|
|||||||||||||||||
| |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Hey LIX Chicks, Well it's that crazy time of year again! Ana just finished her letter to Santa Claus and she's on pins and needles waiting to put up the Christmas decorations. She's already watched 'The Muppets' Christmas Carol' twice and as I write this, she's in her room wrapping up 'gifts' for Lucy and me...toys that she doesn't want anymore...but don't tell anyone! Perhaps I'll be the lucky recipient of the pink 'my little pony' with the broken foot! Or one of her old Barbie dolls! Frankly, I'm just happy that she's lost interest in Barbie and moved onto Lego.
This month's networking meeting on December 6th was a very special event. First of all it was the 18th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. Lucy gave a very moving tribute to the 14 slain women...women who were murdered because they were studying in a field that has been traditionally dominated by men...engineering. Rather than requesting a moment of silence, Lucy asked the LIX members present to give a round of applause for these 14 brave women who had the guts to stake a claim in a non-traditional field of study. |
|||||||||||||||||
|
We were also treated to two excellent five-minute infomercials at this month's meeting. First up was long-time LIX member, and wood-turner extraordinaire, Sinéad Bomba. Sinéad creates decorative and functional woodturnings from local hardwoods that have been cut because of age, disease, or storm damage. She began turning memorial pieces for friends during the Ice Storm of 1998, providing comfort and beautiful lasting memories despite the widespread devastation. Sinéad brought a number of samples of her work including a gorgeous 10-inch, red elm, natural-edged bowl...which was bought within seconds by another LIX Chick! To find out more about Sinéad, visit her web site at www.spinningmadly.com. Next up was Marion Sewell-Sneyd, who talked to us about an amazing volunteer project that she's involved in. She is helping to create a library for 300 children in an orphanage in Nepal. Child Haven International (www.childhaven.ca) has built eight orphanages for destitute children. A new school has been built with the help of friends of Sean Egan, the professor from Ottawa University, who died climbing Mount Everest. Marion and a friend volunteered in the school in the orphanage three years ago and are returning in February to set up a new library. They are trying to raise $20,000 by speaking in schools and churches and through other donations. So far, they have raised over $10,000! They will be buying all the books in Nepal in order to save on customs and shipping and because they want the books to reflect the Nepali culture. When you donate to this project, you can put your name on a bookplate which will be pasted inside a new book in your honour. Marion estimates that the average book will cost around $20. If you'd like to make a donation to this very important project, please call Marion at (613) 237-4054. Sounds like a great Christmas gift idea to me (check out this issue's 'LIX Chicks Tips'). This is the last e-news of 2007. On behalf of all of us on the Steering Committee (Kerry, Lucy, Wendy and myself), I would like to wish you all a delightful holiday season. Thank you for your ongoing support of LIX and especially for your patience during the months of chaos in the fall when we were searching for a new location for the LIX networking meetings. I hope to see some of you at the Events4Women New Year's Eve Dance...let's support the efforts of our sister organization. (See 'Upcoming Event #7.) Happy New Year LIX Chicks!
|
|||||||||||||||||
| |
Upcoming
Events of Interest |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
Head on down to the Sandy Hill Arena to watch Ottawa's fabulous women's team as they play various teams in the Canadian Women's Hockey League. The Capital Canucks are very fortunate to have Katie Weatherston playing forward on the team this year. Katie is a member of the Canadian Olympic Women's Hockey Team. Games start at 5:00 pm. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for children and seniors. Dress warmly...it's bloody cold in the arena! For more information about the league, go to www.cwhl.ca and for information about the Canucks, go to www.sport.ca/ottawacapitalcanucks. (We had a sizeable LIX contingent out at the November 17th game! -Marie).
An exhibit by Karen Espig including more than 20 works of the Figure in both oil and pastel. The show is focused on expressing the human experience in contemporary language and form. Venus Envy, 320 Lisgar.
A film about Sam (Tom Cavanagh) and Ed (Ben Shenkman) who aren’t exactly your stereotypical gay couple. Following a death in the family, they find themselves the temporary guardians of Ed's young nephew who is a fan of boas and show-tunes! Thoroughly charming and guaranteed to melt the heart of the coldest audience member, Laurie Lynd’s Breakfast With Scot boasts a raft of fine performances and smart, winning cameos by iconic Canadian actors, including Fiona Reid, Megan Follows, Graham Greene, Sheila McCarthy and Shauna MacDonald. Cavanagh and Shenkman anchor the story more than admirably, but it’s the kids who steal the show, most notably Noah Bernett as Scot, whose wide-eyed incomprehension of the ways of the world is both hilarious and deeply affecting. Bytowne Cinema, 325 Rideau Street. www.bytowne.ca.
