Sunday, February 20th, 2010

ART and ACTIVISM: RAGING, RESISTING, REJOICING

With Fireweed

Sunday, Feb. 20. 6pm Vegan Potluck, 7pm Presentation. Back Hall. Admission by Donation

Inside and outside of gallery walls, on the streets and in the landscape, art reflects and influences the way we see and experience life. The exciting merger of art and activism is a growing phenomenon today- confronting the status quo, encouraging dissent, and revisioning our world. In her audiovisual presentation, Art and Activism: Raging, Resisting, Rejoicing!, local activist Fireweed explores this widening culture of creative societal transformation. With International Women's Day right around the corner, Fireweed will be highlighting the work of women artists and activists in her slide show (although not exclusively so).

An honors grad from the Emily Carr College of Art and Design (Vancouver, BC, 1982), Fireweed has exhibited as a multi-media artist across Canada as well as internationally. Currently working in graphic design and digital photography, she founded BC’s Women and the Earth, a conference and workshop series dedicated to women’s personal empowerment through activism, in 1991. She has participated on the frontlines of numerous logging blockades, in solidarity with First Nations, anti-biotech activists, and in anti-G8 protests. Fireweed coordinates regional actions opposing Canada’s commercial seal hunt, other marine mammal slaughter, local rodeo, etc.

 In 1993 she initiated the Community Vegan Potluck Series on Denman as another form of animal advocacy, environmental and social justice activism, and enjoys combining her art and politics in part through the creation of nutritious plant-based cuisine that all may share. As a keynote speaker or workshop facilitator on the topics of ecofeminism, art and activism, animal rights and/or feminist earth-based spirituality, Fireweed has addressed numerous women’s events over the years, as well as college classes, environmental gatherings and community groups. With her partner she currently co-hosts a weekly activist-oriented pirate radio show called “Connections”. Also an impassioned writer, Fireweed is a contributing ecofeminist author in the newly released anthology, “Call to Compassion: Religious Reflections on Animal Advocacy” (Lantern Books, 2010). She lives with her partner and feline family in the woods on Denman Island.

FORKS OVER KNIVES

This important new film will have to be added to our loan collection, for all islanders to share. It's due out in theatres by mid March, 2011.

Solstice Potluck 2010

Come celebrate Winter Solstice with your fellow islanders at this season's Community Vegan Potluck scheduled for Saturday (NOT Sunday!), December 18^th at 6:30 pm in the Denman Back Hall. As always, food lovers of every persuasion are invited to join in on our delicious, turkey-free holiday smorgasbord. After dinner we gather round the blazing Yule-fire to celebrate both the nurturing darkness of winter’s respite and the promise of returning light with carols appropriate to the solstice season!

At last year’s UN sponsored Celebration of Faiths and the Environment in the UK, guests representing nine different religious/spiritual traditions gathered to launch long-term initiatives aimed at influencing the attitudes and behaviors of their communities for generations to come. Accomodating the interests of such a wide range of individuals from different cultural backgrounds resulted in the first ever vegan banquet at Windsor Castle…a dining experience that could be equally shared and enjoyed by all!

Any 100% plant-based dinner entrée, salad, dessert, or single item dish (excluding dairy, eggs, honey and gelatin, please) is a suitable contribution to our local feast. Denman's vegan potlucks are a great place to pick up new recipe ideas, but nothing fancy is required unless you are so inspired! Please bring along your ingredient list, and thankyou also in advance for helping keep these inclusive community gatherings accessible for folks with chemical sensitivities by attending ‘scent-free’. Admission is by donation (suggested $3 towards expenses). For further information,  call 1209. Peace to one and all!

Transition Denman

On Oct. 17th, coincidentally the day after World Food Day, Transition Denman hosted a community event involving 30 or more local groups in our active community. Each had only three minutes to talk a little about who they are and how they may fit with the transition movement. Here's what was presented in this brief window of opportunity about the Potluck Series. For further information, click here to access our actual home page, and check out our amazing LINKS list on your immediate right!

