"People Feeding People"
City Coordinators are needed for a once a month humanitarian service project designed to bring home cooked Baked Potatoes to the unfortunate and hungry.

North America is in the midst of the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression, which leaves hundreds of thousands vulnerable and living on the streets or in shelters. You can assist the homeless in your city on every Saturday nearest the full moon each month by helping to distribute nourishing home-baked, foil-wrapped potatoes directly to those who need them. Contact vasa108@telus.net to find out how you can get involved in
"S.P.U.D Patrol."

A little effort on our part goes a long way. Each month on Saturday nearest the full moon a group of us go to downtown eastside Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, and now Asheville, North Carolina to distribute home-baked potatoes. We go rain or shine. In fact, it is easy to think that this is someone else's problem and to stay in the comfort of our homes, but we encourage you to put love and compassion into practice by DIRECTLY helping those less fortunate than yourself - you'll be glad you did!

Some Saturdays we've given away up to 2500 baked potatoes in Vancouver alone! - thanks to the generosity of our volunteers.

SPUD IN VANCOUVER IS CANCELLED IN FEB DUE TO THE OLYMPIC STREET CLOSURES...SEE YOU MARCH 7 INSTEAD!

If you can participate in SPUD Patrol this month,
we have coordinators in each city, please follow the links on the left...

The Spud Patrol Mantras:
“May all be fed, may all be loved”
Join Jeffrey and hundreds of others in Serving Potatoes
to Unrecognized Devas

“Family Feeding Family”
We're hoping this concept will spread around the world!

Pass it forward...

Posted here are a couple of letters from some wonderful young people
gearing up to give something back...
Seva Opportunites!

Come and volunteer for these
2010 SPUD Patrol Dates!

February 27, March 27, No April SPUD, May 1 & 29,
June 26, July 24, August 21, September 25,
October 23, November 20, December 18

* Note: Because of where the full moon's fall this year, there will be 2 SPUDS in January and May, and none in April


JOIN IN!  It’s fun! it’s easy! and it’s good karma. Children are welcome to attend .....Bring the family & friends!

This month - it's up to you!
SIGN UP by calling or emailing.
Perhaps you may wish to contribute to the coordinator's cost of plates/forks/salt & pepper.

CAUTION!  
 Be prepared for a rush of gratitude that will sustain and refresh you in a way that sleep doesn't do...


   spud bullet image  Sign up in your city by emailing or calling the coordinators in your city below:  spud bullet image

VANCOUVER:

Jeffrey Armstrong - 604-315-YOGA (604-315-9642) - vasa108@telus.net

NANAIMO:

Ev Schmidt - 250-248-5615 - ev@raisingvibrations.com

VICTORIA:

Steve Tribe - 250-665-7450 - stevetribe@shaw.ca    
 Location is corner of Vancouver St. and Pandora St. - Map Here

ASHEVILLE, NC:

Chuck & Annette Hunner - 828-216-1422 - hunner@charter.net
Location is near downtown Asheville at Pritchard Park
Ahope Center, 19 N. Ann Street, @ 11:30 am.

SURREY:

A coordinator is needed - call Jeffrey Armstrong - 604-315-YOGA (604-315-9642)

SEATTLE:

A coordinator is needed - call Jeffrey Armstrong - 604-315-YOGA (604-315-9642)


Oven full of SPUDs photoWHAT TO DO?

• Contact your cities coordinator, and find out how you might contribute...there is always a need. If you are bringing SPUDs...

• Wrap the washed potatoes in tin foil ( HINT: you can do this the night before - load the oven and use your timer to turn them on at 10 am the next morning...and...you can completely fill the oven, just double up the potatoes and pack them tight.)
• BAKE the potatoes at 425 -450 degrees for about 1.25 hr depending on your oven - then should be done at 11:30 am
• Load them into a cooler (or shopping bag)
• Bring 1 or more containers of SOUR CREAM
• Bring BUTTER, not margarine, and PLEASE NO BACON.
• And if you can't bake - bring "the extras" and your enthusiasm!
• We will provide the plates/tables/forks/salt & pepper
Photo of SPUDS!Where:

• We meet at NOON
• VANCOUVER: The corner of Carrall Street at Hastings Street  – Pigeon Park – see map —> Vancouver is still using our "temporary spot" a block West of Main on Hastings - in front of the community garden until the construction is complete at Pigeon Park.
• NANAIMO: The small park in front of the Port Place Mall between the Casino and Wendy's
• Victoria: The corner of Vancouver St. and Pandora St. – see map
• Asheville: Location for January 30th will be near downtown Asheville at Pritchard Park is Ahope Center, 19 N. Ann Street, @ 11:30 am.

We will be there with tables and we will serve as many people as we have potatoes.
If you have an extra table and can bring it - let us know!
When:

• The closest Saturday to the month's FULL MOON. Visit your city's page for the dates.

SPUD Postage Stamp
SPUD Patrol - Fan Letters
Asheville

Pleasing Saturn...
This past Saturday I participated in an event called Spud Patrol. Basically I got together with a couple of my astrology clients, students and friends here in Asheville and we distributed baked potatoes with all the fixins', save the bacon, to the homeless or transient people who found us. Why did we do this? One, to be nice and helpful to those who need it. Two, because the planet Saturn shows his grace to those who show their grace on the less fortunate, namely the homeless. (That's a traditional Vedic Remedy for Saturn.)

What did I discover through this practice? I found that my own problems are really insignificant. Sure your life seems tough when you don't have a yardstick to judge it by, but it was a very powerful experience to see the happiness and genuine grattitude from another person, just by giving them a baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper. It made me realize the cliche, that its the simple things in life that make all the difference.

Spuds photoMany times, as I unwrapped the potatoes and sent them on down the line to be 'dressed up', my eyes started to fill with tears. As the new autumn sun shone down on us, and the air was clear and the pigeons descended on a chunk of potato that fell from a plate, life felt charged. A lot of the work I do for my business deals with helping folks manage miasmic existential issues in their life. And sure I donate blood or money to organizations, but actually getting outside and meeting serving others face to face- it is very powerful.

From now on, I think, at least one aspect of the advice I give will be to go give a steaming hot baked potato to a homeless person on a cold day, and maybe even throw in a pair of warm gloves. Maybe you could start a Spud Patrol in your town, or come join ours in Asheville! Do it to help someone with an empty belly. Do it for Saturn. Do it because it makes you feel good. For what ever reason you do it, its always a good thing to help out. Maybe it will rearrange some of your priorities as it did mine. We'll be doing this every Saturday nearest the moon going to full. Contact me if you'd like to learn more and I'll forward you on the organizer of this service.   ~ Ryan Kurczak

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Spuds and Duds image       SPUDS AND DUDS!

If you have any clothes to bless others with, please bring them to the SPUDS & DUDS table!

Good Karma & Many Blessings,

Sandi & Jeffrey