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HOUSE NEWS: Pizza Cafe finale, Breakfast Brigade ending, termite tenting help
Liliana, Kelly, Jacqueline and Nam at the pre-Easter Breakfast Brigade in 2005.
They were dyeing the eggs we’d later take to the labor pools.
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
PIZZAS NEEDED: This Wednesday will be our last cafe of the 2011-2012 year, which means: PIZZAS! If you’d like to participate in Pizza Cafe Extravaganza III, we would love to have your help. Mainly what we need are pizzas. We will dish out somewhere between 15-25 pies over the course of three hours, so we need folks committed to bringing homemade pizzas or pizzas from one of our fine local pizzerias. Please let us know if you can bake and bring a homemade pizza or pick one (or more) up from our local pizzerias (Big Lou’s is right downtown, as is Five Star; Mamma Mia and Italian Gator are both close by too.) It’s important that we know how many pies will be coming so we’ll have enough, so please email us and let us know if you’ll be bringing some! And don’t forget to come and eat!
AFTER TWELVE YEARS, THE BREAKFAST BRIGADE COMES TO AN END: Friday will be our last Breakfast Brigade. As we’ve told you over the past few weeks, numbers have been consistently going down over the past few years and we’ve decided to end the Brigade and take on a new project in the fall. We’d like to put together a slideshow for the website of photos from the Brigade over the years, as well as some folks remembrances or comments about the Brigade. If you have any photos you want to share, or if you have a few moments and can share a short story or something you remember about the Brigade, please send them to us at gvillecw@yahoo.com. John will put the info together over the summer and we’ll post it on the website later in the summer when we re-open. To everyone that has ever helped with the Brigade, we are so grateful!
HELP US GET THE HOUSE TENTED FOR TERMITES THIS SUMMER: After having four additional inspections this past week, it is clear that we’ve got termites, and that we’ve got them bad enough that we need to get tented this summer. The good news is that we did find a better price on getting the house tented. The cost will still be more than we have available in our budget, but some folks have already sent in checks (thanks!) and we’re hopeful that some of you who are in a position to do so will also send in an extra gift to help us cover the $3,000 cost. If you can help, send your checks in to the GCW, 218 NW 2nd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601. And thanks again!
This will be our last week of origanized projects at the house. We’ll still be open next week to tie up a few loose ends, but we’ll officially start our summer break on Sunday, June 10. Daniel and John will be caretaking the house over the summer, and we’ll reopen the first week of August when our community members for next year–Gloria, Clayton, Leroy and Vickie–start moving in.
HOUSE NEWS: Pizza cafe next week, and termites/stove update
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
TERMITE UPDATE: Thanks so much to the folks who already responded to our appeal to help get the house tented for termites. (This past weekend we sent out an appeal, upon learning we had termites and after meeting with a pest control company.) But you can hold on for a little while before sending thos checks as we might be pursuing another option. Jade, one of our extended community members, has some expertise in this area and is going to meet with the pest control company and see if there might be a cheaper alternative. If we need to go ahead with the tenting, we’ll send out another appeal. And if you sent a check already specifically for the tenting, let us know and we’ll hold it until we’re sure about how we’re proceeding. Thanks again folks!
STOVE UPDATE: And within hours of our appeal going out, we had someone donate a used stove to us! Thanks to Helen and Flo for connecting us with their friends who just had a new stove put in and were willing to give us their old one. I am going to pick it up later this afternoon!
PIZZA, PIZZA: In what is quickly becoming a GCW tradition, our last cafe this spring will feature homemade and local pizza pies! If you’d like to participate in Pizza Cafe Extravaganza III, next week on Wednesday, May 30, we would love to have the help. Here is how it works: 1) Let us know if you plan to make a homemade pizza pie or buy one from a local pizzeria (Big Lou’s is right downtown, as is Five Star; Mamma Mia and Italian Gator are both close by too…), and how many pies you will be making or buying; and 2) let us know when you’ll be bringing your pie(s) to the cafe (between 11:45am and 2pm). If you’d like to make a homemade pie on site, be here by 10am on Wednesday, May 30, and we’ll have all the fixings ready for you. It’s important that we know how many pies will be coming so we’ll have enough, so please email us and let us know if you’ll be bringing some!
