Proactive

PEACE ON PARADE — Looking for something to do on the Fourth of July that's a little more soul-satisfying than just roasting wienies on the barbecue? If so, we have just the ticket. The good folks at the Huntington Woods Peace, Citizenship and Education Project would like you to join them as they march in their city's Fourth of July parade this Monday. Overt political statements aren't allowed (who'd want to promote that sort of free speech in an Independence Day festivity?) but generic peace signs are allowed. The parade begins at 10 a.m. Marchers will begin gathering an hour earlier at the BankOne parking lot located at 26363 Woodward Ave. E-mail hwpeace@yahoo.com or visit the Web site at hwpeace.org.

STRIKE FORCE — OK, there's going to be a wonderful spaghetti dinner cooked by folk from the renowned Wobbly Kitchen, but that's not the real reason to attend the shindig being staged Saturday, July 9. The real reason is to aid union workers at the Vindicator newspaper in Youngstown, Ohio, where a strike is entering its eighth month. Billed as a "Solidarity Reunion," the event is intended to remember the strike/lockout at Detroit's two big daily papers and, in the process, help the Youngstown strikers. Along with the good food, there will be music from Chris Buhalis and notable speakers. The feed begins at 5 p.m. It's being held at the UAW 909 Hall, 5587 Stephens Rd. (north of Nine Mile Road and west of Mound Road) in Warren. Cost is $20. Anyone who wants to lend a hand setting things up can e-mail Barb Ingalls at bigrafx@mac.com.