Safer Sex Talk - [ News and Info ]

S3 Team Member in South Africa

We would like to thank Angela, part of the Safe Sex Store Team since 2005, for her work in South Africa where she volunteered for VVOCF: Vumundzuku-bya Vana Our Children's Future. VVOCF's mission is to maintain a children's center in Zonkizizwe that will provide physical and psychological support to children and youth made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. Young adults run this center with a goal of helping children and youth to reach their full potential.

To support Angela and the mission of VVOF, S3 Safe Sex Store donated $250, to be used for clothing, supplies and teaching materials at the Center.

Pictures!
See photos of VVOCF, World AIDS Day ceremonies and candlelight vigil, Center closing day and Angela's star, Sinethemba.

Learn more and donate: http://vvocf.wordpress.com/

For more information about the student group MRULE (Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience), responsible for the majority of fundraising that allows VVOCF to exist, take a look at: www.mrule.msu.edu

Meefers Review of S3

S3 Safe sex Store was chosen as one of Meefers' Ann Arbor retail stores to review for November 2008.

...The store's wares are not limited to buzzing, gyrating, double-ended sex toys.  In fact, the products they sell fall under three essential categories: toys, lubes, and condoms.  Within each category is a wide range of price and quality.  Safe Sex sales are not reserved for those with luxury and surplus.  Right up front are featured economy boxes of condoms for those who wish to stock up for the long haul.  Vibrators and other toys await any income bracket.  A plethora of lubes stand ready to squirt, costing...Read the entire review

What's Meefers? Meefers connects gay friendly communities through e-commerce, content, social networking, job postings, music and film and aims to promote, advocate, strengthen, unite and connect the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and its allies.

Communities include Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Seattle.

Visit www.meefers.com

Angela - South Africa Update #3

December in SA - and World AIDS Day

Sanibonani!! (that was me greeting all of you at once…)
First let me say that things have been a little hectic and so I'm sorry for not sending an update for a while now. A big part of the reason, is that someone stole all 8 computers from the library here in Zonkizizwe. There are now no public computers for the people who live in Zonke. It also means I only use the internet when I go into town, and that is usually once a week for about an hour … so, please forgive me.

Otherwise, we have made some great progress here and are about ready to close the center for 2008. At VVOCF we recognized World AIDS Day with the second annual candlelight vigil.  Many of the children came and some brought friends. After a big, healthy meal (filled with LOTS of colorful veggies and chicken), we all started off through the community singing and walking together with our candles. We stopped about halfway to form a circle, and some of the children shared their poems with us. They were beautiful, moving, empowering, and very sad all at once.

Remember that many of the children who come to this center are orphans because of HIV/AIDS. Everyone here in Zonkizizwe knows someone who is living with or has died because of HIV. The candlelight vigil was more

Thank You for Coming...

Perfect Porn - A Feminist Alternative to the "Money Shot"
Sex Positive Pornography in Our Changing World

ANN ARBOR - As part of their Women's Studies 240 class at the University of Michigan, a group of students presented a study on the feminist pornography industry in order to educate those in attendance. The mission was to provide a comfortable forum for frank discussion about sexuality to take place.

S3 was excited to provide the venue, where open communication about sexual health topics is encouraged and supported. Cookies and hot chocolate was served, and both the presenters and audience members raised some tough questions about society and our view of sex.

Thanks to WOLV-TV for coming to film the event for the program, "Turned On". Check out the show every Monday, live at 11:30pm where they give you the low-down on the Ann Arbor dating scene and tips for those college first dates.
WOLV airs on Channel 70 in all University of Michigan residence halls. Also, WOLV programming airs nightly on Comcast Ann Arbor Channel 22 from 10pm to 11pm during the fall and winter semesters.

World AIDS Day - Dec. 1st

On behalf of HARC (the HIV / AIDS Resource Center), S3 Safe Sex Store is collecting donations in honor of World AIDS Week, December 1st - December 7th.

Funds collected will go directly to support free and anonymous HIV/AIDS testing for people living in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area.

Donate at the Safe Sex Store on S. University in Ann Arbor

- or -

Add a donation to your online order! Just specify the amount you would like to donate in the "additional comments" box during check out, and we will add that amount to your total. As a thank you, we will include a small free gift in your package.

Get tested...

