May 21 Transition Orlando Meeting

The Green Team is pleased to host the first meeting of the new Transition Orlando chapter!

It is today, May 21st at 6:30pm at the First Unitarian Church of Orlando. Head toward the education building near the playground to the Assembly Room. Facebook RSVP here.

Transition Orlando is part of Transition US. From their website:

“Transition US is a nonprofit organization that provides inspiration, encouragement, support, networking, and training for Transition Initiatives across the United States. We are working in close partnership with the Transition Network, a UK based organization that supports the international Transition Movement as a whole.

The Transition Movement is a vibrant, grassroots movement that seeks to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. It represents one of the most promising ways of engaging people in strengthening their communities against the effects of these challenges, resulting in a life that is more abundant, fulfilling, equitable and socially connected.

We believe that we can make the transition to a more sustainable world. We hope that you will join us.”

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Mystic Grove Annual Beltane Celebration

The Mystic Grove is getting ready  for their annual Beltane Celebration. A family friendly event!

Annual Beltane Celebration

hosted by Mystic Grove

The new ribbons go up on the May Pole about now so you know what that means… Beltane time!

Beltane is the celebration of the glory of spring at its height. All ages are welcome to attend this family friendly event. Dress is casual, or feel free to come in Spring or Beltane inspired dress! (ex: spring colors, bubbles for the kids, flowers in your hair.)

Flowers most welcome for the altar and around the May Pole. You may also bring a CLEARLY LABELED dish for the potluck. (Name of donor, name of dish, non-vegetarian, vegetarian, etc.)

DATE AND TIME

• Beltane Celebration is May 8, 2010.
• Ritual is at 7 PM in the RE Courtyard. Potluck and fellowship to follow in the Assembly room.

LOCATION & RSVP

First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando, FL 32803

Please RSVP over Email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org or Facebook so we know how many to prepare for. Look forward to meeting you!

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Mystic Grove Annual Winter Solstice Celebration

If you prefer going all night rather than all day, the annual Mystic Grove Winter Solstice Celebration is also in the downtown area!

Annual Winter Solstice Service and Vigil

Please join us for a well-loved tradition organized by the Mystic Grove and friends. We gather to admire the seasonal altars and bask in the glowing warmth of this lovely candle-lit holiday service. This year we welcome back the beautiful sounds of the Harmony Sisters and other performers, listen to the Story of the Celts, and dance the spiral dance around the Yule log.

After the service, watch the Yule Log be lit, tell each other your holiday stories, and stay a while to enjoy the warmth of community! Those who wish to stand guard by the fire until dawn are invited to bring comfy chairs, blankets, and whatever else you may enjoy as we “camp out” and ensure the Sun will rise again!

First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando, FL 32803

• Winter Solstice Candlelit Ritual/Service  — 7 PM – 9 PM
• Winter Solstice All Night Vigil — 9 PM – 8 AM

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“Shop For Good” in support of Fair Trade Nov 11!

The holiday season has begun and Ten Thousand Villages in Winter Park continues to provide community outreach and help to other non-profits. These non profits are able to sign up for a sale date and part of the proceeds goes to them and their charities and not just to Ten Thousand Villages.

I’m a big fan of Ten Thousand Villages. It works with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Africa,  Asia and Latin America to bring people access to  fair trade  jewelry, home decor, gifts and more. As one of the  world’s oldest and largest fair trade organizations,  Ten Thousand Villages builds long-term relationships with artisans that  are based on mutual understanding and respect.  Fair trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and  provides the opportunity for a better quality of life.

Not only that but the gifts are truly unique and appeal to a wide assortment of people and ages.

WHEN AND WHERE

While I wrote about it last November,  First Unitarian is going out again to TTV tomorrow. I remember before TTV got the store location it would appear at the church over the holidays so it tickles me that now the tables have turned and TTV hosts First Unitarian for the holidays!

Come out and shop in support of Fair Trade!

Nov 11, 2009

5 PM – 9 PM

Ten Thousand Villages
346 N. Park Ave
Winter Park, Florida

PARKING TIPS

Hints for the shoppers wanting to minimize traffic crazy on Park Ave? Here’s what worked best for me last year when I was shopping with Julia and her stroller…

Come early from the New York and Canton side and park in the parking garage.   Panera is the closest eatery since it is practically the neighbor to the parking garage and Ten Thousand Villages is almost right across the street from Panera.

Of course there are other dining places and boutiques to browse along Park Ave too that are a lot of fun if you are shopping alone, with friends, or as a parent date night.  But if you are juggling kids, strollers, and whatnot, and still want to hit the sale, you can do it without ever driving on Park Ave if you want to. Have fun!

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Call for Holiday Pix!

CURRENT BANNER PHOTO

This is the fuller size picture  by Tom Cook from VegFest on October 24 at 3:50 PM that is featured on our site banner photo. The photo was organized by First Unitarian for the general public to participate in.  Other snaps were featured in the Orlando Sentinel Climate Gallery.

