Welcome to Spring Semester!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday break and that your spring semester has gotten off to a terrific start. We're ready to jump right in to another semester of activities and events, and we look forward to having you all involved as well! At the moment, much of L.I.P. Service's focus is on the upcoming production of the Vagina Monologues that is being put on by the Women's Studies program. L.I.P. Service is a co-sponsor of the production, which means that members can be involved in a number of ways:

1. Buy a t-shirt! The cost per shirt is $12. If you would like to order a shirt, please e-mail the group account ASAP (no later than Friday afternoon, at lipservice.ua@gmail.com) to give your size info, and you can bring the payment (cash or a check made out to Women's Studies) to the Women's Studies office at Schrank Hall North 58. There is a *really* short timeframe on this, so the sooner the better!

2. Volunteer to make baked goods! We had discussed at our December meeting about having a bake sale to help contribute to the Vagina Monologues, and people seemed excited about that idea. If you would like to donate some baked goods to sell at the performances, then first please e-mail us so we have a sense of how many people are volunteering and what they might be bringing. Once you've made your delicious treats, they need to be *individually wrapped (in plastic wrap or baggies)* and labeled (so people know what they're getting, if it has nuts in it, whatever). You can then bring these to the Women's Studies office on Friday, February 13, or to the performance itself at 6:30 on Friday or Saturday. When you volunteer, please let us know when you think you might be able to drop off the treats.

3. Volunteer to help out during the performances! In addition to the donation of baked goodies, we will need people to staff the table both nights to sell the treats, collect money, etc. We also need people who are willing to volunteer in general for some of the last-minute details of the performances -- doing things like chalking the sidewalk, directing people from the parking lot to the performance hall, ushering, handing out programs, and doing general troubleshooting tasks during the nights of the performances. If you are willing to commit to help in any capacity, please let us know via e-mail ASAP.

4. Donate some needed materials! This is a great way to help out if you're not baking-inclined and are unavailable during the nights of the performances. Our wish list of items includes baggies and plastic wrap (in case there are any issues with the baked goods) as well as air fresheners and/or Fabreeze (because the theatre smells a bit on the musty side). More immediately, we also need donations of chocolate that can be melted and used to make the chocolate vagina suckers that we will be selling at the shows. If you would like to donate any of these items, just bring them to the Women's Studies office. The chocolate is needed by February 8 so that there's sufficient time for the chocolate vaginas to be made.

5. Take part in the prior awareness events! In the days before the actual performances, L.I.P. Service is sponsoring two consciousness raising events to help promote the Vagina Monologues and its principles. The first of these is a screening of the documentary "Until the Violence Stops," which tells the story of how the Vagina Monologues grew into the V-Day organization. That is happening on Monday, February 9 at 4-7pm in CAS 133. The other is a teach-in on the women of the Congo, which is this year's beneficiary of VM profits. The teach-in will feature a presentation, documentary, and discussion on gender-based violence in the Congo and how the women of this region have experienced rape as a weapon of war. That event is happening on Tuesday, February 10 at 5-7pm in SU 335. We would like to see lots of L.I.P. Service members at these events -- all you need to do is show up (and bring some friends). If you're interested in helping out with these events in some way (e.g., facilitating discussion) please e-mail us and let me know. Otherwise, all you have to do is show up.


Let us know how you'd like to take part in any of the above, and we'll make it happen! Thanks for your involvement, and we're looking forward to an awesome semester!!

Highlights from the Mandatory Meeting

Below is a brief rundown of some of what we discussed during the mandatory meeting. We're especially looking for feedback, suggestions, commitments for involvement, and general comments from the people who were not able to make it to the in-person meeting.

--> Membership cards

We handed out membership cards. These are punch cards on which you will receive a punch for each time you attend a L.I.P. Service event. Prizes will be given to the member(s) who attend the most events over the course of next semester. Ideas for potential prizes included:

• massage at the Wellness Center
• bookstore gift card
• gift card to University stores
• 1 year supply of hemp soap (donated by member Jeremy K)
• E.J. Thomas tickets
• Art Museum passes
• Hattie’s café coupon
• Zoo tickets
• gift basket for exam week/relaxation

If you were not at the event to get a punch card, please pick one up at the Women's Studies office.