END OF YEAR COUNTDOWN: We have just two cafes and two Breakfast Brigades left before we go on summer sabbatical. Let me know if you want to help out with either one. We can especially use at least 2-3 more people for the last EVER Brigade on June 1. If you still want to help out, there will be weekly workdays at the micro-farm on Saturdays, from roughly 9am to 1pm, all summer long. June 8 will be our last “open” day here at the house, and we’ll ”re-open” and start things back up beginning on July 31 when Clayton and Gloria, our new live-in community members, move in.
HOUSE NEWS: Need extra volunteers for Cafe, Brigade this week
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
BREAKFAST BRIGADE VOLUNTEERS? As we announced last week, this will be the final month for the Breakfast Brigade. But we need to know we’ll have enough volunteers for the last 4 Fridays in order to keep it going this month. If you can commit to one or more of these dates (May 11, 18, 25 and June 1), we need to know. So far, we have only 2 people scheduled for this Friday. Send us an email if you want to sign up for one the last BBs.
FARMERS’ MARKET CAFE VOLUNTEERS: We’re also in need of a few morning volunteers this coming Wednesday (tomorrow). We’ll be short three of our regulars, so we need a little extra help between 9:30 and noon. Email us if you can help out!
ITEMS NEEDED: Several people called last week (as they were cleaning out their apartments and moving away from Gainesville or leaving for the summer, etc.) wondering if there are any items we need at the GCW. So in case you’re looking for a place to donate stuff, here’s what we can always use…
- Wood dresser (tall, not wide, we’re limited on room) for a downstairs bedroom
- Small, wood desk for a downstairs bedroom
- Cleaning supplies (bleach, etc., especially environmentally-sensitive cleaning supplies)
- Dish soap
- Laundry soap
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Brooms
- Buckets
- Good watering can
- Bikes
- Bike locks
- Caps/hats
- Socks
- Blankets/sleeping bags
- Backpacks
- Mosquito spray
- Water bottles
- Tents
HOUSE NEWS: One last chance at Art for All items, summer plans, and ending a GCW tradition
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
We were so fortunate to have with us last week Ben, Tamra’s boyfriend and a professional photographer. Ben took portraits of many of the people you see around the GCW on a regularly basis. You can see some of those portraits below in the slideshow.
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It was a good, exhausting week. We owe so many thanks to all of the folks who made things happen. On Thursday evening, a group of 25 of us said good bye to Tamra (our housemate for the past year), as well as thanks to some long-time community members who are moving on from Gainesville–Tim, Daphne and Russ, and Kim. Others who will be or have already left include Mark and Iris. We’re so grateful to have had all of you as part of the community over the past few years and we hope you’ll keep in touch and come back to visit whenever you can. We’re so excited to see what happens in your lives!
Thanks too for everyone who pulled off the Art for All sale on Saturday! Under Mary, Linda, Lori and Kelli’s leadership this past semester, the project and sale was a great success! Dozens of folks stopped by this weekend for the sale and to eat pie. And if you missed the sale, you’ll have another opportunity or two this week (see below).
LAST CHANCE ON ART FOR ALL ITEMS: If you missed out on the sale this week but still want to stop by and peruse the items, maybe get something for Mom for Mother’s Day or a graduating senior, here’s your chance. On Monday evening, from 7-10pm, the Art for All boutique will be open during the Green House Knitters gathering. And all day Wednesday, from 9:30am until 9pm, the house will be open for anyone wanting to check out Art for All items. If you can’t come during either of those times, email us at gvillecw@yahoo.com and we’ll work out a time for you to drop by.
