<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<a href="http://www.better-day.info/">http://www.better-day.info/<br>
</a><br>
<p><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Palatine Conference Fosters Grassroots Efforts Toward Peace,
Justice, Sustainability.</strong></p>
<p><span class="style3"><strong>Palatine, IL - September 3, 2008</strong>
- When it comes to the large problems facing humanity, how can one
person make a difference? A Better Day 2008 offers answers by bringing
together distinguished speakers, activists, and community organizers
for a day. The public is invited to learn and discuss the issues, make
connections, and get involved in any of dozens of social benefit
groups. </span></p>
<p class="style3"> A Better Day 2008 takes
place Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Countryside
Church Unitarian Universalist, 1025 N. Smith Street, Palatine, Illinois.</p>
<p class="style3">This open, non-partisan event offers three tracks of
activity:
speakers, an exhibit of local organizations, and breakout sessions in
the church classrooms. Jim Kenney of Common Ground will give the
morning keynote, “Peace is Possible”. Other speakers will address
social and economic justice, sustainable living, support for our
veterans, and ways of dealing with our differences. Exhibitors in the
conference hall will include environmentalists, advocates for economic
reform and social justice, and local peace groups.</p>
<p class="style3">Programs
will emphasize personal involvement. Program Committee member Kat Doyle
says, "We want to tell everyone, you can do something! Working with
other people for a good cause is a great way to make friends, discover
skills you never knew you had, and just have fun."</p>
<p class="style3">A
Better Day 2008 is sponsored by the Adult Faith Development Council of
Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist, Palatine, Illinois.</p>
<p class="style3">Contact: <br>
Hal Snyder, M.D.<br>
A Better Day 2008 Program Committee<br>
224-678-6188<br>
<a href="mailto:hal@better-day.info"> hal@better-day.info</a><br>
<a href="http://www.better-day.info"> http://www.better-day.info</a></p>
<br>
<h2>What Is A Better Day? </h2>
<ul>
<li> A one-day grassroots gathering about peace, justice, and the
environment.</li>
<li>A chance to network with people who are concerned about the way
things are going and are determined to make a difference. </li>
<li> A day of learning about the issues from organizers who are at
the forefront on matters of global and interfaith fellowship, social
justice, and sustainability.</li>
<li>But most of all - a day to kick-start your participation in any
of twenty or more local action groups - or if you are already involved,
a chance to make new connections and reach out to the community. </li>
</ul>
<p> A Better Day was inspired by Fighting Bob Fest, the annual
Wisconsin extravaganza that brings thousands of fired-up progressive
speakers, organizers, and rabble-rousers to Baraboo every September.<br>
</p>
<div class="daypart">
<h2>Morning Session</h2>
<h3><em> 9:00-9:30</em> Doors Open, Registration</h3>
<h3><em> 9:30-10:00</em> Opening</h3>
<ul>
<li> Rev. Hilary Landau-Krivchenia: Welcome </li>
<li> Hal Snyder: Getting the Most Out of the Day</li>
</ul>
<h3><em>10:00-10:45</em> Keynote by Jim Kenney: Peace is Possible <a
set="yes" linkindex="8" href="http://www.cg.org">Common Ground</a></h3>
<h3><em>11:00-12:00</em> Health and Education, Social Justice</h3>
<ul>
<li> 11:00-11:20 Melanie Schikore Andina: Social Justice Through the
Arts </li>
<li> 11:30-11:50 Victoria Weiley: Living Within Your Means; Means
Simply......Living </li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>Lunch Break - 12:00-1:30</h2>
<div class="daypart">
<h2>Afternoon Session</h2>
<h3><em> 1:30-2:30</em> Sustainability</h3>
<ul>
<li> 1:30- 1:50 Bruce Bendix: Defining a Sustainable Future <a
linkindex="9" href="http://www.eco2consulting.com">Eco Squared
Consulting</a> </li>
<li> 2:00- 2:20 Jay Womack & Paul Sorci : Green Roof <a
linkindex="10" href="http://www.WightCo.com">Wight & Company</a> </li>
</ul>
<h3><em> 2:30-3:30</em> Supporting Our Veterans</h3>
<ul>
<li> 2:30- 2:50 Dirk Enger: Our Veterans; Our Community <a set="yes"
linkindex="11" href="http://http://www.helpaveteran.org">Midwest
Shelter for Homeless Veterans</a> </li>
<li> 3:00- 3:20 Christopher France: Understanding PTSD <a set="yes"
linkindex="12" href="http://http://www.ivaw.org">Iraq Veterans Against
the War</a> </li>
</ul>
<h3><em> 3:30-4:15</em> Panel: Dealing With Our Differences</h3>
<ul>
<li>Vid Axel - Non-Violent Communication <a linkindex="13"
href="http://www.vidaxel.net">Living Action</a> </li>
<li>Jay Becker O'Neil <a set="yes" linkindex="14"
href="http://www.WorldCantWait.org">World Can't Wait</a> </li>
<li>Catherine Caporusso <a set="yes" linkindex="15"
href="http://www.CodePink4Peace.org/article.php?list=type&type54">Chicago
Area CodePINK</a>, <a set="yes" linkindex="16"
href="http://www.NWSubNOW.org">Northwest suburban NOW</a> </li>
</ul>
<h3><em> 4:15</em> Closing by Rev. Hilary Landau-Krivchenia: Taking A
Better Day Forward</h3>
</div>
<br>
<br>
<h3>Groups Working to Make a Difference</h3>
<p>We hope you'll use A
Better Day as a chance to network. Joining a social benefit
organization is a great way to make new friends and discover your
hidden talents. We are opening Atherton Hall to tables for more than 20
organizations.</p>
