October 31

"Girl Neighborhood Power" (a YWCA program to empower girls) is holding the "Trick or Treat so Others Can Eat" food drive. They are seeking people’s help to collect food for area pantries. These can be dropped off at various sites in Madison. To help contact Meme Kintner at 255-3295.

The Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Incorporated (CAC) and United Way of Dane County are addressing community hunger. They are giving out Thanksgiving Baskets which provide a nutritious holiday meal to households who need assistance. Call 246-4730 Extension 206 to help with donations. To receive a basket call 246-HELP or 246-4357.

Many Madison Seniors are not able to keep their lawns trim and tidy themselves. The Madison Coalitions of Older Adults Home Chore Volunteer Program is looking for people to help do this on either a one-time or on-going basis. Volunteers are asked to call 243-5252 and ask for Nicole.

The Community Law Project provides free legal services to low-income Dane County residents. They can provide legal assistance in landlord and tenant disputes, public benefit, or un-paid wages disputes. They are at 2300 South Park Street. Call 260-8221 for details.

Mothers United For Moral Support is an international support and matching organization for families and other caregivers of children with rare disorders or special needs. Call Julie Gordon at 1-920-336-5333 for details on getting or giving help.

The Women and Infant Children (WIC) Nutrition program offers a wide variety of services for women and small children with nutritional needs. For details call 267-1111.

October 30

Monday at noon the first-ever WORT and WYOU Halloween Blood Drive will take place. The American Red Cross will be on hand to collect
blood donations throughout the afternoon. The stations will also give out Halloween treats. This is at the Orpheum Theatre, 216 State Street. Call 256-2001 for details.

Monday at noon on WORT’s A Public Affair just in time for "All Hollow’s Eve" host Norm Stockwell has a live broadcast from the Red Cross blood drive at the Orpheum Theatre and a taped broadcast of the historic Orson Welles "War of the Worlds". Call 256-2001 for details.

Monday evening on WORT’s Access Hour host Richard MacDonald presents a discussion with Doctor C. Paul Martin. He is a member of the "Baker Street Irregulars" and is a devotee to the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is at 7:00. Call 256-2001 for details.

Monday evening Saint Dunstan's Episcopal Church hosts a talk with Steven Miller, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. He will speak on why the Episcopal Church strongly opposes the death penalty. This is at 7:00 in 6205 University Avenue. Call 238-2781 for details.

Monday evening the Radical Film Series continues with "Land and Freedom." It is an historically based docudrama set during Spanish Civil War. This is at 7:00 in room 1121 Humanities. Call 262-9036 for details.

Wisconsin’s Home Energy Assistance Program helps people pay for home energy costs including crisis assistance and weatherization. They are at 1225 South Park Street. They can be contacted via the web site heat.wi.gov or by phone at 267-3680.

October 27

Tomorrow, the Madison Senior Center hosts the 7th Annual Empty Bowls Dinner. Local potters create the bowls and local restaurants donate soup and bread, all of which is served by volunteers. There is a charge for the dinner and all proceeds go towards providing fresh food to low-income families. This is at the Madison Senior Center, 330 West Mifflin Street, from 11 to 2. For more information, call 226-0300 or check www.emptybowls.net.

Tomorrow evening, the Alliance for Animals holds its Fall Vegetarian Dinner and Silent Auction. The Alliance for Animals is a Wisconsin-based non-profit organization advocating for the rights and human treatment of all animals. There is a ticket charge that includes an all-you-can-eat vegan buffet and a costume contest. All profits benefit the Alliance for Animals. This is at the Atwood Community Center, 2425 Atwood Avenue, from 6 to 9. For more information, call 257-6333 or check www.allanimals.org.

Tomorrow night, the Unitarian Fellowship Meeting House hosts an Organic and Natural Living Seminar with international speaker Alf Orpen. He will talk about revolutionary ways to optimize your health and vitality including how synthetic chemicals are dangerous and how they contribute to the cause of obesity, what is bio-magnification, how to tell if the contents of what you are buying is really natural and organic, and more. This is at the Unitarian Fellowship Meeting House, 900 University Bay Drive at 7. Check teamorganic.us for more details.