Join the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (ORCC) gals for this fabulous fundraising event! Mother Tongue will donate 10% of their sales for the day to the ORCC and anyone making a purchase or donation will be eligible to enter their name into a draw for door prizes such as: a gift certificate for a one-night stay at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel, 2 tickets to a concert of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, $500 worth of dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, and MANY OTHER PRIZES!!! Mother Tongue Books will be open from 10:00 am. until midnight for this special event. 1067 Bank Street (near Sunnyside). The Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre is a proactive, anti-racist, feminist organization working to end all forms of sexual violence. They counsel and support women, educate for change and work to create a safe and equitable community. Please visit www.orcc.net for additional information about the Midnight Madness sale or to learn more about the organization.
The Ottawa Children's Aid Society is actively recruiting adoptive and foster parents in the LGBT community. They hold two information sessions a month. The first Thursday of every month is for LGBT people interested in adoption. The last Thursday of the month is for those interested in fostering. Sessions take place at the CAS offices, 1602 Telesat Court, Gloucester from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. If you're interested in attending, please RSVP to Anik at (613) 747-7800 x2857.
'Make the drive to Cornwall' to help raise money for the Lavender Moon Women's Festival. The dance is being held at Jazz Magnolia located right beside the Days Inn (where you can get a 50% discount if you're attending the dance and want to stay overnight!). Doors open at 8:30. Reserve your tickets by emailing heather@lavendermoonwomensfestival.com. Here are the directions to Jazz Magnolia: take Hwy 417 East to Cornwall / Monkland exit Hwy 138 South. Stay on the 138 until you get to Cornwall Center Road. You will go through Monkland, Bonville and St Andrews before you hit Cornwall Center Road. Right on Cornwall Center Road . You'll then turn left (south) on Brookdale Ave. You'll then turn right on 14th Street (Wendy's will be on your left, Burger King straight across from Wendy's and Quickies service station on your right). Turn right at the lights on Vincent Massey Drive. Tickets are $15 for singles/$25 for couples.
The Events4Women gals invite you to join them again this year at 1505 Carling Avenue (main floor) for their New Year's Eve Gala fundraiser in support of The Young Women's Shelter and K-911 Rescue. The event is sponsored by Elise J. Hallewick, Barrister & Solicitor. Doors open at 9:00 pm. and the dance runs until 2:00 am. Limited space available! Tickets are $30 and include champagne, party favours, door prizes, and hot & cold food. Due to fire code restrictions, NO entrance will be authorized at the door once all tickets are sold through the vendors: Wilde's, Venus Envy and mother tongue books. For information, please call (613) 878-5465 or email Events4Women@hotmail.com.
Meetings are held at Swizzles at 246B Queen Street (below the Green Papaya...entrance on the west side of the building) from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. You don't have to be self-employed and/or promoting a business to attend...at least half of the gals come to check out lesbian businesses and to socialize. If you have any interest in presenting a five-minute infomercial about your business at one of the networking meetings, please contact us at info@girlswanttoknow.com.
A film presented by Divergence Movie Night. "In 2002, Michelle Dumaresq became the first openly transgendered woman in the world to be named to a national team in any sport. 100% Woman begins as Dumaresq's mountain-bike riding career did, careening down a rocky path to be met with controversy. From some critics comes cautious concern, from others, complete attack. Beginning with her days on the BC race circuit, to the Canada Cup, the national title and finally, a berth at the World Championships, her progress is dogged by constant scrutiny, both from fellow competitors and the media. Dumaresq insists she doesn't race to make a stand, but doesn't shy from being a trailblazer. She grew up in turmoil over her identity and struggled to come to terms with herself as an adult, even with her parents' whole-hearted support. She takes on the mantle of role model because she understands how isolated others like her feel." Doors open at 7:00 pm; movie starts at 7:30. FREE admission; $5 suggested donation. Snacks for sale. Club SAW, 67 Nicholas Street. For more information, visit the web site at http://DivergenceMovieNight.com.
Come out and join your queer sisters and brothers at Let's Dance Studio! Paul is organizing another level 1 (beginner) class to add to the roster. The new class will be taking place on Fridays at 7:00 pm. starting on January 26th. In addition, there are a few spots left in the existing same-sex classes at varying skill levels. The winter term for those groups begins on January 21st. For more information, please call Paul Lafleur, Coordinator of Waltzing Out Same-sex Ballroom Dancing at (613) 231-2296 or email him at plaf@magma.ca.
