Colorado Community Opportunities

Community Cafe - NOVO (Arvada) - 11/19 (5:00-6:30PM)

Common Cause Fundraiser Breakfast (Denver) - 11/18

Please join me for the Common Cause Fundraising Breakfast on November 18 at 7:30am (in downtown Denver at the Scottish Rite Center, 1370 Grant St, Denver). You can sign up online at Common Cause breakfast. There is no set amount requested.

Engaging Non-Traditional Communities in Volunteering (Denver) - 11/19

Learn how to build connections that support positive individual and community behavior based on mutual respect, responsibility and ownership. We will discuss ways to build these relationships with community leaders and residents; will learn methods for empowering, mobilizing and engaging communities, and characteristics of effective community partnerships.

Date / Time: Thursday, November 19: 9 am - 12 pm

Location: Volunteers of America - 2660 Larimer Street - Denver, CO 80205

Cost: $45 - Member, $60 - Non-member

https://www.blacktie-colorado.com/rsvp/rsvp.cfm?eventcode=)%3F8F)%25%25WZ%20%40%40O%0A

Support Andrew Romanoff for U.S. Senate (Fort Lupton) - 11/21

Support Andrew Romanoff for the US Senate

You are invited to a Campaign Launch Party: Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff.

This is your special opportunity to:

•share concerns and issues

•Volunteer

•contribute

Saturday – November 21st - 1 to 4 PM

Hosted by Margaret and Dick Barkey

* Northeast of Fort Lupton, Colorado

Suggested Donation Levels

Sponsor- $100 Guest - $50 Supporter - $25

Contributions are not tax-deductible, will be used in connection with a federal election, and are prohibited from corporations and labor organizations.

Event paid for by Margaret and Dick Barkey

Bring the whole family. Enjoy our horses, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs and chickens. Hay rides and horse back rides weather permitting.

* Directions: Turn east from highway US 85 at County Road 18 ½. Continue east 1 ½ miles then turn north on County Road 29 ½. Turn into 8965 County Road 29 ½. It is the first white house on the west side of the road.

RSVP: email: dick.barkey@comcast.net or call: 303-808-8504

Dick Barkey

303-808-8504

dick.barkey@comcast.net

The Whistle Blower: A Contemporary Morality Play (Golden) 11/21-22

This free event will be at Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 W. 32nd Ave., Golden. Even if you saw the original interview, you may find this dramatization of interest.

Activist Chamber Theatre - "The Whistle Blower" is a staged reading of the July "Bill Moyers Journal" interview of former insurance executive Wendell Potter and the show's critique of America's critical health care condition. JUC members Steve Sealy and John Hambright appear as, respectively, Bill Moyers and Wendell Potter. The original Moyers transcript becomes, on this occasion, a script for a play - a play that includes a "Greek chorus" in its critique of the health insurance industry. Performances of "The Whistle Blower: A Contemporary Morality Play" will be in JUC's Sanctuary on Saturday,

November 21 and Sunday, November 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Contact: Betty Nichol - 303-502-7976

Support Veterans (Aurora) - 11/21

Event sponsored by Senator Mary Hodge

I am hosting a town hall meeting Saturday, November 21, 2009, 10:00 a.m. at the American Legion, Paul C. Beck Post 23, 2323 Dayton Street in Aurora. Because the timing is just after Veterans' Day and just before Thanksgiving the topic is "Thanks to our Veterans!" Hope you can join us.

Colorado Environmental Coalition Holiday Party (Denver) - 12/4

Each year we open our offices to our supporters and friends for a fun night of holiday cheer, food, drinks and Colorado Environmental Coalition camaraderie. Please mark your calendar now to attend our Annual Front Range Holiday Party!

What: CEC Annual Front Range Holiday Party

When: December 4, 2009 at 6:00 pm

Where: CEC's Denver office located at 1536 Wynkoop St #5C, 80202

RSVP to Courtney at 303.405.6705.

Hope to see you there!

Courtney Fryxell

Colorado Environmental Coalition

HCAC Legislative Kickoff (Denver) - 12/5

HCAC Legislative Session Kickoff

December 5th

12:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Pipefitters Union Hall

6350 North Broadway

Denver, CO 80216

As supporters of Health Care for All Colorado we are all citizen lobbyists. As we press for quality health care for everyone in Colorado, our message must not only be loud, it must be effective.

The purpose of our Legislative kickoff session it to learn how to make our message to Colorado legislators resonate and produce results. We have invited some of Colorado most respected legislators and progressive lobbyists to lead this workshop.

