Proof that at least one local organization believes we’re all going to be fine in the Year 2000 is the ambitious and optimistic Assistance League of Austin‘s Around Austin 2000 Community Calendar. We love this thing; whenever it’s released we head on over to the HEB (or Tarrytown Pharmacy or North West Hills Pharmacy or ALA Thrift House, to name a few spots where they are available) and pick up one of these informative date keepers. Each month includes as comprehensive a list as ALA can gather about local community events, from extensive AISD listings to just about every art event and fundraiser that’s already scheduled. It’s totally worth the $10. Look at it this way, the dough goes to ALA’s very worthy programs, like: Operation School Bell, which clothes kids in need; Bus With Us, adventurous excursions for local seniors; and the Toy Cart at Children’s Hospital of Austin, among others. 458-3716.
Judaea, Judaea, Judaea!
State Department Travel Advisories notwithstanding, the Middle East can’t be any less safe a place to travel than, say, your average California Jewish Community Center. Tuesday’s news featuring the Rampaging Gun Nut of the Week is nothing to crack jokes about, so pardon our nervous laughter, but seriously, with gun-toting nutheads popping into our national psyche with even more regularity, the now-somewhat-stable-but-you-never-know tinderbox of centuries-old turmoil seems a lot less tindery and inhospitable. Free Trips to Israel, embarking this January and February 2000, will be offered to North American Jewish youth, ages 18-26, provided courtesy of a nonprofit called Birthright Israel. Beginning fall semester 1999, college students will be able to sign up for a variety of programs through trip organizers including Hillel, Young Judaea, and others. The Birthright Israel gift is funded through contributions from individual philanthropists, Jewish communities across the globe, and the people of Israel. The generous gift covers roundtrip airfare from designated cities and the first 10 days of programming in Israel. While the first winter break trips are offered to college-age students only, high school students (ages 15-18) will be offered chances to participate later, in the year 2001. http://
www.israelexperience.org or 888/99-ISRAEL.
Cyber Help!
DeWitty Job Training & Employment Center needs you, you nerdy computer type, you. Volunteer Computer Instructors Are Needed ASAP to teach classes like “Intro to PCs” or “Intro to the Internet” during the Fall 1999 session, which begins on Mon, Sep 13 and runs through Fri, Oct 22. Bilingualists are especially encouraged. 472-5718.
Pfriends & Pfamily
PFLAG‘s back, and this time, they’ve got poets. The Parents, Friends & Family of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) will host a special Poetry Program featuring readings from local lesbian and gay poets. Following the readings, PFLAG will hold a support discussion for family and friends of queers. The meeting is this Tue, Aug 17, 7pm, in the Fellowship Hall of Grace United Methodist, 208 E. Monroe (in South Austin, off Congress). 451-2329.
Cuppa Coffee & a Good Book
Who could ask for anything more? Well, kids in the middle of a family crisis, for one … SafePlace, our local domestic violence and sexual assault survival center, will receive all books donated to All Books for Children Book Drive at all Starbucks locations across Austin. The drive happens now through Wed, Aug 25. 385-5181.
Relief Is in Site
Hey, don’t ask us how legitimate this is, but if you are interested in making yourself feel better about what you can do to stave off World Hunger (by doing almost absolutely nothing) check out The Hunger Site. This interesting Web site purports to send cash donations to the United Nations World Food Program based on public response. Here’s the deal: You go to the site and click on the donation button. The sponsors do the rest. Yup. You don’t pay a thing. The sponsors donate a half-cent to the UN for every click. You may only click once a day. Hmmmm. The fact that there are no banner ads on the front page (the sponsors have clickable ads on the “Thank you” page, once you’ve clicked) and the “once per day” policy leads us to believe that this might actually be on the up-and-up. You never know on the Web. We’ll see how long it takes for the spamming to commence and keep you posted. Those cookies are making us thirsty! http://www.thehungersite.org.
E-mail: pnotice@auschron.comMail to: “Public Notice,” The Austin Chronicle, P0 Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765. Deadline: Wednesday, 6pm, eight days prior to publication. Phone calls have a .001% chance of being returned.
This article appears in August 13 • 1999 and August 13 • 1999 (Cover).