PROTECTING OUR RIGHT TO ORGANIC FOOD

Two public forums

Dates:
Wednesday, March 25 -- 7:00 pm
Thursday, April 9 -- 7:00 pm

Place:
Grand Traverse Civic Center

That will explain why:

• USDA's New Proposed Organic Regulations are Unacceptable
• You Should Choose Organic (the way is was meant to be)
• Your Input is Critical and
• Provide You an Opportunity to Take Action the Evening of the Forum

If the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has its way, food now known as "organically grown" may be genetically engineered, fertilized with sewage sludge, and/or irradiated with nuclear wastes. We want the USDA to rewrite its Proposed Rule to be truthful and consistent with the practices that consumers and farmers have understood as "Organic" for the last 50 years. Join the thousands of citizens and farmers that have already made their voices heard. Let's keep organic ORGANIC!

Sponsored by: Oryana Natural Food Cooperative, Neahtawanta Research and Education Center, Organic Growers of Michigan Northwest Chapter and Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council

CASA MATERNA COLLECTION

Casa Materna is a residence for high-risk pregnant women in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. The Casa provides food, shelter, education transportation and support for women from rural areas for one to two weeks before and after childbirth. The purpose of this collection is to help Casa Materna reduce rising maternal and infant mortality rates and illness in the Matagalpa region.

Sunday, May 3rd, 1998 -- 2-4 PM
Immaculate Conception Church
720 Second St., Traverse City

Due to new restrictions from the Nicaraguan government, we are not allowed to send clothing. Items should be boxed for UPS shipping with a list of the contents. We are collecting the following items:

SCHOOL MATERIALS

• notebooks/paper
• math text books/calculators
• pens/pensils/crayons
• chalk boards/chalk
• puzzles/toys/childrenÕs books
• sports equipment (balls, air pumps, etc.)
• cassettes/cassette players

SEWING MATERIALS

• Fabric
• Thread & needles

MEDICAL SUPPLIES

• sterile bottles
• cloth diapers
• hydrogen peroxide/alcohol
• microscopes
• stethoscopes

We also need monetary donations to help with the shipping. Any extra money collected will be sent to the Casa. Make checks to the Neahtawanta Center. Donations are tax deductible.

THE EARTH RUN

THE EARTH RUN is a movement mandala of peace. Each step upon the Earth is a prayer for the healing of the Earth. The intention of the EARTH RUN is to make an offering to the planet. To act out the gifts of the four directions and four seasons of Mother Earth and to give voice to our commitment to peace. In THE EARTH RUN we choose to run for a group of people on the Earth: for a nation, or tribe, a class, a culture, a ancestor, a loved one, for children, for the living or the dead, for those not yet born. We run in concentric circles around the square of the four directions.

THE EARTH RUN is one of eight rituals which comprise a peace dance entitled CIRCLE THE EARTH started in 1985 by Anna Haiprin a movement therapy pioneer. Alice Rutkowski a movement therapist and long time student of Anna Halprin started THE EARTH RUN in Pennsylvania in 1996 an will continue to do it once a year through 2000. Rutkowski has asked Hava Jean Delgado a movement specialist and student of Rutkowski to hold THE EARTH RUN in Michigan at the same time it is being held in Pennsylvania. The Mich. EARTH RUN will be Sunday October 11th, 1998 on the land owned by The Gilbert Lake Vision Keepers on Gilbert Lake near Empire.

If you or your group is interested in participating in THE EARTH RUN call Hava Jean Delgado at 313-697-1579.

Return to the Index of Synapse 43, Spring 1998