Watch for registration details in our next HCAC Activist Alert.

Friends of Sabeel-Colorado Holiday Dinner Party (Denver) - 12/6

Sunday, December 6, 2009 - 4:30 pm

Phoenician Kabob Restaurant

5709 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver

www.pkabob.com

Delicious Palestinian/Lebanese Buffet

Vegetarian options included

$15 per person

Kindly RSVP to Joy by November 30

303-494-2338; lappj@earthlink.net

Vigil to Remember the Killing of Seven Homeless in Denver - 12/16

The Tenth Anniversary of the Seven Who Were Murdered in Lodo and Near Union Station

"A Bum bums around town; a tramp goes from town to town tramping, and a hobo rides trains," my friend stated emphatically one afternoon. My friend went on to explain that since he had run away from the Third Way Center as a juvenile about forty years ago that he had been a hobo. He had run trains up and down the coast and from one end to the other of the country. He said that he would not do it now because the rules and the police have changed. The gangs are tough and will hurt you. If you get on the trains you will have to jump off and you cannot do that after many years of riding them without hurting yourself badly.

In 1999 there were seven accounted deaths of homeless people near and around the site of the expansion of the Union Station Corridor. One of the murders was solved and that had to do with a teen on the Sixteenth Street Mall. All of them were men with a history of being on the street because they were unable to function. One of the benefits of that time a decade ago was that many of us were able to find housing and resources as a result. I was living at the Standish Hotel on California Street during Thanksgiving, ten years ago. The people at the station in the tent gave me a three day voucher and a ride to the "Hotel California." These were desperate times because essentially no one provided a permanent place for anyone and that meant that no matter how you looked at it you would be sleeping under some place by the week's end.

My friend was beaten severely when he was riding trains. He received stitches and was hospitalized in serious condition. Since that time he has had many run ins with law enforcement and he has been in and out of the emergency room dozens of times. You all are familiar with the term "million dollar Murray," coined by Malcolm Gladwell in the article in the New Yorker Magazine in February, 2006, about a man in Reno, Nevada who spent public financed money for health care, courts, ambulances and law enforcement and died on the street. The Congress chose to call these people "chronically homeless." They went on to add that these people make up ten percent of the homeless and use ninety percent of the resources.

The plans devised throughout the nation and in particular in Denver are oriented to taking these people off the streets permanently, by housing them, getting them benefits, supportive services, and case management. The cost of this activity is one half what it costs for the public to care for "million dollar Murray." The benefits for the community are that a person on "skid row," begins to thrive and in this way contribute to the commonweal. This is the theory and occasionally it is effective, but most of the time the person ends up dying from years of neglect and deterioration of the person's life.

What makes more sense as an approach to homeless anyone is that a person who is born and reared in poverty never tastes the grit and harsh reality of poverty, particularly of the spirit, of hope and sustenance on a deeper level. Once the person is beaten down there is a likelihood that everything is lost, including the generations that follow. The hopelessness and despair are rampant and the end result is that a new generation grows with indifference and suffering. The key issue and impulse is suffering.

Once the person who is learning to speak, to trust and to live independently be faced with despair it becomes much harder for him or her to flourish. The key for this is to be mindful of the life that my friend lived through as a child, when his father was killed in a car accident; when he was struggling early with substance abuse, when he was first in lock up for social disorders and eventually he became numb and no one even knew his name or his story.

We have to examine what it means to raise yourself without guidance like my son and have everything pulled out from under you. We have to see that we are responsible for everything and that this disturbance is our responsibility. Neglect of this kind is the real culprit in the expense of "Millions and millions of dollars being spent for people who suffer all of their lives. We are responsible for the condition of these people's lives and what must be done to stop the misery.

If you listen to my son, he says, "Do you feel me?" He is right in this respect, which people have to genuinely open up and understand the torment and the conditions that many of our children have faced as a result of neglect.

At this point someone may be asking what your role in all of this is. Admittedly, I walked away from my family and you can see the consequences. We must stop being selfish and living a fantasy instead of taking care of those who we supposedly love.

To all of you dads I ask you to reason what can you do differently? What will you do to change the course of action? What a difference this all makes in the scheme of surrender to the community in which we are all born.

Please attend the memorial vigils for our fallen citizens who were homeless: At the steps of the City and County Building at 5:30 on December 16. On December 21 at the Bandshell in Boulder at 9 a.m.

Please take the time to attend the memorial prayer vigil at the Catholic Worker House during ther seven evenings of Christmas at 2420 Welton Street. "We will remember."

