Current SC&A Announcements

Registration is now closed for the Adult Religious Education rain barrel workshop on Wednesday evening, May 14. If you were hoping to attend but hadn’t signed up yet, please email greenteam@firstuunashville.org, so that we can plan another workshop. If you did sign up, you should receive a confirmation call from Warner Parks or the Cumberland River Compact; you can pay for your rain barrel ($25) at the workshop.

Every year, more than 10,000 Americans get life-threatening diseases that can only be cured with a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. The patients do not have a family donor and transplant is their only hope for a cure. Patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphomas or other blood cancers make up approximately 72 percent of transplants facilitated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP). The remaining patients undergo transplant to treat a variety of immune system and inherited disorders.

The NMDP helps people who need a life-saving marrow or blood cell transplant by connecting patients, doctors, donors and researchers to the resources they need to help more people live longer and healthier lives. On average, the NMDP facilitates more than 300 transplants each month, with more than 3,700 marrow and cord blood transplants in 2007. Since it began operations in 1987, the National Marrow Donor Program has facilitated more than 30,000 marrow or blood cell transplants for patients who do not have matching donors in their families.

On May 18, FUUN will hold a bone marrow drive after services. During this drive, participants will join nearly 7 million other potential marrow donors registered for this critical need.

Joining the Registry is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Meet the age (18 – 60), health and weight requirements and be willing to help any patient in need.

2. Complete a registration form with contact information, health history questions, and a signed agreement to join the Registry.

3. Give a swab of your cheek cells so your tissue type can be added to the Registry.

Typically, a fee of $52 per test is required to cover the costs of tissue testing. Our drive will occur during the NMDP’s “Thank-You Month” campaign, meaning all associated costs are waived and registration is free. All you’ll need to do is bring your driver’s license and register and get your cheek swab done on the day of the drive.

For more information, contact Jen McQuiston using the listings in the church directory.

See you there!

We are having a fundraising concert for Darfur Relief at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 17, 2008, at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville.

Featuring:

Kathy Chiavola www.kathychiavola.com

Greg Trooper www.gregtrooper.com

Barry and Holly Tashian www.tashianmusic.com (Barry and Holly will be performing as a duet and with the FUUN Bluegrass Band)

The FUUN Bluegrass Band

There is a suggested donation of $10 per person.

Funds raised will go to the Darfur Relief Fund of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. The UUSC is channeling money to Darfur Peace and Development and Action by Churches Together. More information about donations may be found at this website: www.uusc.org/darfur/donationsused.html.

This winter, FUUN Room in the Inn volunteers served warm meals and offered a safe and dry place to rest to nearly 80 homeless men from throughout Nashville. We would like to offer a very heartfelt “thank-you” to all 33 volunteers who participated in our 2007 - 2008 season. Your hot meals, cool drinks, time and company were very greatly appreciated by the men we served. Thank you all!

Jen McQuiston and Jay Knowles