The Lesbian Outdoor Group will be hosting the first dance of the New Year! What a great way to start 2008 by meeting new and old friends while dancing the night away. Tickets are limited, first come first served. $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door. 8:00pm -1:00am. Royal Canadian Legion, 330 Kent Street. Tickets are available at Venus Envy, After Stonewall, mother tongue books and Wilde’s. For more information, contact the group by email at log_opale@yahoo.ca.
The "Keep it Simple" group of Al-Anon meets every Sunday evening at 7:30 pm. at the Jack Purcell Community Centre on Elgin Street. Millions of people are affected by the excessive drinking of someone close to them. If you fall into this category and are looking for a safe GLBTQ space to get help and support, this meeting is for you. For more information call (613) 860-3431 or go to the web site at www.al-anon.alateen.on.ca.
...is an Ottawa-based women's literary fundraising magazine...that will donate its proceeds back into various events and charities in the community. The creators are looking for interested subscribers as well as women who wish to submit writing, photography or artwork for upcoming issues. The yearly subscription rate is $18. Find details on advertising, sponsorship, subscriptions, submitting work and more at www.mwdesign.ca/TheVoice.
...takes place on the first Sunday of each month at the Church of the Ascension, 253 Echo Drive, Ottawa at 7:00 pm. Integrity Ottawa is a gathering of gay men, lesbians and straight friends living in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. They are interested in supporting the lives of LGBTTQ people in the Anglican Church of Canada and abroad in the wider Anglican Communion. For more information, check out: www.ottawa.integritycanada.org.
...regularly holds workshops of interest to women. To see what's happening, check out the web site at www.venusenvy.ca. Venus Envy is located at 320 Lisgar Street. |
||||||||||||||||
We encourage you to send us news of events and/or workshops that you are involved in so we can add the information to our Upcoming Events of Interest section of this monthly news update. We need to know the who's, what's, where's as well as cost, where tickets are available, if pre-registration is required, and if it's a fundraiser, what organization you're raising funds for. If the organization has a web site, that web address would be helpful. And we'd love to see more of your entries in the Special Interest Groups and Activities, the LIX Chicks Want Ads, and the LIX Chicks Tips. Networking works...for information, business and pleasure! Send your news and ideas to me at info@girlswanttoknow.com. We need your information by the end of the month in order to guarantee inclusion in the following month's issue. So...there you go! For more information about the LIX network, check out our web site at www.girlswanttoknow.com, send us an email at info@girlswanttoknow.com or chat with one of us at a networking meeting at Swizzles. Cheers, |
|||||||||||||||||
I have some excellent news for you! We have booked The Pantry for Thursday, March 13th for the third annual LIX dinner/speaker meeting. This year we are thrilled to have Ivan E. Coyote as our guest speaker. I will have the reservation sheet at the January networking meeting at Swizzles so bring your $30 and reserve your seat! For those of you who are new to LIX, let me just say that this annual event couldn't be more popular. We sold out in three days last year! The Pantry is a cozy, woman-owned, vegetarian cafe located in the Glebe Community Centre at 175 Third Avenue. For the LIX event, Carolyn, the owner, offers two entrees...one vegan and one vegetarian. Your $30 gets you an appetizer, your choice of one of the entrees, dessert, non-alcoholic beverage, and pays the tax and tip. All that and Ivan E. Coyote too! I will be meeting with Carolyn soon to decide on our menu for the evening. If you're skeptical about vegetarian food, let me just say that Kerry "bring me some red meat!" Beckett, from our Steering Committee, has become one of Carolyn's biggest fans. 
And another life was celebrated at our meeting...the life of lesbian author Jane Rule, who died on Tuesday, November 27th at the age of 76. Gabriella Goliger talked about Jane's life, her place as a pioneer writer of lesbian-themed novels and the important role she had as an advocate for lesbian and gay rights in this country. Jane lived in British Columbia with her partner of 45 years, Helen Sonthoff, who passed away in 2000. Jane's most popular novel, Desert of the Heart, was made into a classic lesbian film in the mid-80's. LIX member, Barb Freeman, talked about meeting Jane Rule and how Jane had been inspirational when Barb was making the difficult decision to come out as a dyke at Carleton University where she was (and still is) a professor. 
Lesbian Information Xchange
community-based,
not-for-profit network of lesbians exchanging information