Announcements

author : WIP News Service

by WIP News Service

The Freeschool Community is Now Accepting Classes for the Fall 2008 Quarter!

Brief description: Anyone can facilitate a class as long as it is free of charge. Some class subjects we are looking for are: Art, Language, Dance, Yoga, Activism, Cooking and just about any subject that you desire. Our class catalog is quarterly. The class submission deadline for the Fall quarter (October, November and December) is September 1st. A class submission form is available on our website. Information should include: Name, contact, title of class, location of class (it can be located anywhere in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater or Surrounding Thurston County Area), dates and times, and a short description (2-4 sentences). A longer description can be posted on our website. All submissions should be e-mailed to the email address found by visiting www.Freeschoolunity.org or www.www.FreeschoolCommunity.org and clicking on "Facilitate a Class." You can also mail the above information to the mailing address found on our website.

POWER wants to hear your story

POWER is an organization of low-income parents and allies advocating for a strong social safety net while working toward a world where children and care giving are truly valued, and the devastation of poverty has been eradicated. We hold volunteer meetings every Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 in our office in the Payne Room of the First Christian Church. This summer, The Poor People’s Human Rights Campaign is organizing people all over the United States to share their stories of living in poverty. The goal of making these stories public is to let our government know that poverty is a human rights’ violation and to demand for better policies.

If you have been unfairly treated by DSHS, unjustly evicted, forced to live on the streets, denied healthcare, unable to feed yourself or your children, or denied an education -- then your rights have been violated. Contact POWER and share your story with one of our advocates. We will be exposing these violations at the March For Our Lives in September at the Republican National Convention, held in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Attend our August 4th POWER Outage at First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way SE. We will meet at 5:30 for a potluck, from 6 to 8 we will have a discussion on human rights and poverty in America. Bring the kids, onsite childcare!

Sweat Free!

Blauer Manufacturing, one of the companies that Olympia and State of Washington contract with have dropped their abusing subcontractor and as a result Blauer manufacturing is no longer included in the Subsidizing Sweatshop report. This demonstrates the effect that combined efforts for non-sweatshop clothes can have. According to SweatFree Communities the Subsidizing Sweatshop report initially associated the Blauer Manufacturing Company with the Hui Yang Charming Garments factory. Import records from October 2007 show that Blauer received three shipments of jackets from this factory at that time. In addition, Blauer’s own disclosure to the City of Milwaukee from December of 2003 names Charming Garments as a factory supplier of apparel. It appears likely that Blauer has received products from Charming Garments for several years. However, on July 1, 2008, Blauer told us that they have ceased placing orders with Charming Garments because "Blauer representatives were denied access to inspect its manufacturing locations." If company representatives were denied access to inspect working conditions, and Blauer had no means of exercising its influence to improve working conditions, SweatFree Communities supports Blauer’s decision to cease doing business with the factory. Therefore, we have now removed Blauer from this report.

Fundraiser Pizza Party With Live Music!

Thursday, August 7th, 2008, 6:30pm, Fertile Ground, 311 9th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501

Pizza Party With Live Music to raise funds for the Radical Road Trip project. This project will create a video documentary of several activists travelling to the Republican National Convention protests in Minneapolis. The final documentary will screen in Olympia in November. For more information in getting involved with the fundraiser or the Radical Road Trip contact us by visiting www.Freeschoolunity.org or www.www.FreeschoolCommunity.org and clicking on "Calendar of Classes and Events."

Suggested Donation of $3.00-$10.00. No one turned away for lack of funds.

Freeschool Meeting and Potluck

The Olympia Freeschool will be having a potluck and meeting to discuss the future of the freeschool, including the possibility of moving to a new space. All community members and volunteers of past and present are encouraged to attend. The meeting will take place on Sunday, August 17, 3 - 5:30 p.m. at Tradition's Cafe, 300 5th Ave. SW.

POWER Soul Food Secret Café

Friday, August 22, beginning at 6 pm, at Monica, Vince and Bryn’s house, go east toward Lacey, turn left on Phoenix, turn right on State Avenue (between Martin Way and South Bay) park in the big parking lot on your right and walk across the street to the last house on the left, yellow with red trim.

Enjoy delicious home-cookin and music by local bands, Cat Bower, William Carpenter, The Winning Lasses, Jenny Jenkins, and Greta Jane! The menu includes fried chicken, okra, gumbo, corn bread, mac n cheese, red beans and rice, collard greens, peach cobbler, banana pudding and yummy drinks. Full meal for $12, with $2 ala carte items as well, so people can spend as much as they want. No cover charge for the music.