1. May – We’re celebrating an entire Month of Reason!
   • Donate blood
   • Support Camp Quest West
   • Help out the homeless
2. June – Books and outreach
   • Join us at our booth at the Fresno Pride festival
   • What is good summertime reading?
3. July – Relax in the shade
   • Let’s have a potluck backyard barbecue – Just because!
4. August – Beat the heat
   • We run away to the Monterey Bay Aquarium
   • Again with the book club
5. September – It’s STILL hot!
   • Equnox Bowling!
6. October – Now it’s getting comfortable
   • 5th Annual Heretic’s BBQ & officer elections

This isn’t the entire list.  CVAAS creates new events all the time.  To keep up with them, sign up with the Central Valley Alliance of Atheists and Skeptics at the MEETUP.COM website.  You’ll be automatically notified of new events, with reminders and RSVP options as the event approaches.

Join us at 6:30 pm, Monday, June 18th as CVAAS bookclub members gather at “The Naked Fish” to discuss their favorite books.

Bring a favorite book, and spend 5 minutes telling everyone about the book. What is the theme? Why is it applicable to freethought, science or skepticism? Why should we be interested in or enthusiastic about this book? Try to “sell” the book to the other members!

This books will then be listed as “good reads” on the CVAAS website.  Your description of the book may be used in the book blurb.

Books can be fiction or non-fiction.

Click here to RSVP with:

Jennifer has kindly invited you to join us in her backyard as we freethinkers and skeptics gather together to discuss whatever we like over some good food and a beer or two.

BYOB – beer or wine or wine coolers only.

This is a potluck event. Bring what you like, and what you think other people might like. There is a BBQ here so you can bring various meets that you would want to throw on the grill.

In order to go to this event, you MUST RSVP through the EVITE invitation form.  Please follow this link to RSVP.  The link will also lead to a list of what is needed, and will let you state what you will be bringing with you.

We hope to see you there!

Join CVAAS as we attend the annual Fresno Rainbow Pride festival.  CVAAS members will be staffing a booth and answering questions of all who pass by.

This is a fun event, with music, food, and crowds of interesting people.  We always engage in fascinating conversations at this event.

We do have volunteers for the booth, but there will be some extra chairs under the shade pop-up.  Stop by, releave the booth workers and give them a chance to walk around and get some food.  Or just hang out and talk to those who show up at our booth.

Come and join us as we teach people about critical thinking!

Most CVAAS members know that the National Day of Reason happens on May 3rd this year.  This rational holiday is in opposition to the National Day of Prayer that also happens on this date.

Well, at Central Valley Alliance of Atheists and Skeptics, one day to celebrate rational thinking is just not enough.  Instead, we will celebrate an entire MONTH of reason!

.

The CVAAS MONTH OF REASON!

Celebrate with us!

Colonel Robert Green Ingersoll, that “Great Agnostic”, once said that,  ”Labor is the only prayer that Nature answers; it is the only prayer that deserves an answer — good, honest, noble work.”

So Join CVAAS in celebrating this entire month of reason by doing something real that helps other people!

Here’s what you can do:

1. Donate blood!
2. Make a donation to Camp Quest
3. Donate to the homeless

And finally, join us for a tasty lunch at the Asian fusion restaurant “Naked Fish” on May 26th!

Details:

1. Blood donation
   • To donate blood, stop by any one of the Central California Blood donation centers during the entire month of May.
   • When you check in, give the attendant your “group number” – Group Number 183B. This will show that you are donating in the name of CVAAS.
   • You can find locations here.
2. 
   • Camp Quest needs your help!
   • It costs $585 to provide food, lodging, and supplies to a camper, including our certified life guards, nurses, and other administrative costs.
   • Your donation of any amount will be used to supply financial assistance so that children can have this amazing experience!
   • Camp Quest West has set up a “Month of Reason Campaign” donation page.  Follow this link and donate any amount!
   • Our goal is to raise $250 for this month.  There are 184 people that subscribe to the CVAAS meetup site – so all that it would take to meet that goal is $1.40 per person.
   • Let’s blow the lid off of this goal!  Show Camp Quest what you can do!
3. Goods drive for the homeless
   • Everyone thinks that homeless people in Fresno need food.  While there is a need, it isn’t dire – food is available here for the homeless.
   • What is needed is goods.  The homeless must live in marginal areas, and they need ways to do this.  Summer is coming, and they are going to need the following items.  Donate what you can of these items:
     • Toilet paper – buy it cheap and in bulk.  Porta-potties are available to the homeless, but toilet paper is a consumable that is used up quickly.
     • Bathroom supplies – the homeless keep the Porta-potties clean, so they need bleach, soap, scrub brushes, gloves.
     • Personal grooming supplies and toiletries – razors, soap, handi-wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes.
     • Minor first aid – aspirin, bandaids, antibacterial ointment,  mosqueto repellant, calamine lotion
     • Undergarments (New!  Not used!) – buy in bulk: men’s and women’s underwear (small-medium-large).  Socks.
     • Clothing – There is not a large need of clothing, but if you do wish to donate then please donate new, or clean, washed used clothing – pants, shirts, blouses, shorts.  Men and women’s clothing – try to choose comfortable clothing that you would wear while camping.
     • Shoes – New, or clean used shoes – Any adult – sized shoes would be useful, including sandals or hiking boots.  Tennis shoes are best.
     • Shelter – The homeless in Fresno are often forced to create their own shelter.  Tents are useful, but don’t last long in the Fresno environment.  Also needed are tarps, rope or heavy cord.
     • Other items – sleeping bags, backpacks, carry bags.
     • Dog food – Yes, the homeless have pets.  Usually strays that have found someone to love them.  Dog food in bulk is very helpful.
   • Call Mark at (559) 892-0102 to arrange a pickup of the supplies you’ve collected.