DENMAN POTLUCK SERIES

Denman Island’s Community Vegan Potluck Series began in the mid 90’s, hosting monthly 100% plant-based group meals over many years for food lovers of every persuasion, and after dinner presentations- meetings, guest speakers, films or slide shows on a wide variety of topics pertaining to social justice and environmental issues.

 There is no formal group structure to the series, but former Saltsprng Island resident John Robbins’ best-selling, Diet for a New America”, was our original inspiration. Robbin’s founded ‘Earth Save,’ a now worldwide initiative to raise consciousness about the global impact of our dietary choices, and in larger communities Earthsave chapters host similar potlucks promoting the many advantages to personal , environmental and animal well-being through eating lower on the food chain.

In the spirit of community inclusivity, our vegan potluck series also encourages a fragrance-free environment, for the comfort of chemically-sensitive individuals. 

Over the last couple of years the series has scaled back to just four seasonal gatherings a year- our next one celebrates the Winter Solstice- but we started archiving our history online through our blog back in 2006, so you’ll find posters and information on the last 44 potlucks hosted here in the Denman hall since 2004, ranging from guest speaker and anti GMO farmer Percy Schmeiser, to our recent screening of ‘The Cove’, this year’s Oscar winning best feature documentary on the plight of dolphins in Japan.

The potluck series blog is also a valuable educational tool, providing links to information sources to do with all of the material we have featured during the series archived history, and a listing of over 16 films in our collection available for loan to islanders for private or group viewing

Some of the island initatives that have taken shape through discussions shared at the potluck series have included a successful petition to DIRA in favor of declaring Denman, in principle, a GMO crop free zone, following in the footsteps of Powell River- the first municipality in Canada to set such an example. And Denman Donderdag- likewise a solidarity initiative, advocating in it’s case, the reduction of animal product consumption as a deliberate community-based political act. 

Like Meat-Free Fridays, or Meatless Mondays, in other communities around the world, Ghent Donderdag is meat-free Thursday in Ghent, Belgium…the first city in the world to go as far as legislating one meat-free day a week, so that all government offices, hospitals, schools, and other public institutions are expected to provide healthful meat free meals as a deliberate response in large part to the growing problem of global warming and the widespread impact animal agribusiness is having on climate change.

Please visit www.denmandonderdag.blogspot.com to support this kind of consciousness raising transition work in our community in your own circles on and off island, and for further information and links to inspirational resources. [For information on Denman Island's fledgling Veganiculture Association, DIVA, pleaes click here.]

So the Community Vegan potluck Series has always been for everyone, but does strive to provide a comfortable environment where those of us who choose not to eat any animals at all can enjoy sharing our culture of choice and the reasons for it with family, friends and extended community. 

Come celebrate the Winter Solstice with us and enjoy the fruits of the earth at our next friendly gathering!

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Fall Equinox Community Potluck

You are invited to join in on a fabulous harvest feast at Denman’s annual Fall Equinox Community Vegan Potluck scheduled for Sunday, September 19^th, 6:30 pm in the Back Hall. As always, food lovers of every persuasion welcome! Any 100% plant-based entrée, salad, dessert or single-item dish (free of eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin, please) that all may share is a suitable contribution. Please bring a list of ingredients along with your offering.

The now quarterly potluck series originated in 1996, and almost always includes an after dinner presentation concerning topical environmental and/or social justice issues. Anyone interested in marine ecology and dolphins in particular will appreciate our September 19^th screening of The Cove.

Winner of the 2010 Oscar for ‘best feature documentary’, The Cove introduces us to Richard O’Barry, the man who once trained the various marine mammals named ‘Flipper’ for the popular 1960’s tv show. That series essentially spawned Sea World and countless other aquariums around the world where dolphins perform stunts and interact with human beings. O’Barry now spends his life trying to make it up to our cetacean friends, and is determined to help bring about the end of the secretive capture and slaughter of thousands of dolphins that takes place in Japan between Sept. and March each year.