Ahe'hee
Tawangounim
aka Shannon Francis

Transition Events

Transition Denver’s monthly ZERO WASTE potlucks continue!

Monday, Nov. 30 700 Kalamath, northeast corner 7th and Kalamath 6-9 pm,

Bring something yummy to drink and/or eat, and your own plate, silverware, napkin.

This potluck will be hosted by our newest Transition Denver initiating committee member, Michele Hart.

She works for the Redirect Guide, which is housed in the beautiful 700 Kalamath building.

Come one, come all…..no special agendas, just getting to know each other and building our lovely community.

_________________________

Harvesting True Growth is a developing nonprofit that is organized by prisoners and ex-prisoners for the support of prisoners and ex-prisoners.

The mission is “to provide an ongoing harvest of healthy food, education in horticulture and healthy cooking skills that support the community and help instill a healthy lifestyle while creating a strong work ethic as we show responsible concern for the community and ourselves that will rebuild society’s trust in us.”

For more information on this inspiring new project, visit http://harvestingtruegrowth.weebly.com/

________________________

Thursday, November 19, 7 PM, Denver Presbytery Center, 1710 So. Grant St.

Front Range Organic Gardeners present Kipp Nash of Community Roots and Sundari Kraft of Heirloom Gardens.

Learn more about the rapidly growing Neighborhood Supported Agriculture movement.

Front Range Organic Gardeners (FROG) is Colorado's oldest garden club (since 1987) devoted to organic gardening. Our group of notice and seasoned gardeners welcomes visitors and new members to the monthly meetings. The meetings feature speakers on timely organic gardening topics, as well as demonstration, plant swaps, field trips and social gatherings.

For more info, contact Linda Tegtmeier at 303-755-7871 or at frogardeners@comcast.net

Transition Denver

303-300-3547

c. 720-837-6237

www.transitioncolorado.ning.com

www.growlocalcolorado.org

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CODE GREEN!

A TransACTION – Transition in Action

PASS THIS ON TO AS MANY FOLKS AS YOU CAN!

The Denver Planning Board & City Council will soon hold two joint "Listening Sessions"

to hear public comments about the new zoning code.

This is a chance for us all to show up, WEAR GREEN and speak (no more than 3 minutes each) about the importance of a new code that includes robust sustainability and resiliency measures that will take Denver into a vibrant future.

Listening Session 1: Wed., Nov. 18, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm (Sign up to speak from 5-5:30pm)

Listening Session 2: Thurs., Nov. 19, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm (Sign up to speak from 12-12:30pm)

Location: also at the Wellington E. Webb Building, 201 West Colfax Ave., Room 4F6/4G2

(YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEAK….JUST SHOWING UP WEARING GREEN WILL SHOW GREAT SUPPORT)

Not sure what to say?

HERE ARE SOME TALKING POINTS ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE AND SOLAR ACCESS!!!!!

FEEL FREE TO INCLUDE THESE IN YOUR COMMENTS:

(The following recommendations are provided by Denver Backyard Farms – Promoting Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Development in the City of Denver ---- www.denverbackyardfarms.org) The 3 most important points follow, along with other points.

1. We want Urban Agriculture (UA), which includes both botanical and zoological components, to be permitted as a primary use by right in all zone districts in the City.

2. The zoological aspect of UA should permit the keeping of food-producing animals (e.g., chickens, ducks, goats, etc.) in the very same manner as dogs or cats are currently permitted. In other words, there should not be any difficult and costly special use permit required for the keeping of food-producing animals.

3. The products of Urban Agriculture should be allowed to be sold on the lot on which they were produced as a use by right, regardless of the underlying zone district. This would include such things as fruits, vegetables, honey, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, poultry waste, etc.

There should be no written agreement required for the keeping of food-producing animals.

The term "livestock" is highly misleading and should not be applied to food-producing animals.

Public rights-of-way should be allowed to be used for the botanical component of Urban Agriculture with the permission of the owner of the right-of-way (e.g., CDOT).

Outbuildings, sheds, shelters, hothouses, enclosed gardens, coops, runs, trellises, structures, storage facilities, etc., that are required for the proper keeping of animals or for the growing and/or storage of plants/crops should be permitted without limitation on numbers. One permanent structure less than 150 square feet in area and less than 10 feet in height should be permitted to be constructed with zero side and rear setbacks, as long as it is constructed in the rear half of a lot and is not constructed within an easement.

