. She and her husband of 44 years, Leonard Page, have two children and five grandchildren. Susan is the president of the Twin Lakes Association, a member of the Cheboygan County Democratic Club, two garden clubs, the Cheboygan Library Friends, and a youth mentor with the 4-H Thriver Program.
	Richard Riker (Current Treasurer) 409 Henry Mackinaw City MI 49701; rrriker@freeway.net http://my.freeway.net/~rrriker MSU 56 Chemistry, retired, held many positions with Total Petroleum (26years + 5 years as a consultant) longest position Manager of InformationSystem.
	Ronald E.Wallin jpl0206@att.net Born and raised in Mackinaw City, Ron graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Masters in Comparative and International Education. He served two years in the Peace Corps, teaching elementary education in the Philippines. After living in Hilo, Hawaii for seven years, Ron returned home in 1975 to be caregiver for family members. He was elected to the office of Village President in 1978, serving 4 two-year terms until1986 when he chose to term limit his time in office. Elected again in 2007, Wallin is currently serving the Village of Mackinaw City as its President
SUPPORTING MEMBERS	These individuals support the activities of the Straits Area Concerned Citizens for Peace and justice by attending presentations and vigils organized by our group and writing letters to the editors of local papers
	Tom Hay Bauer tomhaybauer@yahoo.com Tom is a consultant and educator who ran as the Democratic candidate for the 105th District of the Michigan House of Representatives in 2006. He is active with Northern Michigan People for Peace, the Cheboygan County Humane Society, and Wabishka-miigwan (White Feather), a group working to establish a cultural treatment center for Native American youth. He was also a member of the Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban, which ended with citizens in every single Michigan County voting in 2006 to protect mourning doves.
	David Martin peaceman@att.net David is a familiar face in Cheboygan having worked in many local restaurants and other local businesses. The youngest son of Karen and Dennis Martin, David was born and raised in Cheboygan and is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He holds an Associates Degree from NCMC. David lends a hand whenever and wherever needed in his community. He has donated around two gallons of blood through the years to area blood drives; he volunteered many times at the local nursing home; and he participates at peace vigils whenever work hours permit. David is also a bell ringer for the Salvation Army at Christmas time. His hobbies and interests include: volley ball (he is the captain of his team); he is an environmentalist and recycler and he loves to read.
	Dennis Martin peacemam@att.net Dennis is a life-long resident of Cheboygan and a he is a member of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1970 doing four tours of duty in the Pacific on the destroyer the U.S.S. Rogers and is now a member of Veterans for Peace. Dennis has worked in a variety of jobs including an auto body paint and repairman and damage appraiser. He now drives a shuttle bus for the casino in St Ignace. Since joining the Straits Area Concerned Citizens for Peace and Justice, Dennis has participated in several antiwar vigils in Cheboygan and demonstrations including the Washington DC anti-war rally in Sept. 2005. Dennis has read extensively on corporate involvement in promoting war and their antidemocratic activities.
	Bob Pritchard ropjop@nmo.net Bob Pritchard, a graduate of Wayne State University (B. A. in Business), and gradate work in Adult Continuing Education, is a retired independent insurance agent who previously served several years as a training program developer and supervisor with the home office of the Allstate Insurance Co, in Illinois. He was active in both the Chicago and the Illinois State Jaycees, serving as director of officer and directors’ training for two years each. He returned to Michigan as a partner in an agency in Ypsilanti for 24 years. He has been a volunteer in numerous civic and governmental boards, (Cemetery, Library, County Mental Health, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Planning Board (Ann Arbor ), Hospice of Washtenaw, Industrial Development Board, Rotary Club, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Red Cross, etc.) frequently as an officer. Presently he is devoted to Ethics in business, civic boards, and government; and is working to bring honesty,openness, and justice to government and business and social organizations, and at all levels and in all political parties. He is a member of the executive committee of the Cheboygan Democratic party.
	Jeanne Pritchard ropjop@nmo.net Jeanne graduated Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Michigan University in 1986 with a B.A. in Sociology. She served as Conference Coordinator at the Institute for the Study of Children and Families, Eastern Michigan University,retiring from that position in 1990. She has also served as the president of the Parent Teacher Association in Arlington Heights,Illinois and currently she is the president of the Cheboygan Chapter, Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel and is a member of Cheboygan Friends of the Library. Jeanne is also a volunteer at the Cheboygan Opera House Box Office, and an usher. She is a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International.
	Jim Ramelis jpramelis@localnet.com Jim has a B.A. in Religious Studies from California State University at Bakersfield. He resides in the western part of Mackinaw County in the Upper Peninsula. Jim is a retired civil servant with union leadership experience. He is involved with the U.P. People for Peace, Justice, and the Environment as well as the Straits Area Concerned Citizens. Jim is a member of Veterans For Peace, the Disabled American Veterans, and is a District level Chaplain with the American Legion in the U. P. Jim is a contact person for the 1st Congressional District's Progressive Democrats of America.
	Paula Ramelis jpramelis@localnet.com Paula holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education, from Bay de Noc Community College, in Escanaba. She served West Mackinac County as an EMT and Captain of The Ambulance Corps for a total of 20 years before she retired. She currently lives in the western part of Mackinaw County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and works with children in the community.