According to movie critic Alonso Duralde, “The result is some of the most exciting filmmaking you’ll see this year —The Cove could very well change not only the face of nature documentaries but also laws, policy and attitudes toward the life and death of dolphins.“

Our dolphin-friendly potluck series is also designated ‘scent-free’ for inclusivity! Admission is by donation towards expenses (suggested $3 per person). For further information about The Cove, please visit http://www.takepart.com/thecove

The Cove PSA -My Friend Is... 2 min. version Directed by Andres Useche Produced by Fisher Stevens, Lina Esco, Chris Gartin from Andres Useche on Vimeo.

SUNDAY, JUNE 20th SOLSTICE POTLUCK!

Coal on the Menu at Solstice Potluck

Denman Island environmentalists host a community vegan potluck supper four times a year, and everyone is invited to come celebrate Summer Solstice (and Father’s Day!) at the next one scheduled for Sunday June 20th. The series provides a friendly forum for food lovers of every persuasion to enjoy a healthful meal together that all may share. Any 100% plant-based entrée, salad, dessert or single item dish is a suitable contribution (also excluding dairy, honey and gelatin, please!)

Coal is indeed on the menu, as special guest speaker Tria Donaldson, Outreach Coordinator with the Western Canada Wilderness Committee is this potluck's featured guest speaker. Tria will be sharing an informative audio visual presentation after dinner on this timely topic.

“Coal is widely regarded as one of the dirtiest fossil fuels,” says Tria. “And yet here in BC we are in the midst of a massive increase in our coal mining industry, at the very same time we are claiming to be a climate leader.”

Tria will talk about climate change, coal mining, and the environmental impacts of the proposed Raven underground Coal Project. The Western Canada Wilderness Committee always has many different campaigns on the go and the lack of endangered species legislation in BC is another issue the Committee is engaged in educating the public about.

Tria is an active volunteer with several organizations, including the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Sierra Youth Coalition and Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. She has worked on numerous social justice and environmental causes – like access to education, anti-racism, and campus sustainability. Tria is very passionate about engaging young people in social activism, and to this end she helped organize Power Shift Canada, the largest youth climate conference in Canadian history. She recently traveled to Copenhagen with the Canadian Youth Delegation for the climate talks, and was the Project Manager for goBeyond, a youth driven climate project that works with 12 post-secondary institutions in BC.

Islanders and others are invited to come on out and support Tria’s voluntary trip to Denman to share WC²’s presentation in the DI Community Hall on June 20^th, as well as to ienjoy a great meal with friends, neighbours and visitors in celebration of the Summer Solstice. Dinner gets underway at 6:30 pm, and admission is by donation ($3 suggested towards expenses). There is no set time for the after dinner presentation which always gets underway whenever diners have finished their meal.

Please note thtat the potluck series is designated ‘scent-free for inclusivity’ in consideration of individuals with chemical sensitivity.The Community Hall is a short walk up the ferry hill for off islanders who park in Buckley Bay to arrive on the 6:00 pm sailing.

March 21 Spring Equinox Potluck

Come celebrate the arrival of spring at the next Denman Community Vegan Potluck, scheduled for Sunday, March 21st at 6:30 pm in the BackHall!

This month, in honor of International Women’s Day, our after dinner presentation will be the highly acclaimed documentary, Tough Guise- an insightful exploration of the relationship between pop-cultural imagery and the social construction of masculine identities, particularly in [North] American culture. The film features Jackson Katz, a leading anti-sexist male activist who is the co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention programs. Primarily directed towards liberating youth culture from stereotypes, Tough Guise is a must see, too, for women and men of any age who are concerned about healthy, safe community for all. (Scroll down for a video clip introducing the film)

As always, food lovers of every persuasion are invited to attend! Any 100% plant-based contribution (free of dairy, eggs, honey and gelatin) is suitable- nothing fancy required. The great diversity of salads, entrees, dessert and single item dishes that always manage to arrive create a bountiful meal that all may enjoy.

This year’s Spring Equinox potluck also coincides with the 25th anniversary of Meat-Out- an international, educational event about the power of our individual food choices that has spread to over 29 countries in the past quarter century. Please vist the links list on the right to a long list of articles on the relationship between our dietary choices, global warming and other environmental concerns, personal health and animal welfare.

