Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance News
September  2009
Walk for Justice BannerUUs Support Same Sex Marriage CA
Greetings!

You are invited to join in the action as we walk/run/roll - all to support your Minnesota voice for UU values: MUUSJA.

The fundraising committee has dreamed up this first-ever MUUSJA walk as a way to build community, raise energy and awareness, and of course raise funds!  Contributions will be used to support our programs including environmental justice and sustainability, LGBT equality, reproductive justice, and free and fair elections.

The Walk is Sunday, September 20th.  Registration information, details on how to collect pledges and day-of-event info is all here in this newsletter, and online at muusja.org.

If you'd rather volunteer than walk, we welcome your help!

Sincerely,

Ralph Wyman, Director/Organizer

612-998-6624

Carol Johnson, Fundraising Committee
612-825-3322

Walk Peace Garden

Walk/Run/Roll on Sunday, September 20th!

We'll start from First Universalist Church in Uptown, Minneapolis and walk (or you can bike, skate, or roll your own way) to the Minneapolis peace garden near Lake Harriet.  This course is 2 miles round trip.  Feeling like working a bit harder for the money? Want to ask your pledgers to support a 5 mile walk?  Continue on around Lake Harriet for the 5 mile option.

Schedule of Events:

Noon-12:30pm: Register/Turn in Pledges & Light Lunch at First
Universalist Church, 3400 Dupont Ave S., Minneapolis  (map)
We will be offering a light lunch including beverages to get you ready to move and groove.  Please bring your own water bottle for use on the Walk.  In an effort to reduce waste we will have filtered water to fill your bottles at the church and along the route.

12:30pm:  Step off begins!
from First Universalist
::: Step off will be progressive and ends at 1 pm for later arrivals, those wanting extra time for lunch, etc :::
  • Course One: From church to Rose/Peace gardens and back to church - 2 miles
  • Course Two: From church through Rose/Peace Gardens, around LakeHarriet, and back to church - 5 miles
2:30pm: Arrive back at First Universalist Church for celebration, cake, and prizes!
Prizes will be awarded to the individual and the team with the most numeric pledges, most dollars raised, and (if you indicate your age at registration) youngest and oldest participant, and most inter-generational team.

Full details, Registration and Pledge Forms and our Online Donation Button are on our MUUSJA Walk web page.
 
Ready to start raising pledges?

E-mail your friends, family and colleagues!

Here's some suggested text:
(highlight and paste to your e-mail editor)
 
Dear friends:

On Sunday, September 20th, I'm walking with members of my congregation and other local Unitarian Universalists to support our work for justice.

MUUSJA - the Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance - is the public voice for many UU values I support.  MUUSJA is actively working for environmental justice and sustainability, for equal access to the rights and responsibilities of marriage, for reproductive healthcare that fully supports women and educates youth, and for free and fair elections.

Wow.  That's a lot of work.  And MUUSJA is doing this work across Minnesota, in all kinds of coalitions, and at both the state and federal levels!

By pledging your support of two dollars a mile*, or five dollars a mile - or more if you can - you'll be helping me help MUUSJA to achieve winnable change that will amplify our collective voice for Unitarian Univeralist values.  Values that serve the common good and reflect the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Please support me by clicking https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7613819 now to securely make your pledge online.

If you'd like to make your pledge by check, you can mail it to me at:
xxx
xxx

Thank you so much for your contribution!  If you want to walk with me, visit http://www.muusja.org/node/21 for more information.

With gratitude,
xx

PS: Your donation is fully tax deductible.  Details on MUUSJA and their fiscal agent, the Prairie Star District, are at http://www.muusja.org/join


* based on 5 mile walk.  If you elect to walk two miles, we hope you'll aim for $10 & $25 pledges (or more) too!  Donations in any amount are welcome.

About MUUSJA
Combining the power of congregational and individual commitments to justice we act as Minnesota's collective, public voice for Unitarian Universalist values. 

MUUSJA is shifting Minnesota's civic culture to better serve the common good: access to reproductive health care and sexuality education, a clean environment that is just in its resource uses and impacts, integrity in and full access to the democratic exercise of the vote, and equal treatment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

We train and develop leaders, educate on causes and impacts of  issues, and mobilize cadres of UUs for lobbying, rallies, letter-writing, community forums and other tools of movement building. MUUSJA has contributed to victories in renewable energy, housing policy, barring anti-gay legislation, election reform and more.  Join us for our next successes!
 
MUUSJA - MN UU Social Justice Alliance
c/o PSD UUA
122 W. Franklin Ave, Suite 303
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

Ralph Wyman
Director/Organizer
612-998-6624
[email protected]
www.muusja.org
In This Issue
Join the fun!
Collecting pledges
More Walk details
Fall MUUSJA meeting Oct. 18
About the Walk:
Walk Map
















The Walk starts and ends at First Univeralist Church, 3400 Dupont Ave S.  There is plenty of free car and bike parking, or check the the No. 4 and other Metro Transit bus schedules.

Please note that roads will not be closed during the walk. Please use sidewalks, park paths, and crosswalks though out the route.  Children must be under your supervision a all times.

We will stagger the start so that everyone fits easily on the sidewalks.  The route is gently rolling.

Rest rooms are at First Universalist and at the Lake Harriet band shell on the NW side of the lake.

Be green by bringing your own refillable water bottle - we'll have filtered water available for fill-ups.

Lunch will be served before the walk, and refreshments at the after-walk celebration.

If you would like to form a team, indicate your team name on your registration.  Team captains - please let us know when you sign up.

Volunteers needed!
We have several volunteer positions still open:
  • Staff a water/info station along the route.
  • Have a bike and cell phone? Be a 'gopher'!
  • Indoor volunteer options include registration/lunch/clean up.
Contact Carol at 612-825-3322 or [email protected] to sign up as a volunteer.
Save the Date!
Sunday, October 18
1:30 pm

MUUSJA Fall Meeting:
Marriage Equality

Details in the next Connection e-news  next week!

Can't attend the Walk?

Donate via Paypal
 
Thank you!
We want you to stay in touch: