Ability Maine: AbilityMaine/ROSC Shared Calendar

Please note that this is a shared calendar. The listings are not specific to any certain group.

To place a listing in this calendar, email abilitymaine@gmail.com. Put "calendar listing" in the header of the email.

All listings must be for a nonprofit entity. Events that appear to be Profit making must occur under the sponsorship of a nonprofit. Please include the name of the nonprofit sponsor in your announcement. example, individual organic farmers may not list their roadside stands, but when they are organized as a nonprofit farmers market, that market may list here.

April 27: "Birdsong & Coffee" film shown, 7 PM, Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St., Bangor. Call 942-9343 or info@peacectr.org.

April 27: May Day dinner (food, music, speakers) and membership campaign, Solidarity Center, 20 Ivers St., Brewer. Food AND Medicine, 989-5860 or http://www.foodandmedicine.org.

April 28: Play dramatizing the life of fictional labor activist resembling rank and filer Jimmy Higgins w/Harlan Baker as writer and performer on Workers Memorial Day, evening, St. Lawrence Arts and Community Center, 76 Congress St., Portland. Call 772-9640.

April 29 (+ every other Tuesday for 5 more sessions): "Economy of Peace and Justice through a Spiritual Prism" (religious views of economic issues), Addams-Melman House, 212 Centre St., Bath. Call 442-7260 or 443-9502.

May 1: Community Training and Information night on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, 6:30 PM, Academy Hill School, Wilton. Aimee Desroches, aimee.desroches@gmail.com.

May 2: "Mission against Terror" and "Bloqueo" films about Cuba shown, 7 PM, Blue Hill Public Library, Blue Hill. Call 326-4405 or robbins@downeast.net.

May 2: "American Blackout" film shown (about Cynthia McKinney as Green presidential candidate and voter disenfranchisement), time TBA, Addams-Melman House, 212 Centre St., Bath. Call 443-9502 or mbsull@mindspring.com.

May 2-4: Nonviolent Communication Level 1 (basic) training w/Peggy Smith, Peace and Justice Center, 170 Park St., Bangor. Call789-5299 or peggy@MaineNVCnetwork.org.

May 3: Maine SpeakOut Volunteer Training to do talks on gender and sexual orientation, Wiscasset (location and time by registering). Jen Hodsdon, Maine SpeakOut, 874-1030 x510 or jhodsdon@commcc.org or http://www.mainespeakout.org.

May 3-4: Maine AIDS Walk kickoff (3rd), 6:30 PM, Maple Hill Farm B&B, Hallowell and walks in several locations around the state the next day. Maine AIDS Alliance, 621-2924 or http://www.maineaidsalliance.org.

May 4: kNOw US and THEM workshop on immigrant rights issues, 6:30-8:30 PM, Peace and Justice Center, 170 Park St., Bangor. PICA, 947-4203 or info@pica.ws or http://www.pica.ws.

May 4: Winter Cache workshop, "How to Transform Your Urban Driveway into a Beautiful Garden" (cold frames, raised beds, permaculture, more) 9:30 AM-4 PM, 19 Merrill St., Portland w/potluck at noon. Margot Fine, margotfine@yahoo.com.

May 6: Poetry Peace Potluck event with scads of poets reading on peace and justice topics, plus bring food to share, 11:30 AM-1 PM, Lewiston campus, USM, Westminster St., Lewiston. Gary Lawless, 729-5083.

May 7: Integrative and sustainable design workshop w/architect Bill Reed, time TBA, Abromson Center, USM, Portland. Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, 413-774-6051 x30 or sherron@nesea.org.

May 8: Maine Civil Liberties Union annual Louis Scolnick Award Dinner, 6 PM, Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main St., Freeport. MCLU, 774-5444 or info@mclu.org.

May 8: Grace Akallo of Uganda talks about child soldiers, noon, Lawrence HS, Fairfield. Call Debbie Huck, Amnesty International, 453-7075 for details.