Sunday, there is an event entitled “Taste of Nicaragua”. Two of a small group of Americans who have lived in Nicaragua for 12 years building relationships and sustainable community development will talk about challenging economic circumstances and community development progress in Nicaragua. The event also features the food of Nicaragua. In addition to this open house, the speakers will present for UW-Madison Engineers Without Borders; The Crossing, an interdenominational student fellowship, and a social responsibility and business class at Edgewood College. This is at Whole Foods, 3313 University Avenue, from 11 to 3. Contact Connie Gruen at cgruen@wecanaeyc.org or 240-9880 or check www.wecanaeyc.org for more details.

Sunday, Atwood Publishing hosts the premier showing of “Long Shadows: Veterans Paths to Peace” featuring a panel discussion and book signing. This is at Harmony Bar, 2201 Atwood Avenue, at 4:30. Check atwoodpublishing.com for details on the book.

Sunday, the Peregrine Forum hosts the film "The Iron Wall”. This documentary gives a historical background, as well as conveying an understanding of the scope and intentions of Israel’s huge separation wall project, together with the effects on Palestinians. This is at 7 at Escape Java Joint, 916 Williamson Street, at 6:30. Contact David Williams at 442-8399 or dvdwilliams51@yahoo.com for more information.

October 26

This afternoon, the Madison Fair Trade Action Alliance hosts a Solidarity Cafe to Promote Fair Trade Month. The event includes fair trade coffee and chocolate, as well as literature highlighting the practices and principles of Fair Trade. Those familiar with the topic will also be on hand to encourage discussion on the issue. This is on Library Mall on the 800 block of State Street from 1 to 4. For more information, call 347-4647 or email madisonftaa@gmail.com.

This afternoon, Dr. Jonathan Koomey, a leading energy analyst and author, speaks on "Creating the future: Cost-effective options for minimizing climate change and oil dependence". He is the author of Winning the Oil Endgame. This is in Tong Auditorium in the Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, at 4:30. Check sage.wisc.edu for more information.

This evening, University Book Store hosts an author signing with Pulitzer-Prize Winning Journalist Anthony Shadid. He is promoting his book Night Draws Near. This is at the University Book Store at Hilldale Shopping Center, 702 North Midvale Boulevard, at 7. Check uwbookstore.com for details.

Tomorrow, protesters meet at Midvale and University in opposition to the Bush Administration. They have some extra signs but you can bring your own. This is from 7:30 to 8:30. Check hehasnomandate.org for details.

October 26

This afternoon, the Madison Fair Trade Action Alliance hosts a Solidarity Cafe to Promote Fair Trade Month. The event includes fair trade coffee and chocolate, as well as literature highlighting the practices and principles of Fair Trade. Those familiar with the topic will also be on hand to encourage discussion on the issue. This is on Library Mall on the 800 block of State Street from 1 to 4. For more information, call 347-4647 or email madisonftaa@gmail.com.

This afternoon, Dr. Jonathan Koomey, a leading energy analyst and author, speaks on "Creating the future: Cost-effective options for minimizing climate change and oil dependence". He is the author of Winning the Oil Endgame. This is in Tong Auditorium in the Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, at 4:30. Check sage.wisc.edu for more information.

This evening, University Book Store hosts an author signing with Pulitzer-Prize Winning Journalist Anthony Shadid. He is promoting his book Night Draws Near. This is at the University Book Store at Hilldale Shopping Center, 702 North Midvale Boulevard, at 7. Check uwbookstore.com for details.

Tomorrow, protesters meet at Midvale and University in opposition to the Bush Administration. They have some extra signs but you can bring your own. This is from 7:30 to 8:30. Check hehasnomandate.org for details.

