April

Friday, April 8: Noon - 2:00 p.m. Speakers forum, How A Botanical Garden Enriches a Community at CitySpace. Participants are Norman Burns, Executive Director of the Maymont Botanical Garden; Kennon Williams, ASLA Landscape Architecture; Marsha Lea, Principal. ASLA, LEED AP, an expert in designing and planning botanical gardens; Keith Tomlinson, Garden Manager, Meadowlark Botanical Garden.

A question and answer period will be encouraged. Bring lunch. Further information Helen Flamini hflamini@gmail.com

Friday, April 8: 7:00 p.m. Sarah Chayes, former NPR reporter during the Afghan war, will kick off Virginia Common- wealth University's "Crossing Boundaries" lecture series -- a year-long series of speakers, performances and events that will explore the ways in which social, personal, religious and political boundaries are transcended. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information on the series, call the VCU School of World Studies at 804-828-7289.

Chayes will speak at VCU's Grace St. Theatre, 934 W. Grace Street, Richmond. She joined NPR as a foreign correspondent in 1997, and reported from Paris, Algeria, Lebanon, Israel-Palestine, Serbia and Bosnia. Her work also brought her to Afghanistan, where she covered the fall of the Taliban. Afterwards, Chayes left NPR and journalism to focus on Afghans for Civil Society, a non-governmental, non-profit aid organization in Kandahar.

NOTE: The following item, the Democratic Breakfast, has been canceled due to conflict with Dogwood Festival

Saturday, April 16: 9:30 a.m. Monthly Democratic Breakfast at Central Branch (Market St), Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, McIntire Room. Topic: advocating with local government--being a voice for your issues.

Tuesday, April 26: 11:30 a.m. League of Women Voters Community Dialogue: Redistricting. New County Office Bldg, 5th St ext, Room A. With Bob Gibson. To reserve a box lunch, call 970-1707 by Thurs 4/21

Wednesday, April 27: 6:30 p.m. the Center for Politics will hold a timely forum called The Politics of the Nation's Debt. Join Professor Larry Sabato and an expert panel as they discuss the present-day politics and economics related to the federal government's debt. The panel will include:

• Former Senator Alan Simpson, co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
• Dr. Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research
• David Walker, President of the Comeback America Initiative and former head of the GAO

Thursday, April 28: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Come have a drink with Sorensen! Join the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership for a great evening at Siips featuring "celebrity bartenders" Robert Hurt, Creigh Deeds and Rob Bell. Siips Wine and Champagne Bar & Bistro Downtown Charlottesville. 10% of your bill goes to the Sorensen Institute. RSVP to rachel.casebolt@virginia.edu

Saturday, April 30: 8:00 a.m. Run for the River 5 & 10k Green Springs, VA in Western Louisa County. Race day registration starts at 7:00 am. Both races start at 8:00 am. Online Registration, Directions at http://samproject.bbnow.org/index.php. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay & the South Anna Water Monitoring Project.

Saturday, April 30: 7:30 a.m. 5th Annual Fundraising Hike for Habitat, Women Build. Meet at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports (Barracks Road).

Registration forms available at http://cvillehabitat.org/wbDonate.shtml and can be emailed to womenbuild@cvillehabitat.org OR mailed to Women Build/Habitat for Humanity, 501 Grove Avenue, Charlottesville 22902 OR dropped off at the Habitat office OR faxed to 434-293-0683. Please try to register by Friday, April 22. (We will accept registrations after that, but space is limited!) More Info: Call 434-293-9066 or email womenbuild@cvillehabitat.org

Saturday, April 30: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Democratic Road Back PAC with Left of Center are sponsoring training for anyone interested in local campaigns, campaigning, or candidacy, including you!

Speakers

• Delegate David Toscano D-57
• Senator Donald McEachin D-09
• Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director Dave Mills
• Perriello for Congress Finance Director Anna Scholl
• Neff for Delegate Field Director and 2008 Coordinated Campaign Deputy Organizer Lionel Dripps
• Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, Executive Director, Bob Gibson

At Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, Central Branch, 201 E. Market Street McIntire Room--Free event with catered breakfast provided. Questions or RSVPs to cjdumler@gmail.com or 434-260-1123