Etcetera
The Ecology Center's major annual fundraiser, the Bike-A-Thon, is coming up Sunday, May 8. This year the three bike routes (from 1450 miles) and a 5-mile nature walk begin and end at Gallup Park. Starting times are 9 am and 10 am. All participants can return to an afternoon of music, fun, a Rider's Raffle, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
Riders and walkers must obtain a pledge sheet in advance from the Ecology Center and collect pledge sponsors based on the number of miles they plan to bike or walk. Prizes will be awarded to teams and individuals for the top pledges turned in.
Proceeds from the Bike-A-Thon help support environmental education and advocacy programs concerning solid waste reduction, energy conservation, and groundwater protection.
Sunday May 15 is the scheduled rain date. Volunteers are needed, too. Contact Stacey at 761-3186 for more information or to volunteer.
Panel Topic: "The Future of Bosnia" The Ann Arbor Committee for Bosnia is sponsoring this panel presentation on May 6 at 7 pm in Room 100 Hutchins Hall (U-M Law School). The main speaker will be Steven Walker, formerly of the U.S. State Department, Croatian desk. Walker is currently director of the American Committee to Save Bosnia, in Washington, D.C.
Other panelists include: Natalie Nenadic, of the U-M Rape & Genocide Law Project, just returned form interviewing rape victims in camps; Dr. Neven Hadzijahic, President of the American-Bosnian-Hercegovinian Association; and Omar al-Qadi, Director of Mercy International. Local politicians and organizers will also be on hand. For more information call 663-1870.
Don't Miss Lani Guinier! Lani Guinier, University of Pennsylvania law professor and President Clinton's one-time nominees for this country's highest civil rights post, will speak in Ann Arbor on Tues. May 24. Her talk, entitled "The Tyranny of the Majority: Fundamental Fairness in Representative Democracy," will take place at 7:30 pm in the Rackham Amphitheater. Copies of her recently published book (by the same title) will be available for purchase and signing.
Guinier's visit is co-sponsored by the U-M Center for Afroamerican and African Studies, Borders Book Shop, and the U-M Women's Studies Program. For more information call CAAS at 764-5513.
Youth Support Groups Available Three support groups are now meeting at Ozone House, a crisis intervention center for runaway and homeless youth.
The Teen Support Group, for all teenagers facing the challenges of adolescence, meets Wednesdays from 5:30-7:30 pm; the Independent Living Support Group, for teens who are living without family support, meets Sundays from 3-5 pm; and the Gay & Lesbian Youth Support Group meets Mondays from 7-9 pm.
Ozone House is located at 608 N. Main St. in Ann Arbor. Free, anonymous counseling is available over their 24-hour crisis line: 662-2222. Ozone House also provides individual and family counseling, emergency food, clothing, and independent living support. All groups and services are free and confidential.
Low-Cost Dental Services for Seniors The Community Dental Center announces a new program to provide preventative dental care at reduced rates for limited-income senior citizens 62 and over who live in Ann Arbor. The program will be offered until June 30. It is funded in part by a grant from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.
The Community Dental Center is a nonprofit service of U-M and the City of Ann Arbor. The mission of the CDC is to provide comprehensive, quality care that is affordable to all its patients. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 663-6626.
HIV/AIDS Partners Support Group The HIV/AIDS Resource Center (HARC) is forming a new support group for people whose partners have HIV/AIDS. The group will provide emotional support and a chance to talk to others in a similar situation. All HARC support groups are strictly confidential and facilitated by professionals.
In addition to support groups, HARC offers direct care services to address the practical and emotional needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers. These services include: information and referral; buddies program; housekeeping; foodbank; respite for caregivers; hospital visitation and transportation services; and emergency financial assistance.
HARC also offers outreach and educational services to the community. Their team of trained volunteer speakers provide HIV education to schools, universities, and community groups. For more information about the new support group or other HARC services contact Ken or Susan at 572-9355.
Learn How to Buy Your Own Home On Saturday, May 7, you can find out if you're able to take advantage of mortgage loans. And if you're not ready yet, find out how you may be ready in the near future. At the Home Buyer's Fair, realtors, lenders and credit counselors will address how you can purchase a home. There will be free how-to workshops and attendees will receive a list of contacts at local banks and a copy of "The Guide to Home Ownership."
The Fair will be held from 8:45 am-1:30 pm in the Job Skills Building at Washtenaw Community College (Hogback & Golfside Rd. in Ypsilanti).
For more information contact the Community Reinvestment Alliance at 677-1400 (ask for Dina Sanders).
Chiapas Update On Tues. May 3 at 7 pm in the Rackham Amphitheater, the Latin American Solidarity Committee will host a talk by Roger Maldonado on the current situation in Chiapas. Maldonado is the co-founder of CONPAZ, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations in Chiapas, Mexico. CONPAZ has been working since the Zapatista uprising to document human rights abuses, to provide direct aid to displaced persons, and to facilitate media access to affected communities.
The event will also include a short video and a silent auction fundraiser for CONPAZ. For more info. contact Debbie Billings at 769-0893.
Artisans' Market Returns for Summer The Ann Arbor Artisans' Market opens for its fourth season on Sunday, May 1 in the Farmers' Market at Kerrytown. The Artisans' Market features fine arts and handmade crafts by more than 50 Michigan artists. Wood, fiber, ceramic, glass, watercolor, acrylic, herbs, flowers, feathers, crystals, shells, and leather are among the media used to create an ever-changing array of practical, decorative, and whimsical items for all ages.
The Artisans' Market will be open Sundays from 11 am - 4 pm through December. Artists interested in exhibiting may contact Marilyn Mattingly at 453-2606.
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