Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie
Building community through compassion and reason for a better tomorrow.
On September 13, 2026, we had a visit by Fish Stark, the Executive Director of the American Humanist Association, our parent organization. He talked to us about the scourge of White Christian Nationalism and what Humanists can do and what is being done to fight back and resist them. We had a great crowd at the Yager Center at Swan Creek Metropark. The afternoon also included refreshments. Here are a few pictures from the event:
Here is the video of he remarks
As you know, membership in the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie is not included if you are a member of the American Humanist Association and the reverse is true. We would like to encourage more local AHA members to support SHoWLE and encourage SHoWLE members to become members of the AHA by providing a discounted SHoWLE membership.
We have added a discount code to our membership platform that can be used to get 50% off a Household membership if you are a member of the AHA.
To get the discount, just visit our membership joining page and in the list of membership options pick the Household level.
Then when click continue and go to the next page of the form, put in the discount code AHATOLEDO and click “check”.
You should then be shown the price with a total 50% off the current Household membership level. In this example $15.
Of course you can also send us a check or money order for the same amount. Just indicate in the mailing that you are an AHA member.
To mail in a membership or renewal send it to:
SHoWLE
2541 Schroeder Ct
Toledo, Ohio 43613
We’ve been having an information booth at the Old West End Festival for several years. It is two days we get to meet potential new members and to educate others about Humanism.
On Saturday June 6th, I left my shift at our booth at 3 PM and two other members took my place. I was at home when the initial reports came out about 5:30 PM of shots being fired at the festival. I made sure our volunteers were accounted for and the incident happened about a mile from where the booths were in the northern part of the festival area. (In the map shown the shooting happened in the red box area and the SHoWLE booth was in the blue box area in the south)
The Marketplace area where our booth was located closed at 5 PM so it was lucky our volunteers avoided the incident.
The later reports said 12 people were shot and 2 were critical. The festival organizers canceled the festival for Sunday and we had a couple of people travel to our booth to retrieve it.
On behalf of the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie, we wanted to send our thoughts to those injured at a shooting.
Hopefully we can return in 2027
– Douglas Berger President of SHoWLE
In June of 2025, the US Supreme Court released a 6–3 decision in the case Mahmoud v. Taylor. The case was filed by parents who wished to opt their children out of instruction involving LGBTQ-themed storybooks in a Maryland public school system. The Court held that the school district’s policy of not permitting opt-outs violated the parents’ right to free exercise of religion under the First Amendment.
“Drawing on ‘enduring American tradition,’ we have long recognized the rights of parents to direct ‘the religious upbringing’ of their children… The right of parents ‘to direct the religious upbringing of their’ children would be an empty promise if it did not follow those children into the public school classroom.”
With that in mind, the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie has created a form parents can use to opt-out their children from curriculum that
Violate or substantially conflict with your sincerely held religious beliefs;
Interfere with your right to direct your child’s religious upbringing;
Expose your child to religious or moral viewpoints that undermine our family’s religious teachings or practices.
For example, here in Ohio there is a law proposed that would force public-schools to show a biased video produced by an anti-abortion group. The video is called Baby Olivia and is meant to bully kids into not having abortions. This opt-out form would exempt your child from watching it.
There is another proposed law to install a curriculum called The Success sequence that would expose children to a religiously biased view of how they should live their lives. This form would protect your child from that nonsense.
If your school has a time for the pledge of allegiance you can opt them out of it same goes for studying a 10 Commandments poster the state may require be put up.
You can also use this form to opt your child out of attending those mandatory fake assemblies about character building which is really just a way for religious groups to talk to your children without you being in the room.
Our opt out form can be used in other cases as well that aren’t mentioned here. We also suggest you check with your school district to see if they have a specific process to opt-out children but you can still use our form to add to that process.
Also note that the school is not allowed to ask about your religious beliefs or question them, That would be a 1st amendment violation.
It is thanks to a few bigoted parents that we can all protect our children from religious extremism.
This form is provided for informational purposes only and is NOT legal advice. If you have any legal questions about the form or its use consult an attorney
On October 14th we had our annual members meeting as required by our bylaws. This is the time members get a presentation on the year previous including finances. We then hold elections for the Board of Directors.
SHoWLE has always been a member run group. The members vote on Board members and the Board chooses the officers for the day-to-day operation of the group.
Members can always ask questions and have a right to see the full accounting books we keep. Members can call a meeting to remove directors or other members. All the power rests with the membership.
I founded the group in 2018 and wanted it to be membership run from the beginning. Even with being the founder I still nominate myself and subject myself to Board elections. I also subject myself to being elected as an officer. At anytime I could decide not be President or not serve on the Board.
This fall I started my 30th year as a leader of a Humanist group. I served on the Board of HCCO in Columbus for 14 years and was President for two years and served as Treasurer for a year. I also serve on the Board and am the treasurer for Toledo Integrated Media Education that operates WAKT 106.1 FM and the Toledo Free Press newspaper.