National	Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti
http://www.hivtest.org A service of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Resources on HIV testing including a national database of HIV testing sites and answers to many questions about HIV/AIDS and testing. Find an HIV testing location near you	HARC 3075 Clark Rd Ste 203 Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197-1103 Phone: (800) 578 2300 or 734-572-9355 Web: http://r2harc.org

Sexual Health Resources Get the help that you need...S3 has compiled a listing of STD/STI, HIV/AIDS and pregnancy testing sites and resources. Many provide free or low-cost doctor visits, consultations and supplies. Find a location near you

Angela - South Africa Update #2

Hello Everyone!

I apologize for taking so long to send out another email.  The internet is so slow here and that has made me want to just avoid it altogether.

Everything is going fine here. We have made some progress on the NPO paperwork and discovered some new road blocks … in the meantime I'm working on putting together some educational activities for the kids at the center – nutrition, gender equality and HIV/AIDS are the topics we're focusing on.

The most exciting new development here is that last week a local food distributor donated a ridiculous amount of canned foods to the center – almost entirely beans. But, the meal program is one of our biggest expenses, so this is really helpful in cutting down some of the cost when we need to shop for food.

The children finish school in the first week of December, so we are down to about a month left in 2008 for programs and activities at the center. After school lets out we will probably do a short summer camp (yes, it is almost summer here – and it's hot – so you know I'm happy!) before the children all leave to visit their families for the holidays. They'll return in early January and I'll have about another week with them before I come home. more

Breast Cancer 3 Day Results

Last year, S3 Safe Sex Store and YOU raised money to help Kristi walk in the Michigan Breast Cancer 3 Day. S3 friends pulled through again and were able to raise $150 dollars for Linda in this year's walk.

News from Linda:

I DID IT!
Well the walk was today and the blisters hurt, the feet are asking why did you do this to me? I should be in bed, but I wanted to let everyone know I walked every single mile. Yes it was hard having never done this before but I'm sure not anywhere's near as hard as it is for someone to hear the words we need to check you for breast cancer, or you have breast cancer. I heard a story this weekend about a 16 year old young man who is now a 4 year survivor. This is affecting not only women but men as well. I will update more when I'm not so tired. Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement that got me through this.
Linda
Read more from Linda's Blog

S3 Team Member Volunteering in South Africa

Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk

Last year, S3 Safe Sex Store and YOU raised money to help Kristi walk in the Michigan Breast Cancer 3 Day. Since the beginning of June, S3 friends pulled through again and were able to raise $150 dollars for this year's walk. Kristi has already reached her fundraising goal and has passed the generous donations on to Linda. Linda is a Michigan native who currently lives in Texas and is still trying to gather the minimum donation required in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Read Linda's story...

To: Breast Cancer 3-Day Participants
From: Linda
Team members, any help getting the minimum in donations would be greatly appreciated. Fundraising down here in Texas right now is a little slow. We have just gone through the Hurricane and my neighborhood for some fortunate reason fared well, considering...Still no power at home. I'm from the downriver area and we were transferred here two years ago due to the wonderful job market up there, which I'm sure I don't have to tell you about. Again any help would be greatly appreciated and will help me financially as I have made the commitment to do this and donate at least up to the $2200 in minimum donations.
Thanks for reading - Linda

To: Linda
From: Kristi
Hi Linda - I have just made a donation of $150 to your 3-Day account.  Beth Karmeisool, a good friend of mine, owns the Safe Sex Store (S3) in Ann Arbor, MI and she raised the money in her store through donations from her customers. I liked your story in the attached email that you sent out to the team.  Last year I was able to help out 5 other walkers. Since I had already made my goal, she said to pass it on to another walker who was short of their goal. 
Thank you - Kristi

To: Kristi
From: Linda
Oh my THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! I don't know how to thank you enough. When I get in town I will continue to do fundraising. I will not sit back and I will continue to go out there and contact my sphere of influence.
THANK YOU AGAIN!! Linda

Read Linda's Story

Sex Education - The Diane Rehm Show

Sex Education
Guest host: Frank Sesno
Broadcast: Sept. 23, 2008 - 11:00 am

The latest teen birth rate figures are up after a 15-year decline, and the presidential campaign has renewed questions over the effectiveness and appropriateness of comprehensive sex education and abstinence-only education. A look at the trends in teen sexuality and efforts to influence young people's decision making.

Visit The Diane Rehm Show

Guests

• Sarah Brown, director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
• Valerie Huber, executive director, National Abstinence Education Association
• Debra Hauser, executive vice president, Advocates for Youth
• Stan Weed, director and CEO, Institute for Research and Evaluation
• Douglas Kirby, senior research scientist, Education, Training and Research Associates