October 20

Tonight, Linton Kwesi Johnson speaks on the Library Mall as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival. Johnson is regarded as the world's first reggae poet, who fuses reggae with anti-racist, revolutionary politics. This is on Library Mall from 7 to 8:30. Check wisconsinbookfestival.org for more details.

Tonight, Action in Sudan holds a benefit concert featuring Sean Michael Dargan, Pale Young Gentlemen, and Sleeping in the Aviary. There is a ticket charge and suggested donation. Proceeds will be donated to a recent UW-Madison graduate who is building a girl’s school in southern Sudan. This is at Cafe Monmartre, 127 East Mifflin Street, at 9. For further information, contact Caroline Ackley at ceackley@wisc.edu or 919-332-8799.

Tomorrow, the Edgerton Book Festival begins with keynote speaker Helen Thomas. She is the award-winning Washington Press Corps reporter who has covered every Presidential Administration from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush. The book fair features over 30 authors. This is at the Tri-County Community Center, 112 Swift Street, at 9. For more information call (608)884-4408 or visit edgertonbookfestival.com.

Tomorrow, the Madison Area Peace Coalition hosts a peace vigil to Bring the Troops Home Now and End the War in Iraq. Participants are asked to bring signs and drums if possible. This is at the intersection of Odana and Gammon Roads near West Towne Mall, from 11 to noon. For more information, call Helena White at 249-2097 or check www.madpeace.org.

Tomorrow afternoon, Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative hosts activist and scholar Steve Macek as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival. Macek writes frequently about the politics of the media for newspapers and magazines and is an activist in the anti-war and media reform movements. This is at the Bookstore, 426 West Gilman Street, from 2 to 3:30. For more information, check rainbowbookstore.org.

Sunday afternoon, Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative hosts Latin American historians Steve Stern and Florencia Mallon as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival. Their presentation Memories of Revolution and Dictatorship: Chilean Communities from Allende to Pinochet explores the varied perspectives of Chileans about the Pinochet coup and reign. This is at the Bookstore, 426 West Gilman Street, from 2 to 3:30. For more information, check rainbowbookstore.org.

Sunday evening, the second annual “O-Live! O-Live!” art show and silent auction holds its opening reception. Proceeds benefit Augusta Victoria Hospital, located in the West Bank of Israel. The hospital caters primarily to Palestinians. This is at the Casbah Restaurant, 113 East Main Street, from 6 to 8. For more information and a donation form, visit www.oliveolive.org.

October 19

This afternoon, Toward an Africa Without Borders hosts the Africa Awareness Rally. The event features speakers discussing current events such as the situations in Rwanda and Sudan, the role of the media in American misunderstanding of Africa, AIDS in Africa, and African literature and music. The purpose of the event is to inform the Madison campus and the greater Madison community of the cultural, historical, linguistic, and political diversity of the nations and peoples of Africa and the many organizations and individuals locally who work to promote, understand, and forward African causes. This is on the Library Mall from 3 to 6. Check towardanafricawithoutborders.org for more information.

The 35th Annual Conference on South Asia begins this evening with the focus on Sri Lanka. Although the conference is primarily an academic one, several events involving film screenings, music and dance performances are free and open to the public. For a list of events open to the public, check southasiaconference.wisc.edu call 262-4884.

This evening, in conjunction with the Africa Awareness Rally, Ngugi wa Thiong'o speaks on Wizard of the Crow. In his book, he writes about twentieth-century Africa in the context of two thousand years of history. This lecture is open and free to all. This is at the Harambee Center, 2202 South Park Street, from 7:30 to 9. A free bus leaves the Memorial Union at 6:30 for the event. Check towardanafricawithoutborders.org for details.

Tonight, Action In Sudan student organization holds a screening of “Darfur Diaries”. This film follows the tragedies that are currently taking place in Sudan. This is at the Hillel, 611 Langdon Street, at 7:30. For further information, contact Caroline Ackley at ceackley@wisc.edu or 919-332-8799.