Food Not Bombs Wyoming

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Laramie Food Not Bombs came together on May Day 2002, making it the first known Food Not Bombs chapter in the state of Wyoming. It continues to be the only one operating in the state. The group has gone through many changes with only one original member remaining. The near future spells the end of the chapter since the remaining members are all moving away by the end of the 2006 summer, but who knows, maybe we'll see a rebirth at some point.

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[edit] Contact Info

Laramie Food Not Bombs
email list
laramiefnb@yahoo.com
307.761.2090
PO Box 2137
Laramie, WY 82073

[edit] History

Laramie Food Not Bombs has been in existence since May 2002. During this time we have served a free picnic every Sunday at 2:00; first at Washington Park then at Depot Park and currently at Optimist Park. at 1:00 the last Sunday of every month; We have also distributed free groceries during our picnics. We serve on Sundays because this is the day that the local soup kitchen does not provide a free meal. We stopped serving free picnics at the end of the 2005 summer due to low turnout and the increasingly cold winters. We, however, continue to redistribute food, serve at events and work in partnership with other groups promoting a similar world.

[edit] Significant Events

Laramie FNB kicked off by holding a May Day celebration in 2002. Due to a characteristic cold spring Wyoming day attendance was modest, but still festive.

On September 27th, 2002 Laramie saw a rare occurence even from police accounts- a well attended protest in Laramie, WY. The occasion was a visit by Dick Cheney. Over 100 people gathered to protest Cheney and the Iraq War. Food Not Bombs was key in organizing the event and came with a "people's buffet" in response to the elitist, fundraising dinner Cheney was a part of.

In September 2005 Food Not Bombs helped host a Caravan to Cuba stop in Laramie. Like the Cheney protest, the event was a first for Laramie and received a decent amount of attention. The caravan operates in a similar manner to FNB- providing direct aid to those in need despite political repression. All the aid that the caravan sends to Cuba is banned because of the US embargo. Caravanistas often face police repression and imprisonment when attempting to deliver the aid. Members talked about the embargo and their experiences breaking the embargo. Along with organizing the event FNB also provided a free dinner for attendees.

Soon after the Caravan to Cuba, FNB participated in a similar effort- Wheels of Justice. Food Not Bombs played a more supportive role, helping with promotion and providing snacks for the event. The night featured talks by a Palestinian man, a female officer recently returned from Iraq and a lively exchange during the question and answer session between Zionists and the presenters.

Recently Laramie FNB helped organize a Rocky Mountain Caravan of aid for Katrina and Rita victims with FNB chapters from Colorado. This was just a small part of a much broader mobilization from FNB groups around the country.

[edit] Laramie FNB in the News

[edit] Related

Image:Fnb button.gif Food Not Bombs Guide

Image:Peace_black.gif This page is part of the Anti-war and Peace Resources section.Image:Fnb button.gif Food Not Bombs Guide

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