MAY-JUNE PLANS: With the end of the Spring 2012 semester, we’ll make some changes to the schedule for May and early June. Of our regular projects, here are the ones which will continue over the next month with the date they’ll end in parentheses:
- Green House Knitters (Monday, April 30 is last one)
- Dorothy’s Farmers’ Market Cafe (through Wednesday, May 30)
- Breakfast Brigade and Friday’s Centering Prayer and Reflection (through Friday, June 1)
- JustFaith (through May 8, with retreat June 1-2)
- House Dinners (through Thursday, June 7)
- Micro-farm workday (Thursdays ongoing throughout the summer, just contact Jade)
We’ll be officially starting our summer sabbatical on June 9 and will re-open the last week of July when our new house community members for the fall start moving in. We’re lucky to have with us former house member Kim staying with us through May and former house member Daniel staying all summer long to help me care-take. For May especially, since we’re losing a number of student volunteers, we can use extra help for both the Wednesday Cafe and Friday Brigade. Let us know by email if you can commit to a regular shift on either of those for the month.
THE END OF BREAKFAST BRIGADE: You might have read in the newsletter that the numbers at the labor pools have seriously gone down this past year, including one of the labor pools we used to visit closing down altogether. Some Fridays we’ve only had a handful of folks at both labor pools combined. So we’ve decided that this month will be the last month for Breakfast Brigade. Next fall, we’ll start a new project to replace Brigade, using the rest of this year to talk with our friends who live on the street about ideas of what is most needed right now and whether we have the resources to meet that need. If you’ve always wanted to do Brigade but just couldn’t make it, you’ve got 5 more chances before the end. Many, many thanks to all of the faithful people who have come done the Brigade at 4am over the past 12 years. You’re special, special folks.
HOUSE NEWS: Busy, busy busy! Join us this week for Art for All Sale, End of Semester dinner, etc.!
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
ART FOR ALL OPEN HOUSE AND SALE ON SATURDAY: GCW members, volunteers, guests and friends from the street, under the direction of local artists and crafters, have created a variety of beautiful and unique artwork and crafts this spring. Part art therapy, part cottage industry, part celebration of creativity and community–the process and results have been enjoyed by everyone involved. The creations are eclectic and employ skill, attention and creativity to transform used, everyday items into something beautiful and useful. All proceeds go to support the Gainesville Catholic Worker and participating artists. These items make great gifts for graduation and Mother’s Day while supporting the dignity and creativity of the artists and crafters. The sale will take place on Saturday, April 28, 1 -5pm, at the Green House of the Gainesville Catholic Worker, 218 NW 2nd Avenue. You can also view some of the items for sale on the GCW website by clicking here. Come visit the house and gardens, enjoy a piece of homemade pie, and see if there is anything you might like for yourself or someone special. Please help us advertise the sale by spreading the word, inviting your family and friends to come, forwarding this email, posting on Facebook, etc. If you want to help at the sale and open house, let us know!
END OF THE SEMESTER PRAYER SERVICE AND POTLUCK DINNER: Join us on Thursday evening, from 6:30-8pm, as we wrap up another semester with our end of the semester prayer service and potuck dinner. We’ll be thanking Tamra for her service here at the house as she graduates and moves on to medical school, as well as recognizing other volunteers and friends who will be leaving Gainesville after this semester. If you’re graduating or moving on, please come by and join us on Thursday night so we can say thank you and good bye! Bring a dish to share if you can! Everyone is welcome to join us.
GET YOUR PORTRAIT TAKEN AT THE GCW THIS WEEK! Tamra’s boyfriend, Ben, a professional photographer, will be with us during the cafe on Wednesday to take portrait photos of our friends, volunteers, guests, and anyone else who wants to show up. We’ll be displaying some of the portraits at the house next year and everyone who gets their photo taken gets a free copy to keep or pass along to a loved one. Come anytime between 11am and 3pm, enjoy some lunch and have your picture taken.
MMMMMMM, PIE… In preparation for Saturday’s Art for All Open House and Sale, we’ll be making homemade pies in the afternoon on Thursday and Friday to share with patrons, shoppers and friends at the sale. Come help us bake and prep for the sale. Email Kelli at gvillecw@yahoo.com for exact times if you want to come and help.