--> Event Ideas

We will be involved with the production of the Vagina Monologues that Women's Studies is doing, and we will be having a self-defense training class (possibly in March). Brainstorming for other event ideas included:

• Another round of the "To End Violence Against Women, Please Click Here" game show
  
• "Debunking myths about feminism" event of some kind
• Volunteering to partner with Rape Crisis Center on their annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event
  
• Educating the campus community about issues related to sexual assault through things such as: educating about consent (possibly partnering with the Rape Crisis Center to do so), having people sign a pledge to avoid nonconsensual sex, passing out condoms and info on consent, and doing some sort of live-action consciousness raising (such as beating a drum every 2 minutes on Buchtel Common to represent the frequency of domestic violence)
  
• Partnering in some way with pro-choice organizations

--> Fundraising
We need to do something to help raise money for the group, since we do not collect membership fees. Here are some potential ideas:

• Bake sale (split proceeds between us and Rape Crisis Center)
• Auction or raffle
• Selling signature "sponsorship" (like when Walgreens gets you to donate $1 for March of Dimes and then you write your name on a little paper shoe to be hung up in the store)
• Something associated with selling stuff during the Vagina Monologues (perhaps people have things they could donate?)

So -- what are you interested in? What are you willing to do to help out with any of the above?

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MANDATORY In-Person Business Meeting

We are having a mandatory, all-member group business meeting to discuss our plans for next semester. If you are unable to attend this meeting but are interested in remaining an active member of the group, please send an e-mail to the group account: lipservice.ua@gmail.com.

What: Mandatory business meeting for ALL members
When: Wednesday, December 3 @ 4-5pm
Where: Student Union 308

Because this meeting will be taking place during the week before finals, we are also hoping to make this an opportunity to enjoy some snacks and engage in de-stressing activities. Keep an eye on your e-mail for a reminder message where we'll have more specifics hammered out.

Event Announcement: World AIDS Day tabling

Please join us on World AIDS Day, December 1, for a consciousness-raising event focused on the connection between the AIDS pandemic and violence against women. We will be tabling in the Student Union concourse between 10am and 2pm, where we will be handing out information on this issue as well as pamphlets from Community AIDS Network, condoms and red ribbons by which you can demonstrate your commitment to stopping the spread of AIDS.

When: Monday, December 1, 2008 @ 10-2
Where: Student Union concourse (2nd floor)
What: Information table
Why: Highlighting the link between AIDS and violence against women

Event Announcement: Movie night to celebrate American women's suffrage

Join L.I.P. Service for a movie night as we celebrate the upcoming election and honor the brave women who fought for American women's right to vote. We will be showing the film "Iron Jawed Angels," which recounts the struggle of suffragists who fought for the passage of the 19th Amendment, as well as enjoying some pizza and pop.

Where: Women's Studies office, Schrank Hall North 58
When: Monday, November 3 @ 4-6pm

If you have questions, as always, send an e-mail to lipservice.ua@gmail.com

Reminder: Halloween Party this Friday!

Please join L.I.P. Service and Women's Studies for a Halloween party this Friday (10/24) from 4-8pm at the Women's Studies office, Schrank Hall North 58. We will be enjoying pizza and pop, playing some games, making some art, screening some scary movies, and raising money to end violence against women! Come learn more about L.I.P. Service's activities and plans for the year as well as the Women's Studies minor and certificate programs. Costumes are optional but highly encouraged!

Online Meeting: 10/10/08 to 10/17/08

*Please leave comments in order to participate in the meeting! When commenting, for purposes of clarity please reference the section on which you are commenting in your reply. This meeting will be considered open for "attendance" for 10/10 through 10/17.*

I. October event #2: Halloween costume party!

-- October 24 @ 4-8pm in the Women's Studies office, Schrank Hall North 58

A. L.I.P. Service is sharing in the Women's Studies program's Halloween party as a fun way to celebrate the holiday and recruit more members. Please plan to join us for fun and games as well as an opportunity to be more involved in the group and learn more about the Women's Studies minor. Costumes are optional but highly encouraged!

1. We need people to volunteer to help out by working the different stations and tables at the party. Here are what we'll be having – please let us know if any sound interesting to you!

