[Rfu-barnraising] Independent Media Center Grand Opening, Radio Free Urbana's First Broadcast & Wireless at Urbana Free Library - Nov 11-13

[Danielle Chynoweth]

<-- please forward -->

Dear Friends,

This weekend - Friday November 11 to Sunday November 13th - will be an 
historic moment for our community.  We want you to be part of it.

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The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center will open its community
space in the downtown Urbana Post Office building!
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Last May, the IMC purchased the Post Office building - thanks to the 
generous help of our capital campaign contributors!  

This historic building boasts a huge 5000 square foot space behind the 
post office lobby.  The postal services will remain.  The rest of the 
first floor, which has gone unused for many years, has been converted into 
a performance space, media production facilities, a library & reading 
room, and meeting space.  We are starting discussions on adding a cafe, 
bookstore, food store, or restaurant - come envision with us!

This summer/fall we undertook a major construction project - replacing
much of the roof, separating and securing the post office space, adding a
wheelchair accessible bathroom, and building a broadcasting studio for
Radio Free Urbana.

* Come take tour of the building this Friday at 1 PM. *

* On Saturday, come celebrate the new space with a 5-band show (rock
genre):  7pm until midnight.  All ages, smoke-free, alcohol free. $5
donation. *


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The IMC will co-host a Radio and Wireless Barnraising with the Prometheus 
Radio Project!
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Hundreds of visitors are converging for a weekend of hands-on workshops on 
low power radio, community wireless, and organization building.  
Participants will construct WRFU in one weekend!

* Sessions run from 10 am Friday to 7 pm Sunday.  Opening remarks are
Friday at 7pm.  Bob McChesney is offering a booksigning as an IMC
fundraiser Saturday at 6 pm. *

See the whole schedule and registration at:  
http://www.prometheusradio.org/urbana/.  The weekend is $45-125 sliding
scale - no one will be turned away for lack of funds.


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Radio Free Urbana (WRFU 104.5 FM) will broadcast its first show!
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Community members first applied for a low-power FM license 6 years ago.  
At first it seemed we would be granted a license, and then in 2000, the
political tides changed.  Thanks to national advocacy groups like
Prometheus Radio, media activists fought for and won the licensing of low
power stations throughout the country.  WRFU has raised over $10,000 to
date and is fundraising the last 3,000 needed.

WRFU will be a community radio station broadcasting to most of Urbana & 
Champaign.  Anyone can apply for a show.  Read more: www.wrfu.net.

* Come celebrate WRFU's first broadcast Sunday from 4 - 7 pm or tune into 
104.5 FM around 5 pm. *


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The Urbana Free Library will be installed with wireless internet access - 
both indoor and out!
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As part of the barnraising, the City of Urbana and volunteers from
CUWireless Network (CUWiN) are demonstrating the installation a wireless
node on the library roof top.  This node will be linked to access points
on the second floor and front porch of the library. This means library
visitors will be able to get online with their laptops!

* Come to the node installation Friday at 3 pm at the library. *


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The IMC is also home to: 
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-->  Cherry Alley Artists - hosts workshops and figure drawing sessions & 
     houses a dozen art studios. Come to Cherry Alley Art Party this 
     Friday at 9 pm!
-->  OJC Technologies - a software & website development company: 
     www.ojctech.com
-->  CU Wireless Network - developing free, community wireless mesh 
     network software used internationally: www.cuwireless.net
-->  Books to Prisoners - responding to prisoner requests for books: 
     books2prisoners.org
-->  Public i - a monthly free newspaper of the IMC: publici.ucimc.org
-->  OutZone - a youth group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and 
     questioning youth.
-->  Life Strategies Institute - empowering youth in the criminal justice 
     system 
-->  A doula practice... and others.


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Support from the community is what makes all this possible.  
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Consider joining our force of Sustaining Funders by pledging a monthly
donation of $10 - 100. Join our Foundation Builders at $500 - 1000.  Or
give what you can.  Every bit helps!  Annual Membership is $25-50.  
Donations to the UC-IMC are tax deductible.

Please make checks payable to UC-IMC and mail to 202 S. Broadway #100, 
Urbana, IL 61801 or donate online at www.ucimc.org/paypal.  Questions?  
Email: fundraising at ucimc.org.

Thank you!
The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center Foundation
info at ucimc.org