Check out the fall state convention at the Eagles hall in Olympia coming up in November 12 & 13. See more at the website for details: here or here.

Perhaps I'll see you there?

Take care,

Taryn Gearhart
GPoSPS Media

Arlington NW Memorial 2005

Information about our chapter is located at www.vfp109.org

The Arlington NW display and vigil is a memorial tribute to the service men and women who have died in Iraq and who represent the ultimate cost of war. This is a time for our community to honor and reflect upon the lives given.

We present this event to promote two purposes of our organization:

1. Seeking justice for veterans and all victims of war
2. Educating the public regarding the ultimate cost of war, and the loss of all precious life whether military or civilian

Sunday, October 16th

1:00-1:20 pm Gather at Heritage Park (at 5th and Water Streets) Orientation and Instructions

1:20-1:45 pm Silent Procession up Capitol Way to the Tivoli Fountain on Capitol Campus

1:45-2:00 pm Welcome and Opening Remarks Marker placement instruction

2:00-4:00 pm Marker placement, personal contemplation time Invocation, Taps Vigil begins

Monday, October 17th

12:00 Tribute to our Soldiers, Guest Speakers

5:00 pm Closing Remarks, Taps and Breakdown

* This event could not have been possible without the assistance and support of the Western Washington Veterans for Peace and the Evergreen Peace and Justice organization.

Women's 5k 10:00 AM Men's 8k 10:45 AM

Come support the Geoducks as they run head to head through the mud with - Northwest U, Simon Fraser U, St. Martin's U, Warner Pacific U and Western Oregon U.

The women's team will be led by Frosh Cayenne MacKillop, currently 11th in the Cascade Conference. Their race will feature 2004 NAIA National Champions Simon Fraser U.

2004 NAIA National meet qualifier, and Academic All-American, Josh Klimek leads the men against some very solid NW teams.

Go Geoducks!

I discovered a blog last week that contains contributors from the submarine Olympia. I emailed Rob, one of the bloggers, and asked him if he knew about the nuclear free zone, and if he would be willing to talk to the people of Olyblog about being on the submarine that carries the name of our town. Here is is reply:

Interestingly enough on the submarine blog I co-contribute to, one of the topics today was Los Angeles-class sub relations with namesake cities. I wasn't really familiar with the NFZ issue until a few weeks ago when I reported to Olympia and my buddies at the sub blog let me know about it (most of them are very conservative and had...opinions...on the issue).

I like the blog you've got going. I can say I am not a fan of nuclear weapons, but nuclear power is a much different animal. I'm part of the engineering department, a reactor operator by rate, and I can tell you there is a night-and-day difference between nuclear weapons and nuclear power. While I'm pretty liberal myself, I think nuclear energy (for purposes like electrical power generation) is a great way to go, if managed and given the proper oversight. I can't speak to civilian nuclear power, but I can tell you the Navy has an unparalled record of safety and success with it's plants, both shipboard and land based.

I'd be happy to correspond and open a dialog with the people of Olympia; I'd pass on the opportunity to the guys on the boat, too. I do have to say that anything I comment on/say/write is strictly my own opinions and views...I'm not representing the command or the Navy in any way. I can say the command and crew of the Olympia is one of the best I've served with, at least in the short time I've been with the ship.

The Olympian gives brief bios on the candidates for the Executive Director of the Port of Olympia.

In celebration of Columbus Day, runners will take on the rolling hills south of Olympia in courses of 1, 10 and 13.1 miles as well as 5 and 10 kilometers. A duathlon with two 2-mile runs sandwiching an 11-mile bike ride is also an option.

There will be post-race food and prizes for winners.

From Interstate 5, take Exit 99 and turn left on Highway 121. Turn right on Tilley Road, and continue to the park.

COST: Range from $12 to $40 depending on the event

Online registration, at active.com, ends Friday at midnight.

INFORMATION: Call 360-273-9684.

From the Seattle Times:

Bring those binoculars: Audubon Washington has just released "The Southwest Loop" of the Great Washington State Birding Trail — its third map in a series. The map features self-guided driving routes along Highways 6, 12, 14 and 101, from Olympia to Grays Harbor, down to the Long Beach Peninsula, along the Columbia River Gorge, and throughout Lewis County, guiding novice and expert birdwatchers to premier birding sites in the region. The map and others in the series are available at state visitor centers throughout Southwest Washington or by calling the Lewis County Convention and Visitor Bureau at 800-525-3323.

[via omjp]

Open House General Meeting

Join us to learn about our delegation leaving this autumn.

A dream more powerful than one person, To reach across 10,000 miles and touch another life.

In a very short time our friends and community members will be departing for the Gaza Strip. Our delgation will share why they are going and what they plan on accomplishing in country.

Please come and learn more about what we do, where we are headed, and help us send off our Olympia delegation to Rafah.