May 10: "Tom Lewis Presente" action to protest launching another Aegis destroyer, 9:30 AM, BIW administration building, Washington St., Bath. Jack Bussell, 772-1442 or Smilin' Trees, 763-4062.

May 10: Organic Orcharding workshop, all day, Common Ground Education Center, Crosby Brook Rd., Unity. MOFGA, 568-4142 or mofga@mofga.org or http://www.mofga.org.

May 10-11: Alternatives to Violence advanced training to facilitate AVP workshops in Maine prisons and jails, free, 9 AM-5 PM, Portland area . Karen Tucker, kmtucker1@verizon.net or Sue, 799-6454.

May 16: Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine General Assembly, elections, and sing-along with Judd and Roxanne, 6-8 PM, Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St., Bangor. Call 942-9343 or info@peacectr.org.

May 16-17: "Social Diversity and Social Justice--An Experiential Learning Event" w/Argentine Craig, Lewin Center, Bethel. Nancy Davis, Lewin Center, 824-8035 or nancy@lewincenter.org or http://www.lewincenter.org.

May 17-18: Solar Hot Water Heater assembly workshop, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM, SEADS, US Route One, Harrington. Call 483-2764 or seads@maineline.net.

May 18: "War on Democracy" film by John Pilger shown, 7 PM, Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St., Bangor. Call 942-9343 or info@peacectr.org.

May 22: Jose Oliva of Interfaith Worker Justice in Chicago speaks about worker organizing and support strategies around the US, 5:30-8 PM, Solidarity Center, 20 Ivers St., Brewer. Food AND Medicine, 989-5860 or http://www.foodandmedicine.org.

May 24-25: Alternatives to Violence advanced training to facilitate AVP workshops in Maine prisons and jails, free, 9 AM-5 PM, Augusta area . Karen Tucker, kmtucker1@verizon.net or Sue, 799-6454.

May 31: Small Farm Field Day, all day, Common Ground Education Center, Crosby Brook Rd., Unity. MOFGA, 568-4142 or mofga@mofga.org or http://www.mofga.org.

June 7: PTSD Symposium (post traumatic stress for veterans), all day, University of Southern Maine, Portland. Dud Hendrick, Maine Veterans for Peace, dudhe@verizon.net or 348-2511.

June 10: POWER sponsors Healthcare Truth Commission (violations of the right of healthcare), 6-8:30 PM, Community Public Access TV, 516 Congress St., Portland. POWER, 650-5092 or power@povertyontrial.org.

As gardens begin to grow, it's time to start thinking about local foods. "5 Reasons to Eat Local" isa a new brochure explaining why local foods are better--for health, the economy, nutrition, education, and the environment. There are resources from the Maine Dept. of Agriculture and where local food producers are in Maine. And the flyer is available from Lots to Gardens in Lewiston, 755-3110 or lotstogardens@yahoo.com or http://www.lotstogardens.org.

There's good news and bad news on the global warming front in Maine. The good news is that Maine actually reduced its emissions of carbon dioxide slightly between 2004 and 2005. The bad news is that emissions in Maine and the rest of New England have been rising since 2001 and that all states are well behind their goals for 2010 and beyond. A lot more reduction in use and nonpolluting sources of energy are needed quickly! A report on these changes, "Falling Behind: New England Must Act Now to Reduce Global Warming Pollution," from the Natural Resources Council of Maine and Environment Maine, is available from NRCM at 622-3101 or 800-287-2345 x203.

On May Day, May 1, 2008, the Worker Rights Hotline will begin providing information to any worker needing advice, information, or support in dealing with worker fairness and a voice on the job. Trained "community stewards" will staff the hotline. The number to call is 989-5860. Food AND Medicine, sponsor of the hotline, will also facilitate another Union Supported Agriculture (USA) program, providing fresh food to workers through the Solidarity Shares program. To join the USA program, call 989-5860 or http://www.foodandmedicine.org for details by June 1.