Friday, November 19, 2011

In a continuing tradition, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and Overture Center for the Arts will join together to present the 41st annual Holiday Art Fair Fundraiser on November 18 thru 21. With many new exhibitors and features, including Friday afternoon shopping hours, a gingerbread house decorating contest, and Madison Youth Choir’s annual concerts, this year’s fair promises to be warm, inviting, and robust. Shoppers will also enjoy the return of favorite traditions such as the Friday evening opening reception, silent auction, Gourmet Gallery, Rediscovered Art & Treasures Sale, and performances by local arts organizations. Call 257-0158 or go to mmoca.org for more information.

Learn more about how Oxfam, an international relief and development organization, creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice in an interactive experience. This is the first event for the new Madison affiliate chapter of Oxfam. This will be held at the Willy St. Coop East Community Room - 1221 Williamson St, Friday from 5-7pm. This is a free event, all are welcome and includes a simple organic vegan meal. Call 206-6219 for details,

The movement to recall Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch will gather speed this Friday, at the Barrymore Theatre, with a Recall Walker Pep Rally featuring speakers and artists hailing from a diverse range of political and community affiliations. The pep rally begins at 7pm, with doors opening at 6pm. Admission is sliding scale donation, with a recommended contribution. The rally is featured at RecallWalker.org

On Saturday, 'We Are Wisconsin' will hold a rally on the State Street side of the State Capitol Building to kick off the Recall Walker petition drive. Music and pre-rally activities start at 11:00 a.m., and the rally speakers begin at 1:00 p.m. Bring a non-perishable food item for local families in need. For more information, visit WeAreWisconsin.org.

At a time of record unemployment and poverty, the politicians in Washington D.C. are threatening historic cuts to the country's social safety net. By November 23, a bipartisan congressional “Super Committee” will decide the fate of trillions in funding for the social safety net. Join labor and progressive groups at Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce on East Washington this Saturday at 11am to demand jobs, not cuts A rally will be followed by a march to the We Are Wisconsin recall rally at the state Capitol. For more information, call 612-807-3196 or visit jobsnotcutsprotest.org

This Saturday from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Wilmar Center, 953 Jenifer St., 'Peace, Love, & Spaghetti!', a fundraiser dinner with all proceeds going to the Madison Area Peace Coalition. The menu includes spaghetti (both meat and vegetarian options), side dishes, and sweet potato pie prepared by Dot Williams! For more information, call 695-2695 or go to madpeace.org

Saturday marks the 13th Annual International Survivors of Suicide Day. The 2011 Survivors of Suicide Day Conference will be held at Promega Corporation, 5445 Cheryl Parkway. The admission fee includes a nourishing breakfast buffet and dessert during the facilitated discussion and closing.

Sponsors for this event are the Journey Mental Health Center/Survivors of Suicide Service and H.O.P.E.S. (Helping Other Present and Educate About Suicide). The registration form available at Journey Mental Health Center website www.journeymhc.org. For more information contact Vicki Westrich at vicki.westrich@journeymhc.org or call the SOS line (608) 280-2435.

This Sunday, there will be a program in solidarity with the 21st annual protest in Fort Benning, Georgia demanding the closure of the School of the Americas. The program will feature a new short film, Somos Una America (We are One America), about the long struggle to close the SOA, also known as the School of Torturers, and a talk by Jeff Pickert, a 22-year-old Palestine solidarity activist. Co-sponsored by SOAWatch-Madison, Pax Christi-Madison, Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, and involved Edgewood College departments. This will be from 5 to 6:30 pm in Anderson Auditorium, Predolin Hall at Edgewood College. For more information visit madisonrafah.org

Sunday, the Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ will once again hold its annual Holiday Fair Trade Sale featuring fair trade items from around the world and here in Wisconsin. This is from 8 am to 4 pm at Orchard Ridge UCC, 1501 Gilbert Road. For more information call 608-827-0500.

The Wall Street protest continues, with daily assemblies at 6 pm in the former Don Miller lot on East Washington Avenue. Check out occupy-madison.org.