Admission is by donation (recommended $3 towards expenses). And thanks for remembering that all potluck events are designated scent free for the comfort of community members with chemical sensitivities. See you there for a fabulous Spring Equinox smorgasbord!

Below is a short video clip introducing "Tough Guise". See you there!

Spring is just around the corner!

Well, it doesn't feel like winter yet, even though the crossquarter at Brighid is imminent! Honoring Brighid on January 31st (actual date, Feb 2nd), will be a Dineout for Haiti in the Back Hall.

Our next community vegan potluck is scheduled for Sunday, March 20th. Stay tuned!

Please click on the words 'older post', OR look on the right (scroll down) for the list of links to older entries here featuring several years of past potluck presentations.

next community vegan potluck: Winter Solstice!

"Nothing will increase the chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." -Albert Einstein

September 20th, 2009

Come share the harvest bounty at Denman Island's fabulous Fall Equinox feast!
As always, food lovers of every persuasion are welcome.

Please bring a 100% plant-based dish that all may share (free of eggs, dairy, honey & gelatin).

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

After dinner, participants are invited to stay for the powerful educational film, EARTHLINGS.

By far the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests, EARTHLINGS leaves viewers with new-found courage
to make a difference through their lifestyle choices, and to work for change.

Divided into several segments, including our relationship with animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment and in science, EARTHLINGS provides a behind the scenes expose of various animal-based industries. This highly recommended, award-winning film is deeply compelling, but can be emotionally challenging for some viewers. It also contains course language. Not recommended for children.

"This is the single most powerful and informative movie about societies treatment of
animals. A must see film for anyone who cares enough to know". -Woody Harrelson

Dinner gets underway at 6:30 pm in the Back Hall. Visitors can arrive on the 6:00 pm sailing from Buckley Bay and walk the short hike up the ferry hill to the community hall.
Admission is by donation (suggested $3) towards expenses. Please note that all potluck events are also designated scent-free for inclusivity.

Please visit the DI Vegan Potluck Series webite mainpage for details!

June 21st, 2009

Summertime, and the livin' is easy... especially getting together for a fabulous meal that doesn't require anything fancy, because it's all about the sum of it's parts! That's one reason why our community vegan potlucks are enjoyed by food lovers of every persuasion. So don't be shy- come on out and take part in a deliious, 'slow' meal this weekend, on the longest day of the year. Gather with familiar faces and introduce yourself to new ones! Any 100% plant-based salad, etree, dessert, or single item dish that all may share (free of eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin) is a suitable contribution to ou eco-friendly smorgasbords.

Our Solstice supper will be a purely social event with no after-dinner presentation scheduled- just lots of time to enjoy a great meal, share news, and celebrate community. Children welcome! The potluck series is taking place just four times this year -once a season, so don''t miss out!

Admission is by donation towards expenses, and all events are designated 'scent-free,' to futher inclusivity. Call 1209 if you'd like further information. Our next gathering is scheduled for the Fall Equinox, September 20th.

Sunday, March 22nd, 09

SPRING EQUINOX POTLUCK!

Come celebrate the arrival of spring with your neighbours at the next Denman Community Vegan Potluck, scheduled for March 22^nd, 6:30 pm in the BackHall.

As always, food lovers of every persuasion are invited. Any 100% plant-based dish (free of dairy, eggs, honey and gelatin) is a suitable contribution- nothing fancy required! The great diversity of salads, entrees and dessert items that always manage to arrive create a bountiful meal, and often provide creative new recipe ideas.

This particular potluck date dovetails with MeatOut- an international, educational event about the power of our individual food choices that takes place on or around the Equinox each spring and has spread to over 20 countries in the past 25 years. The much-quoted report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, "Livestock's Long Shadow -- Environmental Issues and Options" (Nov., 2006), has done a lot to raise awareness about the devastating effects of animal agribusiness on the planet and global warming. And what of global hunger? Around 16 pounds of grain and 2,500 gallons of water are required to produce 1 pound of meat (thus feeding one or two people on meat versus approximately 16 people on grain). The Denman potluck series website links to a long list of articles on these topics and others, for anyone interested in exploring the many merits of eating lower on the food chain.

