Maya Allison, curator of recently-shuttered gallery 5 Traverse, is teaming up with photographers Frank Mullin and Magaly Ponce for a silent auction and exhibition to benefit victims of the earthquakes and tsunami that have recently affected Chile, where rural areas were deeply devastated and where winter is coming.

The pieces being auctioned come from a who’s who of local artists:

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Tonight there’s a pay-what-you-can fundraiser for Sojourner House from 8pm  to midnight at the Everyman (you know, under the giant neon sign for American Locomotive Works).  Since its founding in 1976, the Smith Hill non-profit has served over 50,000 abused and threatened women.  Though some progress has been made on the domestic violence front in the last thirty-three years (i.e. people acknowledge that it exists now), it’s still a serious problem for a lot of women.  Last year, Sojourner House helped over three thousand women with support groups, legal advocacy, emergency shelter, and other services.

Music will be provided by, oddly, Lying Bitch and the Restraining Orders.

Sunday, Everyman Bistro, 311 Iron Horse Way

Tonight is The Rescue, the annual fundraiser for the Providence Animal Rescue League.  It’s happening at the Roger Williams Park Casino.  Tickets are $90 (though the price goes down if you buy in a group) so it’s way out of my league, but the flyer is basically the cutest picture ever so I thought I’d mention it anyway. Because [cue talking-to-animals voice] look at the puppy awwww he’s so cute yes aren’t you a cute doggie yes you are!!!

There’s also an auction.  The guest of honor is Ann Hood, the acclaimed local author and RISD professor whose potty-mouthed aunt I used to work with at the Warwick Mall.

(By the way, PARL would be happy to take smaller donations.  Visit their website for more.)

Hertzberg (seated on left) with Carter and Chris Matthews in 1980.

FairVote has spent the last 15 years pushing for a true democratization of our political structures — a real multi-party, multi-ideology representative democracy, expansion of the franchise, and more. The RI chapter started up last year, and we’re trying to build a broader local base for it.

Our keynote speaker is Hendrik Herztberg, senior editor at The New Yorker and former speechwriter for Jimmy Carter, is coming to Providence (and he’s in the blogosphere). Here he is getting beat-on by Bill Oreilly last week.

Details on time and location: Monday, December 15th, the Hi-Hat in Providence, from 6pm to 8:30pm. Suggested donation for guests is $50.

Hertzberg will be joining FairVote’s national executive director, Rob Richie, to talk about this year’s presidential election, the national popular vote movement, and election reform in general.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Hertzberg’s work (you should be — check his latest on Obama) his New Yorker bio is after the jump.
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(I’m just going to bump this back up.  RIFC Party Tonight!)

In November 1966, Truman Capote threw his famous Black & White Ball, hailed at the time as the ‘Party of the Century’.  Yeah… I guess… if watching McGeorge Bundy do the frug was your idea of a good time.  The A-list glamour couple of the night was this freakish pairing, Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow (Chairman of the Board and… a board).

Anyway, that was last century.  We have our own Chairman of the Bored, Mike Ryan, who throws the best parties, and he invites you now to the annual Rhode Island Film Collaborative holiday party/fundraiser — the Black and White Party (dress accordingly, have fun with it).  This event is a two-part affair.

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Help support the work of RIPAC, the medical marijuana advocacy coalition, by heading over to the 2008 fundraiser party.

Wednesday, 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Trinity Brewhouse, Fountain and Empire Streets, Providence

Download a Ticket

From The Hive:

Hello Friends,

We at the Hive have a very special event coming up on November 22nd. Our dear friend Ursula Noriega,whom some of you may know as Andrew Sloan’s wife, was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Due to their financial status and her newer citizenship to the US, she does not have the best health plan. In honor of this amazing woman, we are holding a fundraiser on November 22nd from 5-9pm. The fundraiser will consist of a silent auction along with a raffle.

We have already receive many wonderful items for the event including gift certificates to local restaurants, salons, stores along with original art and ceramics. We would love to see you on the 22nd, come help up celebrate and honor Ursula.

Our heartful thanks,
The Hive

I don’t have time to post all of it right now, but:

Tuesday night there’s a fundraiser State Rep Art Handy, Chair of the Progressive Caucus, 6-8pm, at Local 121.

There’s also a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island, over at the Hi Hat in thr Jewelry District.

More info later on the WRNI open house, the Woolly Fair, the Environmental Council’s fundraiser, the Jobs With Justice annual celebration, downtown Halloween festival, and much more…

And, gentle readers, that day is today!

It’s the opening party for the first biennial AS220 Print Lottery. 200 prints from a whole bunch of artists. You can buy a lottery ticket for $75, and the prints will be dispersed at the end of the month. Proceeds go towards keeping the print shop running.

Of course, 200 printmakers celebrating with cake and beer will probably make for something of a claustrophobia-inducing situation at AS220. But if it gets to be too much you can head down the street to the Project Space, where there’s a retrospective of Pete Cardoso’s posters happening. I’ve always liked his prints–there’s one in my kitchen!–and so that’ll surely be worth checking out as well.

By Adam Siegel

Shhh….don’t tell Gov. Carcieri but: La copa de futbol de Ingles en Accion es este sabado, 10 de mayo.

The all-day festival starts at 9am, and features 10 soccer teams playing for the cup, food and art from more than 10 different countries, the What Cheer? Brigade and other musical acts, kids’ activities, and even a mini-health fair!

As they say, come for the soccer– stay for the mini-health fair.

The EFA Cup will be at Donigian Park on Valley Street in Olneyville. All are welcome to play or watch…if you can pull yourself away from the mini-health fair!

The Fox Point Community Garden will be holding its first fundraiser on Monday from 7-10 PM at the Portuguese Sporting Club at 92 Gano St. The garden just finished up its second season, with 120 plots tended by hundreds of people. And thousands of butterflies.There’ll be music and food and auctions and such. Suggested donation of $5, but more would be deeply appreciated.

(Those who can’t make it can mail checks made out to Fox Point Community Garden to 104 Sheldon St, Providence, RI 02906)

It’s gonna be sweet:

Music by Old Time String Band & Sentimental Favorites
Contra dancing called by Sargon de Jesus

Boggle tournament and butter making contest with fabulous prizes

Artisan food by Neath Pal of Neath’s, Darius Salko of Al Forno, Stephanie & Richard Miscovich, Jeff Marterer, Louella Hill, and Angkor Cambodian Restaurant.

A local goods raffle, including Cable Car Cinema Passes, Earth Care Farm Compost, Art by Willa Mamet, Angel Dean, Susan Fleming, & The Farrells, Farmer’s Market Fresh Bucks, RIRRC Worm Composting Bin, Half Bushel of Indian River Florida Citrus, Sufi Ripe Calendar, Law Consultation by Edie Warren, Winter Bike Tune Up by The Hub, Season Pass to the Downtown Skating Rink, Botanical Garden Passes, Roger Williams Zoo Tickets, A New Harvest Coffee Gift Package, Dinner for two at New Rivers, and a Gift Certificate to Bacaro Restaurant.

The Fox Point Community Garden will be holding its first fundraiser on December 3rd from 7-10 PM at the Portuguese Sporting Club at 92 Gano St. The garden just finished up its second season, with 120 plots tended by hundreds of people. And thousands of butterflies.

There’ll be music and food and auctions and such. Suggested donation of $5, but more would be deeply appreciated.

(Those who can’t make it can mail checks made out to Fox Point Community Garden to 104 Sheldon St, Providence, RI 02906)