Hello Members and Friends!
As the state of Ohio battens down the hatches to battle the COVID-19 outbreak, many of our friends and family are being affected by the increasing need to "flatten the curve".
The Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie (SHoWLE) cares not only about our members, friends, and family, we also care about our community during this difficult time.
We will share accurate information as often as we can on social media channels and if members and friends need assistance (like you've lost a job or have to deal with family members being ill) check out our Community Outreach Resources and Education page.
https://is.gd/showlehelp
All scheduled in-person programming and events have been suspended until further notice. We are having a virtual meeting on Skype on Saturday March 21st (see info below)
Check on people who are vulnerable to the virus and find out if you can help them out in some way.
Here is a link to some curated community COVID-19 information for Ohio:
COVID-19 in Ohio: Resources & Ways to Help
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We need some support
SHoWLE is funded from donations from people like you. We are also part of a couple of programs some retailers have to support community groups. We need more supporters of SHoWLE to join these programs if you can.
Kroger Community Rewards - if you use Kroger and have one of their Kroger Plus cards then you can enroll our group in the Kroger Community Rewards program. When buy items at Kroger and use your card at check out, SHoWLE gets a small sliver of that amount from Kroger as a donation.
We would really like to see more members and friends participate. The most recent quarter that ended January 31, SHoWLE didn't get a donation because we only had 3 families participating and we didn't have enough cash back to meet the program's $25 threshold for disbursement. Our group number is XC299 or do a search on our full group name. If you have questions, let us know.
We Have A Podcast
In today's episode, we will talk to Emily Newman, Education Coordinator for the AHA's Center for Education. We will discuss the HERE for Climate Change project and how climate change will be the theme for this year's Secular Week of Action that takes place May 1st through the 10th and coincides with the National Day of Reason.
You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher as well as some smaller podcast apps that pull info from the major directories. We are still working to get it included in Google Podcast directory.
There is no doubt that climate change is an existential threat to humanity. Effects of climate change are all around us and they will get worse if we do nothing about it. The effects of climate change also trickle down to other social justice issues like income inequality and racism.
Humanists are in a perfect position to help take action on climate change and the American Humanist Association has a project that wants to do just that.
Humanist Environmental Response Effort ( or HERE) for Climate connects local individuals and community organizations with the resources they need to have an impact, offering a roadmap for us to move from "What can I do?" to "We can do this!" The project is designed to help both individuals and groups encourage local, immediate change that will make a difference–even when our federal government may not.
Emily Newman Talking About HERE for Climate
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Upcoming Meetings and Events
SHoWLE Virtual Meeting via Skype
Saturday, March 21, 2020 4 PM
We will create a space online using Skype and post and send out the link to the room a few hours before we “meet”. You don’t need to have a Skype account to join the “meeting”.
Due to the current restrictions on public gatherings, SHoWLE can’t have in-person meetings but we thought some of our members and friends might want to gather in a chat room online to hang out.
We will create a space online using Skype and post and send out the link to the room a few hours before we “meet”. You don’t need to have a Skype account to join the “meeting”.
There is no theme or specific program for the “meeting”. It will be just a time for us to have a conversation about anything.
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News & Notes
Do you have an idea for a meeting or event?
Do you have an idea for a topic for a meeting or an activity for us to do as a group? Let us know.
 If there is a particular topic or speaker you would like to see at a future meeting or have an idea for a group activity then please send us a note by email or fill out our contact form.
It would help if you provided as much information as possible about the idea - like who to contact or websites to visit.
There is no guarantee SHoWLE will turn your idea into an actual meeting or event but the odds increase if you are willing to host the event and/or do a lot of the leg work.
Activities and meetings for SHoWLE depend entirely on volunteer effort.
Secular Week of Action
 Save the dates for the Secular Week of Action - May 1 to May 10. Although we don't have anything officially planned, please hold the week open if you can so you can help us for an activity that will match this year's theme - the environment. If you have an idea for the supporting the theme let us know.
AHA encourages our local chapters and affiliates to incorporate environmental events into the Secular Week of Action—May 1 through May 10—because we only have one world and must care for it.
The Secular Week of Action is a call to secular communities across the country to put their secular values into action. Local secular organizations across the diverse nontheistic spectrum—atheists, agnostics, Ex-Muslims, freethinkers, humanists, skeptics, and many more who make up the one-in-four Americans unaffiliated with religion—come together to demonstrate our shared commitment to making this world, here and now, a better place. During this inspiring week, participating organizations buckle down and do the work that matters, taking social, political, and charitable actions that make a positive impact on their community.
(This event may or may not take place depending on the status of the current public health emergency)
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Are you a member?
Joining the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie gets you the following benefits:
- A nifty membership card to show off to friends and family
- A monthly meeting with like minded people
- Ability to guide and vote on the direction of the group
- Serve in leadership positions and on our Board of Directors
- Discounts on sponsored events and group merchandise
- Regular communications about meetings, events, and other topics of interest to the group before the general public
We have two membership plans:
$10 for an Individual
$20 for a Household (two or more people at the same address)
Just see a Board member at our next meeting or event or click on the button below to pay online or to get information on mailing it in.
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Do you have a special skill or hobby? Do you have an idea for a program or event you would like to see hosted by SHoWLE??
Let us know!
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If you are looking for meaning and solemnity to life celebrations, gatherings, and communities from a secular perspective, please contact Shawn Meagley at Secular Occasions. She is committed to helping humanists through the most important times in life including birth, love, loss, morality, and mortality. Each celebration or ceremony is personalized to be meaningful and professional with a humanist approach.
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You can now donate to the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie
Please help us provide a supportive local community for humanists and other nontheists, while promoting ethical and reasonable secular world views through education, community service, outreach, activism, and social events.
You can use Paypal or a credit card. Donations are tax deductible.
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You can always donate at one of our meetings or events or send your check or money order to:
Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie
PO Box 6433
Toledo, OH 43612-0433
We are also connected with the Amazon Smile program. If you choose SHoWLE as your charity then a portion of sales you complete will be sent to us. Use this link to choose us:
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Our Mission:
The mission of the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie is to provide a supportive local community for humanists and other nontheists, while promoting an ethical, reasonable, and secular approach to life through education, community service, outreach, activism, and social events.
We envision a Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan where secular people are respected and integrated in broader society, live values of reason and compassion, and enjoy a friendly humanist community.
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