The now quarterly potluck series had long provided a forum for sharing information that furthers community discourse around issues of social justice, environmental awareness, and calls for action. Since the mid '90s when one of our featured guest speakers, Welsh builder Ianto Evans, shared his now old-fashioned slide show on natural building around the world, the renaissance in cob construction he helped spark here in North America has only grown in leaps and bounds. The Lasquiti Island-born women's collective known as the MudGirls, brought their own enthusiasm for self-empowerment through building with earth two years ago to a community vegan potluck presentation, inspiring a whole new generation of Denman Islanders to 'think outside the box.'

After dinner on March 22^nd, local women who have since participated in MudGirls' skill-building workshops will share their experiences, their belief in the "necessary revolution of natural building," and their vision of a more sustainable future for housing here on Denman. In concert with the aims of the Denman Community Land Trust Association (DCLTA), these activists are keen to pose the question, "What if we were able to gift our community with healthy, affordable and earth-friendly homes?" DCLTA is a local, grassroots volunteer circle of Denman Island residents, representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experiences who have come together out of a common desire to do something tangible to address the need for affordable housing on Denman Island. Please come on out and support the conversation.

December , 2008

The potluck series is currently taking place four times a year... our next gathering won't happen until Spring, so come on out and celebrate!

Please note that we are scheduled for MONDAY, not our usual Sunday time slot. Hope to see you there!

May 2008 FUNDRAISER

Dine out, for Africa!


[Postscript: Hooray! We raised over $600 with our vegan lasagna dinner to contribiute to Billy's efforts!]
Sunday, May 25th, 2008. Instead of our regular potluck this month, the series is hosting an informal pasta dinner in the back hall, in support of a Day for Africa, and the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF). Reservations required!
Upon hearing former United Nations Envoy for Aids in Africa, Stephen Lewis, speak in Nanaimo last year youth activist Billy Strachan was moved to support the good work the SLF does to ease the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa at the grassroots level. It provides care to women who are ill and struggling to survive; assists orphans and other AIDS affected children; supports heroic grandmothers who almost single-handedly care for their orphan grandchildren; and supports associations of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Billy came up with the idea to involve local businesses and volunteers in a fundraising initiative he calls, A Day for Africa, on the first Saturday of each month from March through June. He has accepted Denman’s invitation to tell us about his endeavour at our own local fundraising dinner, the proceeds of which will be added to the check he can now looking forward to presenting Stephen Lewis himself in person, on June 27th in Courtenay. Billy didn’t know at the time he started his Comox Valley-wide, A Day in Africa project, that Lewis would end up being anywhere near our area of the world at this time. Neither did he know that his youthful idealism would inspire so many folks to rise to the occasion and support his own vision to collectively make a difference! You can also read about Billy in this month’s In Focus Magazine in the article by Laura Busheiken.

Tickets to the June Stephen Lewis event in Courtenay are now available at Abraxas Books on Denman ($30 adult or $15 student/youth.)
Denman’s Dineout for Africa gets underway at 6:00 pm in the BackHall, and will include a presentation by Billy Strachan about his project. Please make your dinner reservation asap by calling 335-1209. ($15 adult, $8 youth)

April 2008

The Scoop on Soy

Controversial reports about soy have left many people confused about what to believe. If you are concerned about the safety of soy food products, or are simply curious to learn more about this excellent source of dietary nutrition, bring your questions to Denman Island's next community vegan potluck event, Sunday, April 20th.

After dinner, Denman author and vegan chef Bryanna Clark Grogan along with Shin Meido Miso's Susan-Marie Yoshihara will be happy to share their considerable knowledge on soy in an informal discussion geared to separating fact from fiction.

As always, food lovers of every persuasion are invited to participate in Denman's amazing monthly smorgasbords. Nothing fancy required- any 100% vegan entree, salad, dessert, or single item dish (free of eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin, please) is a suitable contribution.

