LEAF Night Spring Fest 2011

LEAF Night begins June 1st with

SPRING FEST 2011!

Come kick off the growing season with Lakewood Earth And Food Community's First Annual Spring Fest on Wednesday, June 1 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm in front of Lakewood Public Library. All are welcome to join in the celebration as LEAF begins our fifth year of providing broad access to fresh, local foods, knowledge and culture to the Lakewood community. Spring Fest will go above and beyond the typical LEAF Night activities, to incorporate more local vendors, a plant swap, hands on activities for the kids, and a sampling of local restaurants.

Details of the evening's activities are listed below:

• Local Vendors - Stroll along Mars Ave and check out nearly a dozen local vendors. From produce to soap to local eggs and honey, there's something for everyone.

• Plant and Seed Swap - Bring your divided perennials, extra seedlings, etc to the LEAF Plant Swap and add some variety to your garden at the same time! Bring a plant, take a plant- plus learn from your fellow gardeners at the same time!

• Food - Get a taste of 56 West, watch as Gatherings Kitchen prepares seasonal fare, and cool off with lemonade from Root Cafe.

• City Fresh Sign Up - It isn't too late to sign up for Lakewood's favorite CSA program. Come on June 1st, sign up and pay for the first City Fresh pick-up on June 8th!

• Kids Activities - Hang out with LEAF to plant seeds, do a craft, or learn more about local food through reading in the Library's Children's section.

• Music - Listen to the musical talents of featured local artists.

• EBT - This year LEAF has applied for and received a grant that will allow us to take EBT payments, not only for City Fresh, but for all of our other (food) vendors and farmers as well. This means that our friends, family and neighbors who receive SNAP benefits can buy healthy local food at LEAF Night! Look for the EBT sign for more information.

LeafCommunity

'Gasland' screening and discussion

'Gasland' screening and discussion

Thursday, May 26th

Lakewood Main Library

15425 Detroit Ave. Lakewood, Ohio 44107

6pm

What is Fracking? How will it affect the health of yourself, your family, and your community? Why does it matter to Ohioans right now?

We will discuss these and other important questions at a special FREE screening of the award winning documentary Gasland (http://youtu.be/dZe1AeH0Qz8), followed by a discussion on Fracking in Ohio featuring Cleveland area State Legislators and Environmental experts.

Hosted by:

State Representative Nickie Antonio, State Senator Mike Skindell, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

High volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as "Fracking", is here in Ohio after drilling its way through the other states. Right now, the House and Senate are considering multiple proposals, including parts of the Budget, to open up State Parks and public lands to oil and gas drilling, including Fracking. The House is even working right now to delete current state level prohibitions against drilling for oil and gas under Lake Eire, one of our most precious resources.

From upstate New York to Arkansas, Fracking has polluted ground water, ruined crops, lowered property values, increased traffic, devastated small communities, and even caused earthquakes. Yet, this technique is exempted from the Superfund Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Clean Air Act (CAA) and many other environmental regulations. Other states are enacting moratoriums to study the detrimental effects of Fracking and ensure that State regulations are up to the task, but Ohio government is moving full speed ahead without taking the time to get the data.

Please come learn the facts about Fracking, the consequences for our communities, and find out how you can get involved in the fight.

More information about Gasland (http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/): "The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown."