1997 has seen the formation of five new associations of IUA - three in Canada, one in Colombia, and one in Peru. The associations in Colombia and Peru are the first to form in South America.
CANADA
Northern Light URANTIA Association of CanadaOn Sunday, January 26th, 1997, Cathy Jones, Chair of the Coordinating Committee, and Trustee Pat Mundelius welcomed members of the first local Association of IUA in Canada and spoke about the goals of the Foundation and IUA. The Licensing Agreement was signed and the following officers were appointed: Brian King, President; Ken McMullen, Vice President; Lynn King, Secretary; and Ernie Vegh, Treasurer.
The licensing ceremony was a joyful start to this new Association, and we look forward to a long relationship of service with the Northern Light.
URANTIA Association of the Cascades
On Sunday, June 1st, 1997, the second Canadian local Association, the URANTIA Association of the Cascades, was licensed. Pat Mundelius and Cathy Jones assisted. It was a wonderful weekend spent at "Bowen Lodge by the Sea," West Vancouver. Warm friendships were established and the following officers were appointed: Nathen Jansen, President; Ronald Louie, Vice President; Kasandra Jansen, Secretary; and Ferne Louie, Treasurer.
Association URANTIA du Québec
The air was filled with excitement in Montreal on July 20th at the home of Louis Laporte, as a group of dedicated readers of Le Livre d'Urantia gathered to license the third local Association of IUA in Canada, Association URANTIA du QuJbec. Sixty-six applications were received, with 33 Charter Members present. Cathy Jones and Trustee Georges Michelson-Dupont also attended.
This was the first time that many of these readers had met one another. There is so much interest that plans are already underway to divide into three separate associations. A business meeting followed the licensing and the following officers were elected: Louis Laporte, President; Ronald Grondin, Vice President; Carmen Desrosiers, Secretary; and Lise & Pierre Routhier, Treasurer.
COLOMBIA
URANTIA Association of Colombia
Colombian readers, with the help of organizers Dale Hall and Ram\n OrtRz, both 20 year readers of The URANTIA Book and Colombia's longest and staunchest Foundation supporters, inaugurated a new IUA Association on Sunday, May 4, 1997. The Foundation's Executive Director, Tonia Baney, who was in Colombia attending our first Colombian Book Fair, assisted in the inauguration. It is the first South American IUA Association and promises to be a beacon of light for URANTIA related activities for all of South America. Office bearers for the new association are: Ram\n Jacobo OrtRz, President; Hermman NoreZa, Vice President; Uriela Pelaez, Secretary; and Jose Leonidas Bonilla, Treasurer.
PERU
Andes URANTIA Association
On August 17, 1997, Trustees Richard Keeler and Georges Michelson-Dupont, George's wife Marlene, and staff member Bob Solone arrived in Arequipa, Peru. They were met at the airport by three carloads of enthusiastic readers. During the next 24 hours, the Peruvians revealed their desires, plans, and preparations to create an IUA Association.
On August 18, the Andes URANTIA Association was chartered, the Licensing Agreement was signed, and 32 readers became new members of IUA. The following officers were appointed: Alfonso Luque, President; Regis Llerena, Vice President; Miriam Bustamente Bedoya, Secretary; and Maria Meza Urquizo, Treasurer.
In addition, committees were formed with the following committee chairpersons: Alejandro Ranilla Collado, Conference Committee; Olga Luque Vasquez, Membership Committee; Beatriz Arispe Valderrama, Education Committee; and Juan Mayta Coaguila, Publications Committee.