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Spring is finally here, and it couldn't have come soon enough for the Peace Coffee crew! We're anxious to get outside to bike, hike, and just generally enjoy the warmer temps. And with the Spring comes the start of the events season. In this issue of Peace Spokes, we're looking forward to the Beyond Borders Film Festival (March 25 - 29). We're celebrating World Fair Trade Day (May 9th) by trying to break the record (again) for the largest coffee break. And we're hearing how Fair Trade connects communities as we host (along with Partners for Just Trade and Green America) a talk by two craftswomen from Peru. We're also offering a volunteer opportunity to host a professional cyclist this June during the Minnesota Bicycle Festival and Nature Valley Grand Prix. All that plus a new Roaster's Corner and a most amazing Crafty Corner make for a pretty full and interesting issue -- grab a cup of your favorite Peace Coffee, relax and read on...
 Peace Coffee is a proud supporter of the The Beyond Borders Film Festival, which runs from March 25 through March 29, 2009 at the New Parkway Theater (4814 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, 55417). The festival showcases films that uplift the mind and spirit, and promote inter-cultural understanding and harmony.
The first two nights of this year's festival showcases films by and about Native Americans and indigenous people. World champion northern style drum group Midnite Express opens the Wednesday night program at 6:30 PM. Friday evening features films that examine the intersection between ancient Tibetan Wisdom and the modern world, while Saturday's and Sunday's films are brand-new U.S. indies and world cinema releases.
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 On and around May 9th, people in 80 countries worldwide will hold events to celebrate World Fair Trade Day. If you remember from last year the U.S. set a goal to break the Guinness Book of World Record for the Largest Coffee Break, and we did it!
But then, out of nowhere, Finland broke our record with more than triple the number of people participating in the break. In order to regain the record we need your help!
If you’d like to host a coffee break at your house, community center, office, place of worship, etc., we will mail you a pound or two of ground coffee & a sleeve of 50 compostable cups, along with some educational materials, stickers and magnets that promote Fair Trade.
All you need to do it read over the Action Guide, decide your plan of action & email events@peacecoffee.com for your free pound of coffee and more! Be sure to include: your name, your address, what you are going to do to help us break the record and why you support Fair Trade.
Deadline for emailing us your coffee request is Friday May 1st, 2009.
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Connecting Communities through Fair Trade
  Also in celebration of World Fair Trade Day, Peace Coffee, in partnership with Partners for Just Trade and Green America, has invited Evangelina Pizarro and Ayde Riveros to share with us their first hand accounts of how the purchase of Fair Trade products directly improves the lives of farmers and artisans in the global south.
For the first time these artisans will travel from Peru to share their stories of how Fair Trade has radically changed their lives. The stories of Evangelina Pizarro and Ayde Riveros (biographies) represent those of so many women around the world. Both were forced to relocate -- in search of a better life earning more money or escaping violence -- and despite their move, still found life difficult. Through Fair Trade they found a way forward -- exporting jewelry and hand knit products, their quality of life has increased dramatically.
Please join us at an upcoming MN Global presentation to hear their stories on Monday, May 4th, 2009, 5:30–7:00 PM at IATP (2104 Stevens Avenue S, Minneapolis). RSVP to Anne Walters or 612-870-3408. Free. Refreshments will be served. This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and Resource Center of the Americas.
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Volunteer Opportunity: Host a Professional Cyclist!
 The Minnesota Bicycle Festival and Nature Valley Grand Prix will be coming to Minnesota, June 10-14. This is one of the country’s top rated pro stage cycling races and will draw 300 competitors to Saint Paul, Cannon Falls, Minneapolis, Mankato and Stillwater for five days this summer.
Race organizers are seeking host families/individuals in the metro area to keep costs down for the racers. Like most volunteer opportunities, the rewards far outweigh any inconveniences for the host families/individuals.
“We have met so many wonderful young people and have enjoyed them so much,” said Jacqueline Teisberg, 2008 volunteer host. “We’ve hosted cyclists, mechanics and even the team soigneur (masseuse/chef) and they have all been so interesting and polite. No trouble at all."
 Hosts are asked to house two or more team members from Tuesday, June 9, through Sunday morning, June 14. You need only provide a place to sleep, a shower, laundry facilities and space in the refrigerator for cyclists’ snacks. Cyclists are responsible for their own food and transportation.
If you are interested in hosting cyclists during the Nature Valley Grand Prix, please visit the website at www.minnbikefestival.com/Volunteer/HostHousing/. If you sign up to host a rider, Peace Coffee will provide a complimentary pound of coffee for you and your house guests.
The Minneapolis Classic stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix will take place on the evening of Friday, June 12, and will move from downtown to Uptown this year. All events are FREE and open to the public.
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A little story about my first climbing competition:
 Valentine's Day started early in the morning for me this year. I had a big breakfast with Quality Control Manager Derek, just before he was about to fly off to California and I was going to borrow his car for the week he was gone. Joe, Accounting and HR guru, was already at Vertical Endeavors by this point brewing up the coffee we had donated to the climbers competing in the Passion for Flashin' competition. I was one of the climbers competing. A little over a year ago, Joe took me out to Vertical Endeavors so that I could try out climbing for the first time to see if I liked it. Now here I was a year later in my first competition.
A brief explanation of how a climbing competition works. Based on the category that you sign up for, you are given a list of climbs that are within your ability. You have four hours to complete as many of those climbs as possible. You are awarded more points the harder the climbs are. The top scoring people win.
Going into the whole thing my main goal was just to experience what a competition was like and to push myself to do the best I could. I felt great about how I climbed and had a good final placement in my category. But the best part was just seeing it all happen, and getting the support of Joe, who is priceless as a mentor to me.
I also got to get a little work in while staffing the Peace Coffee table telling people about Colombian Heavy Pedal, and while we were waiting for the results had a long conversation about home-brewing methods. Joe even won a free pound of Peace Coffee in the raffle (I'm pretty sure he gave it back).
I highly recommend getting out climbing; it has been a life changing sport for me, and Vertical Endeavors makes it easy to get into and welcoming to anyone. And now that the sun is coming out, it is time for me to try my hand at climbing outdoors.
Cheers,
Keith
Photo Credit: Jonathon Williams
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This month, order Peace Coffee's Second Commemorative Poster or anything from our website and get 15% off your entire order (before shipping charges are added). Just enter SPRING in the Promo Box at checkout.
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Get ready for spring with this amazing Burlap Barbeque attire, created by Suzanne Murphy from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Yep, you can wear the apron when you are cooking your espresso BBQ ribs on the grill. And when you are ready to take them off the grill use your oven mitts, and set the hot rib plate on the table on top of your matching hot pads. And on the real hot days you can keep your beer cold with an ice pack wrap made from one of our 12 oz. bags.
This entire set was made out of one burlap bag, spare fabric scraps & thread from Top Shelf Custom Clothiers (where Sue works), and the insulation for the mitts and pot holders was purchased at a dollar store. The beer cozy has a Velcro piece sewn on to the side of it, so you can also wear it on your wrist on a hot day to keep yourself cool!
We are hoping Sue will consider making more of the BBQ attire, so we can buy some from her. In the meantime, it sounds like she is scheming up some more crafty ideas. Be on the look out for her newest creation next month!
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"Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again."
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach
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Peace Spokes is a monthly publication from the crew at Peace Coffee.
ph 612-870-3440
ph 888-324-7872
fax 612-252-1821
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