Join V4CF at 'Earth Day' events April 24

As announced at our general meeting April 6, Volunteers For Change-Fresno invites it members to participate in a pair of Earth Day events scheduled Saturday, April 24.

In the first event, 'Generation Green 2010,' participants will help with several environmental restoration projects near the Jensen River Ranch, helping to rid the area of invasive species and restore the area. To participate, meet at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 24, at Woodward Park in Fresno for the Generation Green kickoff event. Participants will leave from there with their 'restoration parties' and head to the Jensen River Ranch. For more information or to volunteer, contact Kris Arden at kkarden@yahoo.com or (559) 978-1736. Wear your boots and your 'Volunteers For Change-Fresno' t-shirts, and count on getting dirty.

The second event, 'Fresno Earth Day 2010,' will feature speakers, live music, kid's activities, workshops, demonstrations and more, all designed to help people learn more about environmental sustainability and environmental justice. Sponsored by Fresno Pacific University, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno and GreenFresno.org, the event is scheduled 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2672 E. Alluvial Ave. in Clovis. The event is open to the public, and admission is free.

What will healthcare reform mean for me?

As announced at our general meeting April 6, several organizations have made available free, online calculators designed to show what impact the passage of healthcare reform will have.

The first, and one of the easiest to use, comes from the Washington Post. Visit their calculator at http://www.washingtonpost.com/healthcaretool, enter your information, and watch for its answer.

The website for the Henry T. Kaiser Family Foundation at http://www.kff.org offers a great recap of the provisions in the bill, as well as a timeline for implementation of various provisions. They also have an online healthcare calculator available, should you want to see their assessment of the legislation's impact.

Community Food Bank volunteer opportunities now include Saturdays

V4CF is proud to announce several Saturday opportunities to work with the Community Food Bank.

Essential Services Health Faire & Food Distributions
We need 15 people 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, July 13, to distribute meal boxes and produce in Kerman. (More details to follow.)

Community Volunteer Program
Groups come and work together at the Community Food Bank packing meal boxes, bulk food, and bagging produce. The following opportunities remain available:

• May 15, 8-10:30 a.m.
• June 19, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
• July 17, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

More dates to be posted in the future. If you are interested in participating on any of these dates, please contact Kris Arden at kkarden@yahoo.com or (559) 978-1736.

Community Alliance's Mike Rhodes to speak at next V4CF meeting April 6

Mike Rhodes, editor and publisher of Fresno's Community Alliance newspaper, will be the featured speaker at our next Volunteers For Change-Fresno general meeting, scheduled 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, in the large community room of the Fig Garden Library, 3071 W. Bullard Ave., in Fresno. The library is on the southwest corner of Bullard and Marks, in the shopping center.

At our meeting, Mike plans to speak about the history of the Community Alliance, Fresno's premier progressive newspaper. Mike will also address the topic of homelessness in Fresno, with his emphasis placed on possible compassionate actions people can take in support of Fresno's homeless population.

Also on our agenda:

• A wrap-up of the battle for healthcare reform;
  
  
• An array of possible community service projects, including those from the Community Food Bank and others;
  
  
• A variety of possible 'issues actions,' including ways to help build bridges across an increasingly deep political divide in our country; and
  
  
• An opportunity to meet at least one candidate running for office.

As always, our meeting will include some fun and some lively 'networking time.' All members and their guests are welcome to attend... and we hope to see you there!

'Restore Democracy to California' petitions due by April 5

Just a reminder: If you've been collecting petition signatures for the 'Restore Democracy to California act,' those signed petitions are due back in by Monday, April 5.

Please return petitions bearing the signatures to:

Gary Lasky
4677 N. Safford Ave.
Fresno, CA 93704

Time to hit the phones... to say 'thank you'

From our member Connie Peterson comes this:

Suggestion: I think it is almost as important as all our efforts to move (Rep. Jim) Costa, to now encourage V4CF members to call his office and THANK HIM for his vote in support of Healthcare Reform.

Great idea, Connie! Here are those numbers to call:

Rep. Costa's Fresno office: (559) 495-1620
Rep. Costa's Washington, D.C. office: (202) 225-3341

Of interest: Fresno Bee chides Devin Nunes for his recent rhetoric

Hmmmm... an interesting editorial from today's Fresno Bee:

EDITORIAL: Passion is productive, Nunes' rhetoric is not

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, has been a passionate advocate of conservative causes, and his votes reflect the majority of his constituents in the 21st District. But as the Democratic-controlled Congress has been successful in pushing its agenda, the rhetoric from Nunes has become increasingly more strident.

In recent days, Nunes said the passage of the health-care bill will cause the "total destruction of the country," compared President Barack Obama with Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and defended protesters who launched epithets at Democrats who supported the reform bill.

As an elected leader, Nunes should be setting an example of how to vigorously debate an issue he doesn't agree with. That's how our democracy is supposed to work. But Nunes' reckless rhetoric is a signal to his supporters that it's just fine to use inappropriate language on your opponents.

This kind of language has contributed to one of the most divisive political times in our history. One not only must disagree with his political opponents, but must also hate them.

For details, read the full editorial on the Bee's website at http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/03/23/1869515/passion-is-productive-nunes-rhetoric.html#ixzz0j7B0emQZ.