Dinner gets underway at 6:30 pm in the Community Hall, just a short trip up the hill from the ferry landing. Admission is by donation (suggested $3 towards expenses). The Denman Community Potluck Series strives to be a scent-free gathering, out of consideration for individuals with chemical sensitivities. Please visit our main webpage at http://www.fireweed.ca/ for additional information.

March 2008

March is a popular time for ordering spring seeds, and this month’s community vegan potluck series honors our island’s status in principle as a GMO Crop Free Zone!

On the heals of Seedy Saturday, GreenPeace and our Comox Valley NO GMO’s Coalition are hosting an island wide strategy session on March 8th at the BCGEU building in Courtenay. Greenpeace and GE Free BC have declared March 11th GE Free Day in BC, and local activists will be collecting signatures in downtown Denman that day for a petition to make labelling of GE foods mandatory.

On Saturday, March 29th, the Community Garden Party Series invites everyone interested in supporting our local organic produce growers to pitch in for an hour or two at Rob and Vlasta Ulovec’s Apple Lane Orchard between 1 and 3 pm. And over the course of the month our brand new potato co-op, SPUDS, will be sprouting in it’s chosen home at the Hermitage on Denman Road (now is the time to sign up and encourage other new members!)

Last, but not least, the Community Vegan Potluck scheduled for 6:30 pm in the Back Hall on Sunday, March 16th, will feature both a seed swap and the award-winning European documentary, Unnatural Selection.

Featuring such internationally renowned activists as Vandana Shiva, Andrew Kimbell, and Canada’s very own Percy Schmeiser, this fascinating educational film does an excellent job of exposing several of the alarming consequences of genetic engineering on three continents.

The future of planetary biodiversity will certainly be influenced by consumers with the privilege of choice, so thanks for coming on out to help further public education about these important issues. Unnatural Selection is produced by Jeffrey Smith, director of the Institute for Responsible Technology (Iowa), and author of the world’s bestselling book on Genetically Modified foods, Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating.

Last month’s film, Saved by Sun, is available for home viewing for a nominal donation the Potluck Series will contribute to REDI’s solar panel project for the Hall.

As always, food-lovers of every persuasion are invited to our 6:30 pm dinner in the DI Backhall, and any animal-friendly entrée, salad or dessert that all may share, is an appropriate donation (egg, dairy, honey and gelatin-free, please.) And thanks for helping us maintain a scent-free event for the comfort of chemically sensitive individuals. Did you know that DI Hardware carries scent-free laundry and other cleaning products!?

February, 2008

Saved by the Sun

Sunday, Feb. 24th,

DI Back Hall

In support of REDI, Renewable Energy on Denman Island, the community vegan potluck series is planning to show an award winning 2007 Nova documentary, all about solar power. Any extra donations will go towards supporting REDI’s initiative to outfit our community hall with solar panels. “Saved by the Sun” is a fascinating, exciting film you won’t want to miss!

And YES, it has arrived on time for showing this Sunday...we were a little concerned it had been held up at the border but our worries are over now! For further information about this fabulous documentary, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/solar/ . I'll also post the url for a sneak preview of the film under the Links column on the right hand side of this potluck blogspot.

For those who can afford to help this fundraiser along, we're encouraging a $5 donation for tonite's screening, but as always it's 'pay what you can'. If you can't make it for dinner but still want to see the film, the best time to show up is probably around 7:30pm. Not that we would want to discourage anyone from enjoying a great vegan community meal that helps reduce our collective ecological footprint!

As always, our event is designated scent free for the comfort of chemically sensitive individuals. Thanks for your support!

JANUARY, 2008

Everyone is invited to come on out and participate in our first community vegan potluck of the new year on Sunday, January 27th!

Why would you want to attend if you aren't vegan or vegetarian?

-Most omnivores enjoy a wide range of foods, and our 100% plant-based
feasts provide a wonderful way for food lovers of every persuasion to
come together for the enjoyment of a nutritious, hearty meal that
excludes no one.

- Our potlucks help build community,

-welcome new islanders,

-provide an almost monthly venue
for single folks and families to mingle
with friends and neighbours,

-and the opportunity to gather new
recipe ideas for treading more lightly
on the planet with our daily food choices.

December 07

November, 07