If you are interested in helping to package and distribute goods to the homeless, send Mark an email at calladus@gmail.com.

Join us as we work for reason!

After attending a meeting of the Central Valley Alliance of Atheists and Skeptics, skeptic and atheist Micah told us that he was happy to have such a group “nearby”.  Other CVAAS members were surprised to find out that Micah lived in Los Banos – hardly nearby!

“So what would you think about starting your own group?  Right there in Los Banos?”

Perhaps it was our adjournment to “Drinking Skeptically“, and the assistance of a little food and some good beer that gave the required push.

But now there is a new group in the San Joaquin Valley:

Please welcome the Los Banos Skeptics and Atheist Group!

Yes, it is a small area, but CVAAS has been contacted before by people in the Dos Palos / Los Banos area looking for a local group.  Until now, all that was lacking was a group organizer.

Thank you to Micah for stepping up and organizing this new group.  We at CVAAS expect to see good things!

Today marked the official push to collect the remaining student signatures required to start an on-campus Secular Student Alliance. And despite dropping temperatures and the threat of rain, the proto-SSA club collected more than enough signatures to start!

Next, the CSUF-SSA will be searching for a faculty adviser. If you are a faculty member at Fresno State who would like to lend a hand to some great secular students, please send an email to info@cvaas.org!

You should also sign up at the CSU Fresno Secular Student Alliance group on Facebook. This is where announcements, events, and upcoming meetings will be posted for CSUF-SSA members.

This turned out to be a very spirited discussion, where the elders attemped to expain to us a little about Mormonism, all the while being peppered by questions from CVAAS members.  The elders deserve kudos for coming into our space, with thanks for agreeing to the meeting.

We talked for over an hour, but honestly the time seemed to fly past.  The elders challenged CVAAS members to pray, in order to feel God’s spirit and in that way come to know God.  And some CVAAS members took them up on it – as any good skeptic should.  (Although some members decided they wished to be somewhat of a ‘control’ to the experiment, and abstained.)

What we found out during the evening is that the elders were not able to provide evidence that their God was real.  (The prayer at the end of the discussion was done in order to find evidence.  If God ‘spoke’ to one of us, that would be the evidence.)  The elders learned something about logical fallacies, and the problems with apologetics in general.

After the discussion and prayer, no one said that they had a change of heart or belief.  But who knows?  Maybe it works slower than that.  We will check back next month with the praying CVAAS members to see if they wish to cancel their membership.

After the discussion period, members adjourned to the Starline Bar and Grill for our monthly “Drinking Skeptically”.  We had a very big crowd tonight, and pretty much took over the back half of the Starline.  As always at Drinking Skeptically, the conversation went everywhere!  If you haven’t made it to one of these events, please come out!

Coming up on the 21st is the annual Winter Solstice party.  Keep an eye out for this upcoming event.

Amendment 1 – to change the date of CVAAS elections.

This amendment will change Article IV – 3, which states:

Elections will be held once a year for all offices. There are no term limits. Formal elections will be held during the first Sunday of September. The duties and functions of these offices will be determined in the organization operating procedures.

The changed text will read:

Elections will be held once a year for all offices. There are no term limits. Formal elections will be held during the first Sunday of October. The duties and functions of these offices will be determined in the organization operating procedures.

This change will also affect the date of the annual Heretic’s Barbeque, which will also take place on the first Sunday of October.  This change was suggested due to heat making the Barbeque less enjoyable, and due to Labor Day.  Many of our members are college students who are not available during Labor Day.  If you would like to discuss this change, please follow the comments to this post to the Rational Valley Forum where you can do so.

An official vote will be taken on the business meeting in January.

This post will serve as an official announcement to the membership of CVAAS.

Non-believers may have seen Maher’s documentary film “Religulous” which comically explored various world religions, religous views and beliefs.  Maher also hosts the political satire comedy show “Real Time with Bill Maher”, appearing weekly on HBO.

Maher got his start with famous skeptics and humanists / atheists in show business when Steve Allen introduced him to Jonny Carson and David Letterman.  Maher’s work is brutally honest and like the name of his first show, “Politically Incorrect”.

CVAAS is working with the promoter to see if we can get a pair of free tickets or perhaps a backstage pass for one or two nonbelievers who are eager to meet Mr. Maher.  Unfortunately, we won’t be able to treat him to dinner – his time is limited and he will be leaving Fresno right after the show.

If you are interested, send an email to info@cvaas.org and let us know!