Occupy Dayton gets new digs

With permanent office, group’s focus turns  to political process.

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By Ken McCall, Staff Writer Updated 8:54 PM Sunday, February 5, 2012

Occupy Dayton has relocated from downtown tents to a permanent office in East Dayton that has helped it become more focused on political initiatives.

The Dayton branch of the nationwide group that was born out of protests of Wall Street excesses and corporate influence in politics has moved into three rooms in the former Third Baptist Church at 2720 E. Third St., said Kim McCarthy Lunay, a member of the group’s Direct Action commmittee.

“We basically have three rooms that they’ve given us,” said Lunay.

In exchange for renovating the rooms, the group will get free rent, she said.

Getting a permanent home is a big step for Occupy Dayton, said Lunay, which in December lost its camp in Courthouse Square. Maintaining the camp put a lot of pressure on the group and took most of its energy, she said.

“It’s much nicer to be able to focus on getting in there and changing legislation,” Lunay said. “That’s the kind of thing we’re working at — ballot (initiatives) and things of that regard, on a local level as well as statewide.”

Occupy Dayton holds twice-weekly general assembly meetings in the office as well as meetings of 10 work groups. It has held training workshops on non-violence safety and civil disobedience in the office, she said. It also has a website: www.occupydaytonoh.org.

But the 43-year-old Reiki practitioner said the group will still be doing some “fun things.”

At the end of February, for example, it plans to join a nationwide protest against the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative lobbying group, she said.

“There are a number of companies that are part of that ALEC group that are here in Dayton,” Lunay said.

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