We gathered on the steps of Loch Haven park to represent for “Orlando 350″ along with many others doing the same worldwide! Not sure what all that means? Check out 350.org!

CALL FOR NEW PHOTOS

It’s getting to be holiday time! Send me pix of your cuties in Halloween costume, the Thanksgiving fun, Yule logs burning, and whatever else your family has planned for the holiday season throughout the end of 2009!

No need to crop it to size –  we’ll do that for you. Just send the largest resolution possible so we have plenty of image to work with when cropping it to banner size. (Hint: At least 800 pixels wide is great!)

Winners will be announced in a post featuring the full photo and banner version will appear.  Get out and snap! 

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Coalition of Immokalee Workers: Classes and Peaceful Info Picket

The Unitarians are banding together with Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to provide a day of classes and and info picket for farm workers and fair food! Come to the bits you like best!

CLASS INFO

Coalition of Immokalee Workers will be appearing Nov 1, 2009 at both Unitarian churches in Orlando to hold classes about farm workers! They will teach us what life as a tomato picker is like and the human rights obstacles they face.  Presentation is free to anyone — families welcome.

You can attend these at

Room 9 in the Education Building 9:30 – 10:30 AM at
First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando, FL 32803

and

Main Building from 12 – 1 PM
University Unitarian Universalist Society
11648 McCulloch Rd
Orlando, FL 32817
THE ISSUES

The precedent-setting agreements with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Whole Foods, Subway, and Bon Appetit to improve wages and conditions for tomato pickers include the first real wage increase for farmworkers in 30 years, a code of conduct against abuses–with zero tolerance for slavery, and farmworker participation in monitoring improved conditions. To date, three Florida growers have committed to implement these fair food agreements.

Yet Publix, whose sales in the first half of 2009 topped $12 billion, refuses to pay just one more penny per pound to improve wages for tomato pickers and work with the CIW to guarantee fair conditions for those who pick its tomatoes. What’s more, Publix continues to knowingly purchase tomatoes from two tomato growers implicated in a recent farmworker slavery operation.

PICKET INFO

In the afternoon at 2:30 PM, Coalition of Immokalee Workers  moves on to hold a peaceful, information picket at the Publix on Shine and Colonial to raise awareness for the plight of the farm workers.  It is part of a month long info picket at various Publix supermarkets in the state of Florida.Join farm workers from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) in calling for fair wages and human rights at a Publix near you:

Sun., November 1st at 2:30 pm
Educational Picket in front of Publix
1400 E Colonial Drive, Orlando

MORE INFO

Can’t wait until Sunday? Come in costume on Sat., October 31st at 2 pm for a Halloween-themed Event in front of Publix 2015 Edgewater Drive, Orlando

And mark your calendars to join us at Publix Headquarters on Dec. 5, 2009 in Lakeland!

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Orlando 350.org pix at VegFest on Oct 24!

What: Orlando 350.org pix

When: 3:50 PM (Come early to find parking and make it to the tent)

Where: The Green Team tent near the statue
VegFest in Loch Haven Park,
900 E. Princeton St,
Orlando FL

Oct 24 is International Day of Climate Action. The 350.org faq is an excellent place to start learning about it and about global warming.

As for what you can do about it… I’ve been organizing the Orlando 350.org pix!

Everyone and anyone is invited to show up at VegFest to be in it! You are invited to come as you are or in tie-dye to the Green Team Tent just to the right of the statue at the entrance to the park.

Want to make 350 signs? Paint your face? Wave balloons? Earth flags? Come on down and we’ll all squish in!

At 3:50 PM we snap our Orlando picture to stand up for Climate Action along with the other 4,500 events planned in over181 countries! Don’t miss it! And check out some other inspiring images at the 350.org Flickr collection.

Florida Bicycle Association is running a bike bus for VegFest as another 350.org action. Make it an extra “green” effort and take the bike bus in to the festival!

MORE EVENTS

Can’t make it down to VegFest? There are other 350.org and environmental activities happening Oct 24:

• 350 Free Beers at 3:50 PM with Love, Eco Factory @ Orlando Brewing
• Energy Action Coalition, Southern Energy Network, National Wildlife Federation
• I.D.E.A.S. (Intellectual Decisions on Envrionmental Awareness Solutions)
• Veterans For American Power Tour

UPDATES

We made it into the Orlando Sentinel climate gallery! The first 3 photos in the series are from our picture project at VegFest.

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Orlando Pagan Pride “Harvest for the Homeless” Sept 19!

Orlando Pagan Pride Day will be held on Saturday, Sept 19th from 10 AM -5 PM at

First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando, FL 32803

The theme for the event is “Harvest for the Homeless.”

Let’s reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves and Harvest a FEAST for our homeless brothers and sisters, both 2 legged and 4 legged!