Commercial greenhouses engaged in plant husbandry and/or the sale of any and all products of Urban Agriculture (whether or not they originated on the greenhouse property) should be a use by right in all zone districts in the City.

AND NOW FOR SOLAR ACCESS!

(Solar access talking points provided by Gerry Todd, Legacy Economy)

Solar access is important for the following reasons:

• PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING

• ROOFTOP PHOTOVOLTAIC ELECTRICITY, NOT JUST TO RETIRE COAL PLANTS BUT ALSO TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES OF PLUG-IN ELECTRIC CARS, THEREBY CUTTING OUR TRANSPORTATION OIL CONSUMPTION, CO2 EMISSIONS, AND GOING TO WAR FOR OIL

• SOLAR SPACE AND DOMESTIC HOT WATER HEATING, THEREBY GETTING THE NATURAL GAS OUT OF OUR BUILDINGS

• SUMMER FOOD GARDENING AND WINTER COLD FRAME FOOD GARDENING

• SOLAR CLOTHES DRYING

THE ABOVE LEAD TO GROWING GREEN JOBS, TRANSITIONING TO A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ECONOMY AND CREATING A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

WEAR GREEN WEAR GREEN WEAR GREEN

If you would like to follow up after the meetings, or if you can’t attend the meetings-

Individually email - rather than blast - all 13 members of Denver City Council:

Rick.Garcia@denvergov.org, Jeanne.Fatz@ci.denver.co.us, Paul.Lopez@denvergov.org,

Peggy.Lehmann@denvergov.org, Marcia.Johnson@denvergov.org, Charlie.Brown@denvergov.org, Chris.Nevitt@denvergov.org, Carla.Madison@denvergov.org, Judy.Montero@denvergov.org, Jeanne.Robb@ci.denver.co.us, Michael.Hancock@denvergov.org, Carol.Boigon@denvergov.org, linkhartatlarge@denvergov.org

and the Mayor: milehighmayor@ci.denver.co.us



 Suggestions from Gerry:

 Your own story in your own words is important. If you're looking for some inspiration, below are some ideas, many from our recent Transition Denver 2030 Envisioning. You might choose one or a few that resonate most with you, then tell your story or speak your passion in your own words.

Universal message, in your own words:

I want leadership and action on climate change and that starts with strong passive solar access protection.

Supporting messages - choose one or a few that speak most powerfully to you, using your own words:

I have/want solar and I need my solar access protected.

The climate crisis requires much stronger passive solar protection than Denver's ever had.

Who wants to live is a shadow all winter long? It's so depressing!

To solve climate change we have to cut Xcel's fuel mix from 57% coal to ZERO% in ten years. To do that, we need every solar technology, and we need leadership to get it installed throughout Denver.

I need solar access for my winter cold frame which keeps me in the salad greens all winter long - and without diesel fuel hauling them here from California or Mexico while putting CO2 in the atmosphere all the way.

How do you propose we de-carbonize our economy fast enough to avoid the worst consequences of climate change?

There is a conflict between solar access and development rights. But what about the right of our children and grandchildren to inherit a planet with a habitable climate? Isn't that more important than anything else?

Denver homes have been getting larger and larger - with larger carbon footprints. We don't need larger homes; we need real action on climate change, starting with the zoning code protecting passive solar access and providing leadership to turn Denver into a Solar City.

I shouldn't have to - and I can't afford to - build my home up to the zoning height limit to reach the sun - and by the way, then shade my neighbor to the north! We need passive solar access for my home as it is now, at my first floor windows.

The "population growth is inevitable" paradigm is unsustainable and has set us up for the housing sector bust which cascaded into our economic bust. Denver - Everywhere - has enough housing. Now we need to focus on quality. And that means not more homes and not larger homes but rather focusing on cutting our CO2 emissions and our fossil fuel consumption - and cutting them enough to solve climate change and to become energy independent. And that requires enough passive solar access to get the job done. Show me that the code provides enough passive solar access to do that.

Making the scrape-and-rebuild model work required over-investing in housing, which required we under-invest in education - and it shows! A 50% dropout rate is shameful and unsustainable. We need to abandon the scrape-and-rebuild model and focus instead on decarbonizing Denver by fixing what we've got. And that starts with preserving passive solar access.

We need lots of solar access so we can have enough PV to electrify our cars and get off oil and "go to war no more" for oil - or any other resource. Now that's a real step toward sustainability!

Climate change is very much a local issue, and the obvious first step is to protect enough passive solar access so we can de-carbonize our local economy.



Transition Denver

303-300-3547

c. 720-837-6237