HOLY CANNOLI BATMAN, THEY’VE PUBLISHED A NEWSLETTER! Yes indeed we have. The new copy of Conspire, the GCW Newsletter, is now available at the house and online. You can click here to read the Spring 2012 edition online. We’ll be sending out hard copies to everyone on our mailing list later this week (let us know if you want to be added). This issue includes info on the Art for All sale, former GCW Kim Hunter’s speech given when she was awarded the Jack Penrod Award for Peace and Justice, a reflection on addiction by Kelli, and the House Letter. Hope you enjoy!
We were really excited last week to have David Keaton, the first death row inmate exonerated in Florida, stay with us at the house. David and his cousin Alphonso were in town to speak on the death penalty at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Here’s a photo of the two of them at the house:
David Keaton, first death row inmate exonerated in Florida (on left) and his cousin Alphonso.
Lastly, even as the semester winds down, we hope some of you who are sticking around can help out in May and early June. We’ll keep several of our projects going through the middle of June and can use help with things like the cafe, Breakfast Brigade, etc. Thanks!
Save the Date! Spring Open House and Art for All Sale: April 28!
Join us for our Spring Art Sale and Open House! GCW members, volunteers, guests and friends from the street, under the direction of local artists and crafters, have created a variety of beautiful and unique artwork and crafts this spring. Part art therapy, part cottage industry, part celebration of creativity and community–the process and results have been enjoyed by everyone involved. The creations are eclectic and employ skill, attention and creativity to transform used, everyday items into something beautiful and useful. All proceeds go to support the Gainesville Catholic Worker and participating artists. These items make great gifts for graduation and Mother’s Day while supporting the dignity and creativity of the artists and crafters. The sale will take place on Saturday, April 28, 1 -4pm, at the Green House of the Gainesville Catholic Worker, 218 NW 2nd Avenue. Come visit the house and gardens, enjoy a piece of pie, and see if there is anything you might like for yourself or someone special. Please help us advertise the sale by spreading the word, inviting your family and friends to come, forwarding this email, posting on Facebook, etc. If you want to help at the sale and open house, let us know!
HOUSE NEWS: Micro-Farm Work Day Saturday! Can you help?
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
HELP AT THE MICRO-FARM ON SATURDAY: We have been so blessed to work closely with Jade Allen and Lynn Chacko’s micro-farm located just a few blocks from UF. If you haven’t been there, you need to check it out. And this Saturday, April 14, would be a great time! From 9am until 3pm we’ll be hosting a workday at the micro-farm–planting, harvesting, weeding, digging new beds, and more. The produce from the micro-farm has been keeping us well-supplied in strawberries, lettuce, spinach, greens, onions and more for the past few months–and our guests have loved all the good veggies and fruit! Jade and Lynn have transformed their entire yard into a working farm, and it is something really amazing to behold. If you’re looking for guidance for your garden or some creative ideas of what you could do in your yard, talk to Jade. He’s glad to offer advice and some help for getting started. If you can make it this Saturday, anytime between 9am and 3pm, let us know. Thanks!
EXTRA ART FOR ALL SESSIONS: On April 28, we’ll hold the second of our biannual Art for All sales. These sales feature the work of some of our friends from the street as well as numerous friends, volunteers, local artists and crafters, etc. The money raised from the sale benefits the GCW and those artists who are homeless, unemployed, or otherwise struggling to make ends meet. For the next few weeks, if you’d like to help us recycle, up-cycle or create items for the sale, we would love to have you join us at the Green House Knitters gathering on Monday nights (7:30-9:30pm), at Art for All on Tuesday afternoons (1-3pm), during the Cafe on Wednesday (12:30-2:30pm), or on the next two Saturdays (April 14 and 21, from 2-4pm). We’ll have donated materials ready for you to use and instruction for those wanting to help create. AND… if your church or school or community group wants to help us sell the arts and crafts after a service, at a meeting, etc., we’d love to make arrangements to come and help facilitate this. Just contact us at gvillecw@yahoo.com and we’ll work out the date and details.
Thanks to all of you for all of the work and help!
