https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2000-04-07/76695/

Public Notice

By Kate X Messer, April 7, 2000, Columns

Gear Speak SPOKEn Here

Oooh. Springy spring sprang sprung! Spring in Central Texas has certainly sprung with her electric blankets of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes and now-you-see-it (tornado!) now-you-don't (hailstorm!) weather patterns. You know what that means: Time to strap on the ol' ... oh, you know ... those ol' shoes ... those shoes that click right on to the bicycle pedals, oh, you know, those bicycle shoes. Anyway, it's that time of year to go to your local emporium of overpriced sporting goods and totally outfit yourself for the pile of upcoming charity marathons and bike tours about to hit our town with a vengeance. As a matter of fact, we've got news about two bike rides and one walk that'll bring folks and $$$ together for some good causes over the next month or so. And listen up, you non-jock types and/or sofa spuds: You, too, can support these very causes and the efforts of the cyclists and walkers therein by either volunteering your time or sponsoring a rider with money. Shall we review? They need Volunteers; they need Cash Sponsors. Capisce?

The MS 150 Bike Tour is coming in two weeks, Sat-Sun, Apr 15-16. The ride starts at 7am in Houston and makes its way to the big finish in Austin the next day (hence the "150" in the name). The funds raised go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (hence the "MS" in the name). 713/840-0555.

The Hill Country Ride for AIDS happens Sat-Sun, May 6-7. The ride starts from its post in the outskirts of Austin and makes its way to the big finish at the LBJ Ranch in Johnson City the next day. The funds raised go to a variety of AIDS services organizations in Central Texas, including ASA, HIV Wellness Clinic, and Waterloo Counseling Center. 965-RIDE.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and a variety of local Austin public-service groups, including our venerable SafePlace, are sponsoring a number of events to increase awareness of this social plague. Next week we'll tick through some of those very events, but for now, here's a heads-up that Sun, Apr 16, is SafePlace's annual Walk for Safe Families & Safe Streets originating out of Waterloo Park. 356-1567.

Everyday Is Girl Day

Well, at least for some of us. ... This weekend there's a Benefit Garage Sale, Sat, Apr 8, 8am-2pm, in the backlot of Gaby & Mo's. Proceeds from the sale will go to Austin's second annual Girl Day, an all-girl, girl-only event, Sat, May 20. This year, the fun and frolic (read: zine-making, bike and car repair, art, body image, women's health, etc.) will take place at the Youthworks American Institute of Learning (AIL) building at Fourth & Congress. Check their Web site, and check upcoming "Public Notice"s and Community Listings for more about the whole spicy grrl deal. http://www.gurlpages.com/ activism/girlday or 477-9272.

Go Northwest Young Man ( ... Woman, Etc.)

Lakefest 2000, this Sat, Apr 8, 11am-6pm, at Jones Brothers Park on the north shore of Lake Travis will raise funds for the Northwest Community Center and all of its services and programs. Kevin Wiggins & the Cosmic Dust Devils and a number of other acts will regale with their musicality while the crowd enjoys an Easter Egg Hunt, pony rides, face painting, and all of those other family springtime fun stuffs common to events such as these. Oh, and it's all free, free, free, free, free, free, free. 267-3245.

An Order of DogNuts to Go

By "DogNuts," we mean, of course, people "nutty" about dogs ... cats, pets, what have you. Ahem. Nevermind. There will be animal lovers aplenty at the Open House of the New State-of-the-Art Mobile Surgery Unit of Emancipet, a local group geared toward bringing Austin closer to the No-Kill Millennium target date of the year 2002, when the group hopes to see an end put to puppy pyres and kitty campfires. See, last year alone, the group contends, 15,213 animals were put to sleep at the Town Lake Animal Shelter. Emancipet wants to make neutering or spaying a no-brainer for pet owners and to put a dent in pet overpopulation (and the darned things that cause it). The mobile surgery unit will give Emancipet the capability to lop the darned things off on the go. Anyway, they won't perform any surgeries this weekend, but will take appointments for the low-cost service. The open house is Sat, Apr 8, noon-5pm at Roger Beasley Volvo, 6375 E. Hwy 290 near Highland Mall (which we don't think technically qualifies as the "Motor Mile." Damn, we've always wanted to say "on the Motor Mile."). 587-SPAY.