- Name Game (Guess who is on your back based on someone’s clues to you)

- Mummy Game (Wrap a friend in toilet paper, send them to the finish line quicker than the other mummies)

- Collage Art (Working on a huge feminist collage)

- Adam and Eve Game (Pin the Leaf on Adam or Eve paper figures)

- Serving food (pizza and pop, passing out trick-or-treater bags for completing a series of activities)

- Informational tables (providing information on L.I.P. Service, Vagina Monologues, and possible violence against women handouts)

- Donation table (People will donate money towards our cause: violence against women and get to write their name on a paper pumpkin or leaf to be displayed in the Women's Studies windows)

2. We need the following things donated for the event. (This is also a good way to help out if you CANNOT attend the party.)

- Pop

- Bags of candy

- Trick-or-treating bags

- Toilet paper for mummy game

- Sidewalk chalk (needed before the day of Oct. 24)

- Construction paper / art supplies

3. Any other questions / concerns / thoughts about the party?

II. Plans for future group events

A. November: Movie night

-- November 3 @ 4-6pm in the Women's Studies office, Schrank Hall North 58

1. As a reminder of the significance of women's right to vote, we will be watching the film "Iron Jawed Angels" about the suffragettes. As IMDB summarizes: "Defiant young activists take the women's suffrage movement by storm, putting their lives at risk to help American women win the right to vote." Our plan is to enjoy pizza and pop, and maybe popcorn and cotton candy, as part of our movie night.

2. Would you be interested in helping out at the event in some way?

3. Another movie night opportunity to pass along: Women's Studies will be showing part one of a documentary on human trafficking on November 24 3-4:30pm in CBA 139.

4. Do you have any other ideas for a November event that you'd like to see happen?

B. December: World AIDS Day consciousness-raising

-- December 1 @ 10am-2pm in the Student Union

1. We will be having a table in the concourse of the Student Union to hand out red ribbons and share information on the worldwide AIDS pandemic and its relationship to the issue of violence against women.

2. Would you be interested in helping to staff the table?

3. Another movie night opportunity to pass along: Women's Studies will be showing part two of a documentary on human trafficking on December 1 @ 3-4:30pm in CBA 139.

C. January: Game show event

1. We will have a redux of our successful game show event "To End Violence Against Women, Please CLICK HERE." Details on date, time, and location will be announced at a later date.

2. Do you have any suggestions for added topics, improvements, etc.?

D. February: The Vagina Monologues

-- February 13 & 14 @ 7pm at Knight Auditorium in Leigh Hall

1. L.I.P. Service will be helping with the Women's Studies production of the Vagina Monologues. We need volunteers for acting, lights, sound, ushers, ticket takers, selling tickets, etc.!

2. If you're interested in taking part in some way, the Women's Studies office will be holding the first organizational meeting soon. The same meeting will be held twice, so if you can not make it to one please join us for the second. The meeting days and times are as follows:

-- October 29, 2008 (Wednesday) at 2pm in the Student Union 323

-- October 30, 2008 (Thursday) at 2pm in the Student Union 323

E. March: Self-defense class

1. Tentatively, the Green Dragon martial arts club might be willing to provide a self-defense class just for L.I.P. Service members. This is still in development. Would you be interested in this as a possible event?

F. April: Pledge to end sexual assault

1. April is sexual assault awareness month. We are considering having some sort of event where we raise peoples' awareness of what it means to offer consent and to ensure that sexual involvement is always a consensual act between willing partners. This might involve having students sign a pledge to actively seek consent/avoid sexually assaultive behaviors. Would you be interested in this as a possible event?

III. Other business

A. T-shirts: we finally have our organizational financial accounts sorted out, so we will be placing an order for shirts very soon. If you have already placed/paid for an order, you will be contacted once they come in, and will be able to pick them up during regular office hours at the Women's Studies office. If you're interested in purchasing a shirt but have not placed an order yet, now is the time! Bring cash or check (made out to The University of Akron) for $15 to the Women's Studies office and fill out an order form.

B. Scrapbooking committee: we would like for L.I.P. Service to maintain a scrapbook of photos and other content from all of our events. If you are an arts-n-craftsy sort of person and would like to be involved in putting together our group scrapbook, please consider joining the scrapbooking committee! For more information or to sign up, please contact committee chair Shireda Duncan at smd34@uakron.edu

IV. Any other questions / comments / other issues to be raised that were not addressed above?

Thanks, everyone! We look forward to hearing your feedback!