<p><!-- <p>Here are some of the groups that will be in Atherton Hall.</p>
-->
We expect members or official representatives from the <br>
following: </p>
<ul>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="8"
href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=206572716"
target="_blank">Students for Animal Defense</a> (College of DuPage)</li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="9" href="http://www.greaterchicago.org/"
target="_blank">Greater Chicago Caucus</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="10"
href="http://www.citizenaction-il.org/" target="_blank">Citizen
Action/Illinois</a></li>
<li>Social Action Committee, <a linkindex="11"
href="http://ccuu.org/" target="_blank">CCUU</a></li>
<li><!--<a href="http://uuministryforearth.org/grs_overview.htm" target="_blank">Green Sanctuary</a>-->Green
Sanctuary Committee, <a linkindex="12" href="http://ccuu.org/"
target="_blank">CCUU</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="13" href="http://nwsubnow.org/"
target="_blank">National Organization for Women – Northwest Suburban
Chapter</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="14" href="http://www.nwsubpep.org/"
target="_blank">Northwest Suburban Peace & Education Project</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="15"
href="http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?list=type&type=54"
target="_blank">Chicago Area Code Pink</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="16" href="http://wfwin.org/"
target="_blank">Working Families Win</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="17"
href="http://home.homewebs.com/hmnnwchicagoil/" target="_blank">Holistic
Moms Network</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="18"
href="http://illinois.sierraclub.org/NWCook/" target="_blank">Sierra
Club – Northwest Suburbs Region</a></li>
<li><a linkindex="19" href="http://www.aclu-il.org/" target="_blank">ACLU</a></li>
<li><a linkindex="20" href="http://www.aplusillinois.org/"
target="_blank">A+ Illinois</a></li>
<li><a linkindex="21" href="http://icirr.org/" target="_blank">Illinois
Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights</a></li>
<li><a linkindex="22" href="http://icjpe.org/" target="_blank">Illinois
Coalition for Justice, Peace, & the Environment</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="23" href="http://www.worldcantwait.org/"
target="_blank">World Can't Wait</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="24" href="http://www.lwvil.org/"
target="_blank">League of Women Voters</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="25" href="http://ivaw.org/"
target="_blank">Iraq Veterans Against the War</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="26" href="http://www.lcvillinois.org/"
target="_blank">Illinois League of Conservation Voters</a></li>
<li><a linkindex="27" href="http://cg.org/" target="_blank">Common
Ground</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="28" href="http://www.ilmaternal.org/"
target="_blank">Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition</a></li>
<li><a linkindex="29" href="http://www.greatlakes.org/"
target="_blank">Alliance for the Great Lakes</a></li>
<li><a set="yes" linkindex="30" href="http://www.helpaveteran.org/"
target="_blank">Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans</a></li>
</ul>
<br>
<h3>Getting the Word Out</h3>
<h3><img src="cid:part1.04010508.07060505@mailbag.com"
alt="Peace Justice and Sustainability" align="middle" height="64"
width="131"> </h3>
<p><a set="yes" linkindex="8"
href="http://www.better-day.info/Flyers/TreatYourself.pdf"
target="_blank"> Invitation</a> (updated 9/02)</p>
<p><a set="yes" linkindex="8"
href="http://www.better-day.info/Flyers/PJSflyer.pdf" target="_blank">
Mindmap</a> (updated 8/29)</p>
<p><a set="yes" linkindex="8"
href="http://www.better-day.info/Flyers/RegForm.pdf" target="_blank">Registration
form</a> (save $2 by registering in advance at CCUU)</p>
<p><a set="yes" linkindex="8"
href="http://www.better-day.info/Flyers/WhatIsABD.pdf" target="_blank"><img
src="cid:part2.03010501.09090101@mailbag.com" align="absmiddle"
height="35" width="20"> What is A Better Day?</a> (updated 8/29)</p>
<p><em>Help Us Publicize the Event!<br>
</em></p>
<p><em>About US:<br>
</em></p>
<p>The team behind A Better Day arose from the joining of two groups.</p>
<p>For two years, 2006 and <a linkindex="9"
href="http://www.citizenstruth.info/pfi/" target="_blank">2007</a>,
some of us helped organize the Illinois Progressive Fest in Big Rock,
Illinois to bring together progressive candidates and activists working
to put people before profits and restore the social contract in our
government. In 2008 we formed the Progressive Fest Illinois (PFI)
committee to work on non-partisan annual events going forward.</p>
<p>The Adult Faith Development Council of <a linkindex="10"
href="http://ccuu.org/" target="_blank">CCUU</a>
(Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist) in Palatine includes
persons dedicated to uplifting the human spirit and working with
organizations in the community to promote peace, justice, and
sustainability.<br>
</p>
<p>email: <a href="mailto:info@better-day.info">info@better-day.info</a>
· media contact: Hal Snyder 224-678-6188</p>
<p>Both groups were interested in bringing
together speakers, activists, and the public for a day of learning and
networking. We decided to pool our efforts to bring you A Better Day.</p>
<br>
<br>
</body>
</html>