The Northwest Freethought Coalition (NWFC) is celebrating Independence Day and the arrival of summer with its 5th annual potluck picnic. NWFC group members, friends, and area freethinkers are invited to this all-day event on Sunday, July 4, 2010. Last year’s picnic drew about 200 people. The family-friendly picnic begins at 1 pm and runs into the evening. There will be a raffle and games, including bocce. Food served from 1 to 3 pm; cleanup starts at 5 pm. Bring your family, some frisbees, a blanket, sunscreen, and a picnic-friendly dish to share!

NWFC member groups include Humanists of Washington, Seattle Atheists, Tacoma Atheists, Humanists of North Puget Sound, University Unitarian Humanists, Ethical Culture Society of Puget Sound, Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound, Freethinkers’ United Network, Eastside Atheists/Agnostics Meetup, and various Atheist, Humanist and Brights Meetup groups.  Humanists of Washington is leading the event planning. Please contact HOW president Jerry Schiffelbein if you would like to volunteer.

Contact:
Mike Gillis
Board Member of Seattle Atheists
P.O. Box 283, Seattle, WA 98111-0283
(206) 826-0770
seattleatheists@seattleatheists.org
www.seattleatheists.org

SEATTLE ATHEISTS CELEBRATE DARWIN DAY

SEATTLE — On Saturday February 6th, Seattle Atheists will join other free-thought groups to celebrate the 201st birthday of Charles Darwin, the brilliant scientist whose revolutionary work became the foundation of modern biology.

Seattle Atheists and our fellow organizations in the Northwest Freethought Coalition (NWFC) will come to together to celebrate Darwin, science, humanity and in appreciation of verifiable knowledge that has been acquired solely through human curiosity and ingenuity.

The event is family-friendly and will include speakers, educational evolution-themed games, activities, and food. The public is encouraged to attend.

WHERE:
Juanita Community Club
13027 100th Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98034

WHEN:
Saturday, Feb. 6, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Seattle Atheists is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to serving the atheist community in the Seattle area. We strive to promote understanding and respect toward all freethinkers by providing information, creating a sense of fellowship, actively opposing discrimination, and above all, emphasizing reason, critical thinking over supernaturalism, and the separation of church and state.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Mike Gillis, Board Member of Seattle Atheists, (206) 826-0770, seattleatheists@seattleatheists.org

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This effort is part of a coordinated nationwide campaign that began last year. In December it included billboards in Baltimore, Houston and Tulsa. Each billboard is sponsored by a local, multi-organizational coalition of non-theistic (atheist and agnostic) groups.

“The point of our national campaign is to reach out to the millions of humanists, atheists and agnostics living in the United States,” explained Fred Edwords, national director of the United Coalition of Reason. “Non-theists sometimes don’t realize there’s a community out there for them because they’re inundated with religious messages at every turn. So we hope this will serve as a beacon and let them know they aren’t alone.”

But reaching out to the like-minded isn’t the only goal of the effort. “Our message is also to let people know that we belong to the larger community,” added Ron Renard, coordinator of the Northwest Freethought Coalition. “Whether you know it or not, we’re your family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers. We’re just like you, except we don’t believe in a supreme being. Now we think it’s time we were as free as you to be open about our views.”

The United Coalition of Reason launched eighteen similar ad campaigns across the country in 2009. Each involved billboards or public transit ads.