There will be kids activities on the playground, a labyrinth to enjoy and a Bardic Circle. Food will be supplied by the Castaways’ Salmagundi with burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, chips, water and soda. With every food purchase you will receive a raffle ticket.

For more information on the International Pagan Pride Project, please visit www.paganpride.org

SPONSORS

The sponsors for the event are

• Four Winds Lodge
• A Temple of the Sacred Path, Inc.
• ATC
• The Mystic Grove at First Unitarian Church of Orlando
• The Wiccan Religious Cooperative of Florida
• The Coven of the Goddess Moon headed by Lord Morpheus and Lady Danu
• The Coven of Mysty Mountain

ADMISSION AND DONATIONS

Admission is FREE with a food donation!

We are accepting dry good/canned donations for the following charities:

• Second Harvest Food Bank
• Catholic Charities
• Rescuing Animals in Need(RAIN)

With every donated item received you will be given a raffle ticket!

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The Orlando Pagan Pride Day Workshops will be held in the Courtyard and the schedule is as follows:

Time	Item
10 AM -11AM	Universal Energy and YOU by Whitelight A look at magick and its control from a metaphysicists point of view
11 AM -Noon	Introduction to Obi Divination by Ochani Lele, Author of The Santerian Gods: Spirit of Odu and Obi: Oracle of Cuban Santeria
Noon-1 PM	Musical Alchemy by Elizabeth Sturino
1 PM – 2 PM	The Science and Art of Ritual by Lord Morpheus
2 PM – 3 PM	Main Ritual by The Coven of Mysty Mountain
3 PM – 4 PM	Concert featuring Ken Spivey and Shining Wheel Pagan Chorus Concert, (wandering minstrel performances all throughout the day featuring Ken Spivey, Rick DeYampert, Kevin Doyle and Sherry Oliver)
4 PM – 5 PM	Drum Circle led by Karl Miranda

TALK LIKE A PIRATE

Saturday, Sept 19th is also International Talk Like a Pirate Day so look for the pirates, engage them in conversation and iffen ye knows the 5 A’s of Piratin, ye gets FREE raffle tickets! Arr!

(That is a hint and one of the A’s…search Youtube for the Pirate Guys to learn the other 4!)

MORE INFO

Tory Estes Stevens is the local coordinator for the Orlando Pagan Pride Day. If you are interested in vending, reading, entertaining, presenting a workshop or attending Orlando Pagan Pride Day, please email ToryBadger@aol.com for more information.

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Disability and the Law Workshop

Today’s the last day to register! If you are a caregiver for your child, parent, or other loved ones… it helps to be informed!

Saturday, August 8, 2009

9AM – 2PM

Held at First Unitarian Church of Orlando

1901 E. Robinson St

Orlando, FL 32803

Public participation in the Disability and the Law Workshop is free as it is part of First Unitarian’s 97 year commitment to the education of Central Florida residents on subjects of social importance. We have secured speakers from a diverse group of charitable organizations as well as government institutions, businesses and activists.

The workshop goals are:

• To inform people with disabilities as well as the general public on the current status of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable federal, state and local laws
• To teach how those laws are, and can be, applied.

We will have panel discussions during the workshop.  The key to the workshop will be the interaction between the panelists and attendees.

We will also have tables for information about the our presenting organizations as well as workshop sponsors. Attendees will be able to visit the information tables during registration, breaks and at lunch.

Scheduled speakers:

• The Center for Independent Living
• The Office of U.S. Representative Alan Grayson
• The Agency for Persons with Disabilities
• Attorney Bradley Conway
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• The Orange County Disability Advisory Board
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness

…and others!

Cost and Registration:

The Disability and the Law Workshop is free to all registered participants.  This includes all sessions, lunch, and workshop materials.

Space for the Workshop is limited. Call (407) 234-2481 to register. Attendees must register by Thursday, August 6.

For further questions contact Susan Anastasio or Tom Cook, co-chairs of the workshop at SocialJustice@orlandouu.org

Accessibility:

• Facilities are accessible.
• American Sign Language interpreting provided.

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“World Peace Diet” Author Will Tuttle at First Unitarian April 4th!

VegCF and Green Team are collaborating to bring author Will Tuttle to Orlando!

Here’s the details for the free event:

Join us and connect with the spirit of life!

7 PM on April 4, 2009

First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St.
Orlando, FL 32803

“The World Peace Diet: Eating For Spiritual Health and Social Harmony” has been called one of the most important books of the 21st century: the foundation of a new society based on the truth of the interconnectedness of all life.

Dr. Tuttle typically presents a meditation, an educational talk on subjects covered in his book as well as a performance of original music, “Piano Passion.” These are intended to generate energy for personal and planetary awakening.

Vegan food and drink will be provided by sponsors Vegetarians of Central Florida and Green Team. Event is free! (Donations welcome but not required.)

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