SHoWLE is a 501 3 ( c ) charity under the umbrella of the American Humanist Association. We have to file IRS form 990s each year and in Ohio we have to register with the state since we solstice donations. We are also incorporated as non-profit with the state. Because we are a 501 3© donations are tax exempt. We also updated our Candid (formerly Guidestar) profile and got the Platinum Transparency sticker for 2025
Last year our income and expenses were less than $3000 and that was out of character only because we had the Gloria Steinem speaking fees and we sponsored the Bronze level for the trafficking conference our budget in 2025 was originally $1800 and that was approved by the Board in November of 2024. I am not paid to be the President — no Board member is paid. Over the years I have personally donated hundreds of dollars to the group as well as hundreds of hours of my time.
Even though our FY2025 statement showed we spent $170 more than we brought in as revenue we have more than that in our bank account. Currently we have $600 in the checking account and almost $400 in our savings account. 99% of the savings is targeted for directed donations to support our projects like the holiday gift drive we do with Lucas County Childrens Services.
My philosophy has been for big ticket items, we solicit donations for it and use membership dues for items like our postal box and to buy more brochures if needed.
I would agree with people who say we don’t operate like a professional non-profit and that is because we aren’t a professional non-profit. We aren’t the Boys and Girls Club or the United Way. Our purpose is focused on our members and providing a supportive, diverse, local community for humanists and other nontheists, while promoting ethical and reasonable secular world views through education, community service, outreach, activism, and social events.
We have a small membership but we aren’t alone. I sit in on zoom calls with other chapter leaders around the country and they say the same thing — their membership skews older and they are small too.
SHoWLE is open to all Humanists in substantial agreement with our principles and our programing is based on what our members want to do. I am open to new ideas and we have tried new things over the years. My idea to encourage members to take on hosting duties for an activity is something I started to do last year.
I would love to have our own building and a paid staff and have programs for the general public like a teen drop in center but that takes more than dreams — it takes people willing to take a risk and significant funding. That’s why we are transparent as we are, why we accept members in agreement with our principles and we try to do outreach like our info booth and podcast.
Members are free to reach out to me or other Board members with questions about finances or the operation of the group and if you have an issue we want to hear details so we can work with you to resolve those issues.
Written By Douglas Berger — President of SHoWLE
Video Recording of our 2025 Members Meeting
Folder with all the charts and figures used at the members meeting
The following group discussion guidelines were created when SHoWLE was created back in 2018. We thought it was a great time — especially with what is going on in the world concerning free speech — to remind people about them. These guidelines are available on the Things to know about SHoWLE page
We intend to foster a membership that is curious about the world and who want to explore human solutions to human problems without regard to any specific world view or politics. We want to create a space that is open and honest about these topics and ideas. To that end, here are some general best practices to be used during group discussions or “Question & Answer” periods after a speaker.
1. Discussions will be moderated by an officer or volunteer. Please raise a hand when you want to speak and allow the speaker to finish what they have to say before asking to speak. The moderator will have the power to stop a speaker and move to the next speaker if people are waiting to speak.
2. Please stay on topic and be as brief as possible in making your point. Be considerate of others who might be waiting to speak. If you want to pontificate on a topic, save it for your blog or podcast.
3. Remember – Treat all with basic dignity and worth even those you disagree with. “Attack” the idea and NOT the person. Name calling, bullying, or harassment of anyone will NOT be tolerated. Punishment for doing it may include being asked to leave the meeting or event and could lead to your removal as a member of the group.
*Note* Critical examination of beliefs, including critical commentary on another person’s views, does not, by itself, constitute bullying or harassment.
4. Because we are a non-profit group we will not and cannot endorse candidates for political office. We can advocate for issues such as civil rights, keeping abortion legal and safe, and the need for a strong and rational public education system for example. Members can wear political shirts and buttons at meetings and events. Members can also ask for petition signatures but please do that before or after a meeting.
5. Although all topics and ideas are open for discussion at a meeting, there is one topic we won’t be discussing. SHoWLE is a humanist group and many of us are humanists because we came to a reasonable conclusion on the existence of “god” question. Arguing religious points or apologetics won’t be welcome. Also comments that unnecessarily disparage religion are simply boring to those of us who have moved to secular humanism and won’t be welcome.
Comments that attempt to denigrate whole groups of people also aren’t welcome. We are interested in solving problems not scapegoating.
6. While we do want to have frank and honest discussions, we acknowledge that in some cases a discussion or topic will be triggering or uncomfortable. We try to be clear on what the topic of discussion will be and you can always reach out and ask questions about it. It may happen that you attend the main part of the meeting but don’t wish to stay for the discussion and leaving at that point is up to you. The only subjects we will not discuss are the topics mentioned elsewhere in this document — Arguing religious points or apologetics or comments that attempt to denigrate whole groups of people — for example.
7. If a discussion participant offends you please limit criticism during your turn to talk and address your concern not the person who made the comments and remember guideline number 3 above.
8. There will not be a right to speak without consequences. Humanists believe all ideas are open to question including our own. There is a possibility we are wrong.