HOUSE NEWS: Some special needs and Art for All sale stretch
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
ART FOR ALL STRETCH RUN: Later this month, we’ll hold the second of our biannual Art for All sales. These sales feature the work of some of our friends from the street as well as numerous friends, volunteers, local artists and crafters, etc. The money raised from the sale benefits the GCW and those artists who are homeless, unemployed, or otherwise struggling to make ends meet. For the next few weeks, if you’d like to help us recycle, up-cycle or create items for the sale, we would love to have you join us at the Green House Knitters gathering on Monday nights (7:30-9:30pm), at Art for All on Tuesday afternoons (1-3pm), during the Cafe on Wednesday (12:30-2:30pm) or on any one of several Saturday project days to be announced later. We’ll have donated materials ready for you to use and instruction for those wanting to help create. AND… if your church or school or community group wants to help us sell the arts and crafts after a service, at a meeting, etc., we’d love to make arrangements to come and help facilitate this. Just contact us at gvillecw@yahoo.com and we’ll work out the date and details.
SPECIAL NEEDS FOR SOME GCW FRIENDS: Occasionally, we get some requests from some of our regular guests and friends who stop by the house. Sometimes it is help in replacing a lost or stolen item, sometimes it’s an urgent need for someone who has just gotten a job, sometimes it’s a request associated with a birthday, and so on. In the past few weeks, we’ve had several requests from friends who could use bicycles. Two gentlemen in particular need bikes to help them get to work sites as well as get around town. One had his bike stolen a month or so ago; the other’s old bike just finally fell apart. If you have an old bike you’re not using and would like to donate it for us to pass on to one of these guys or others for whom a bike opens up greater work opportunities and easier access to services, let us know. (Bike locks are also always helpful!)
We also have a long-time friend of the house who is in need of a used working laptop. He lives in his car and had his computer stolen out of the car a few weeks ago when someone broke a window to get in. Our friend was quick to point out that it is NOT a necessity for him, but that it was helpful for researching job opportunities, connecting with his family, and enjoyment. If anyone has an old laptop they were thinking of donating somewhere, we could cut out the middleman for you and get it to this person directly.
Lastly, we had a fellow request a pair of size 13 sneakers at the cafe last week. We get in shoes every once in awhile, but I told him size 13′s didn’t often come in. I told him I’d ask around in case one large-footed person wanted to do another one a solid.
HOUSE NEWS: Welcome back! Lenten practices and the passing of a GCW friend
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
WELCOME BACK: We hope that many of you were able to enjoy Spring Break last week and we look forward to seeing you back at the GCW helping out this week as we return to our regular schedule. All of our regular projects are up and running and if you’re looking for an opportunity to help out, we’d love to have you. You can see everything that is happening this week by clicking on the link above. Send us an email if you know something you’d like to help with and we’ll make sure you’re on the schedule.
GIVING THANKS FOR CONNIE FITZGERALD: Yesterday, we learned that Connie Fitzgerald, a supporter of the GCW and friend and former colleague of both Kelli and John, passed away. Johnny (the younger), his friend Zach and I were scheduled to go over and do some yardwork at Connie’s this week when we got an email on Friday asking us and others to hold off because of some developments with Connie’s illness. Connie was an early regular at the Breakfast Brigade, long ago when we were baking bread and boiling eggs at Kelli’s house (before we got the Green House at 218), and last year, she helped us to plant and inaugurate the parking lot garden next to our house. She was an extraordinarily kind and giving soul and we’re so grateful for her life and witness. We invite you to remember her, her family and all of our her friends in your prayers.
LENTEN PRACTICES: During this time of Lent, as we prepare and approach Easter, many folks like to take up different practices or disciplines to rededicate themselves to a life of spirituality, compassion, forgiveness and love. If you’re still looking for possible Lenten opportunities, we want to invite you to consider making the GCW part of your Lenten practice. Consider these possibilities:
- Deepen your spirituality by joining us at 11:15am on Mondays or 6:45am on Fridays for 30 minutes of silent meditation. We begin with a short reflection, practice 20 minutes of centering prayer, and then briefly share any thoughts or comments we might have.