This weekend was the Maumee Summer Fair. SHoWLE was not there this year and I wanted to explain why. The first couple of years we had a booth there were great. We were on West Wayne Street and we had a lot of foot traffic as we were near the beer and food and the kids zone. Which is the holy trifecta…
Then in 2023 there was a massive reconstruction of the downtown Maumee area and they had to shoe horn everyone into a smaller footprint. The organizers had us in the very back parking lot next to a toilet. Foot traffic was very much lower than before. We said no problem that when they get the construction done things will go back to how it was before.
In 2024, we got our application in as soon as the process opened and we got the very first booth spot on Conant St and we were so happy. The problem was they rearranged the booth space again and had them all spread up and down Conant. Our booth was at the far western end of the festival area, across from the Indoor Theater, with most of the action happening way down by Wayne St. Foot traffic was minimal AND the booth next to ours was for the group trying to recall most of the Maumee city council. They were nice people but in their zeal to get recall petitions signed they would basically block Conant St. and what little foot traffic we did see was way less than if we were further east and the citizen group wasn’t next to us impeding the traffic flow.
The SHoWLE Board decided to sit 2025 out. Besides not believing we would have a good spot, the fact we need more than the usual 3 or four people to help out played a part in the decision.
I looked at the layout they had for 2025 and it was much better than 2024. The booths were mostly on Conant and East Wayne and that corner was where they setup the stage for the bands. I think, if we had been there this year we would have had more contacts and interest.
I think too that if the current federal government is like it is now, we need to be visible to those who support our values. We may not be common to Maumee but we never had an issue at the Summer Fair.
Let us know what you think? Should we attend the Summer Fair next year?
Join us for a Screening of The Last Class at Cinemark Franklin Park 16 and XD: The Last Class is a nuanced and deeply personal portrait of master educator Robert Reich teaching his final course and reflecting on a period of immense transformation, personally and globally. It is a love letter to education. The former Secretary of Labor might be famous for his public service, best-selling books, and viral social media posts, but he always considered teaching his true calling. Now, after over 40 years and an extraordinary 40,000 students, Reich is preparing for his last class.
Over the course of the film, Reich confronts the impending finality, and his own aging, with increasing candor, introspection, and, ultimately, emotion. He displays a rawness of feeling he has never shared publicly before. Drawing on his lifetime in politics, he uses his class, “Wealth and Poverty,” to offer us all a deeper look at why inequalities of income and wealth have widened significantly since the late 1970s, and why this poses dangerous risks to our society.
One thousand students fill the biggest lecture hall on the UC Berkeley campus, the last class to receive Reich’s wisdom and exhortations not to accept that the world has to stay the way it is. His belief in the next generation’s ability to take on the fight is inspiring.
Humanists support education based on the truth, facts, and data. We also support social justice issues that Robert Reich talks about and we are also concerned about income inequalities.
Even if you can’t attend, you can buy a ticket for someone who wants to attend but can’t afford it. Feel free to share this event with your friends, family, and social circle. Being a member of SHoWLE or a Humanist is not required. The film is open to all who buy a ticket.
For tickets, visit our screening webpage
https://bit.ly/lastclass-toledo2025
We met our minimum ticket sales on August 15th. Tickets are still available. We can have 100 people.
We now have a potluck sign up form for the picnic on June 21st. This just to avoid duplicate food but feel free to bring whatever you want to share.
SHoWLE will have a limited number of hamburgers and hot dogs as well has cold soda and water to drink and plates and utensils to use. Feel free to bring any games you want to share.
More information about the picnic can be found the events page.
The International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference, which is put on by the University of Toledo, Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute, recently reached out to us to ask if we could sponsor this years conference that will be held virtually in September. This is a great opportunity for SHoWLE to have our name out publicly in support of an event that fits in with our values.
They have sponsorship levels with the lowest package being $500 which would have our name and logo in the program and website and would provide three one day tickets we could give out to donors.
Our goal is to raise $500 by June 30th for our sponsorship. If you donate and want to attend we will have the tickets available on a first come first serve basis. The largest sponsorship package is $5000 and each package comes with more free tickets but our goal for now is $500.
We will donate any funds we raise to help with the conference.
To donate for our sponsorship follow the link below:
Here is information about the conference from their website:
“Human trafficking is one of the most prevalent and active criminal enterprises affecting our local, national, and international community. Responses to combat trafficking include prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership. The International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference is proud to be the host of the oldest and largest academic conference on human trafficking in the world. As the world’s leading academic conference on this topic, we serve as the hub through which practitioners, policy makers, researchers, criminal justice professionals, businesses, healthcare professionals, social workers, and more become educated and equipped to provide the best local and global responses possible. We remain committed to educating the community and we need your help!
The 22nd Annual International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference will be hosted virtually on September 17–19, 2025 and will highlight a variety of skilled presenters at the forefront of both human trafficking and social justice issues. This year’s conference will feature over 100 presentations and thousands of attendees tuning in from all corners of the world. Attendees will learn how to identify risk factors, improve responses for victims, and learn how we can collectively move forward with an agenda for change.”