- Study scriptures which help orient us during the Lenten season. We’ve been looking at Matthew’s gospel this semester, but we’ll segue into some particularly Lenten passages between now and Easter. Join us on Mondays at noon for an hour of scripture study.
- Almsgiving is a special Lenten tradition meant to reorient us to the needs of others. Volunteer at the Breakfast Brigade or Dorothy’s Cafe, Art for All or the Coffee Shop and give a little of your time and attention to those whom our society often ignores, marginalizes or oppresses.
- We are always in need of extra financial help to keep everything going here at the GCW. As part of your Lenten almsgiving, if you’re in a position to do so, consider making a financial gift to help support the work of the GCW.
SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR MICRO-FARM WORKDAY: Since our monthly micro-farm workday fell during Spring Break, we rescheduled it for Saturday, March 24. We hope to have a small group gathered to help at the micro-farm between 9am and 3pm (any amount of time you can give would be great!). Lunch will be provided!
VISITS GALORE! I don’t know that we have ever had so many visitors at the house as we have this semester. Tamra’s parents and grandparents both visited recently and a number of friends have passed through. But the visits really ratchet up over the next few weeks! We’ll have a full house regularly as we have a number of friends and family members joining us to help out. The visits start with Vicki’s mom this week (make sure to tell her how awesome Vicki is!), former GCW housemate Kim’s dad will be here next week (ditto on relaying Kim’s awesomeness), Kelli’s son Ben will be home for Spring Break starting later this week with college friend Shizuko in tow, our grandson Riley all next week, and 2 cousins from Texas, Clare and Audrey, spending their Spring Break with us next week too. We’re looking forward to having the extra help but we also really hope that many of our visitors will get to meet all of you, our GCW regulars, and hear a little bit about the incredible things each of you are doing with your lives! So next time you’re at the house, make sure to introduce yourself if you see someone you don’t recognize!
Hope to see you this week!
HOUSE NEWS: Schedule changes, Roundtable and Spring Break plans!
Click here to see an entire list of what is happening this week at the Gainesville Catholic Worker.
SCHEDULE CHANGES: For the upcoming Spring Break week, we’ve made a few changes to the schedule for this week. The biggest change is that there will be NO Breakfast Brigade this coming Friday. Next Brigade will take place on March 16. For other changes for this week, click on the link above to the “This Week at the GCW” page.
SPRING BREAK AND THE FAST FOR FAIR FOOD: Just like the vast majority of our community, we curtail our projects during the week of Spring Break. None of our regular projects will happen between Friday, March 2, and Sunday, March 11. Most of our community will be gone, but Kelli and I will be present at the house during the week in case there are any emergencies for any of our friends who stop by regularly. Saturday, March 10th was scheduled to be our monthly workday at the micro-farm, but Jade and Lynn have switched the date to Saturday, March 24th instead. Additionally, from March 5-10, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers will be holding a 6-day fast outside the headquarters of Publix Supermarkets in Lakeland. John will be participating in the fast and be present with the CIW on Monday and Saturday of next week. You can find more information about the fast here. We encourage you to consider joining the fast in solidarity for one day sometime next week and take action as the CIW website suggests.
ROUNDTABLE ON CONGO CONFLICT, AFRICA DEVELOPMENT WORK: Our speaker at this Thursday’s Roundtable, from 6;30-8pm, will be Tshibangu Kalala. Tshitshi is a national of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a second year Master of Development Practice student at University of Florida. He spent 10 years working on development projects in Congo and Kenya with organizations such as MSF-Doctors without Borders. Tshitshi will speak about the history and current politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The DRC is ranked last in the world’s HDI (Human Development Index) rankings despite phenomenal richness of resources. Moreover, since its independence, the nation has withstood years of autocratic rule and violent civil wars. If you can bring a dish to share, that would be great!
Hope everyone has a great rest of this week, and best wishes for fun and safety to our friends going on Spring Break next week!
