Friends
It has come to my attention that some of you may not have received some of the emails from our group that have been going around recently. While I very much apologize for this I have to ask for your patience and encourage you to take some basic steps which should resolve the problem. As you all know we are a 100% volunteer operation and we only have so much time to spend on a daily basis.
If you are not receiving emails from us (mostly me) on a regular basis (about twice a week) then perhaps you may not be on our group email list. Unfortunately only you can add yourself to this list. To join the e-list go to www.albanyforobama.com. When you get to this page you will see an invitation to “Join this Group” Please join the group and be sure to select the option that will allow you receive all emails from us.
Members of this group will get emails from me automatically. If you are not getting emails from the group but you think that you are signed up I recommend leaving the group and then rejoining it and making sure you check the box asking for emails.
I hope that this information helps. We are in the process of merging all of our lists in order to get a better system for updating people. In the meantime you can always find a list of events in the area by going to this link:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/search_results?type=simple&circle_id=446
Thanks
Bus Trip from Albany to Ohio FEB 29-MAR 2
Sign up and Make Deposits Now
Below are the details for the bus trip from Albany to Cleveland Ohio. Please review carefully and make sure you make your deposit (see below) in order to guarantee a spot on the bus.
DEPARTURE:
Friday February 29th, 4pm from the Albany Public Library (161 Washington Avenue. Albany)
The bus is planning on stopping in Syracuse to pick up passengers (exact location TBA) at 6:30pm.
ARRIVAL:
The bus will arrive in Cleveland Ohio at around 12midnight Friday evening.
RETURN:
The bus will depart from Cleveland at or before 3pm and return to Albany at or before 12midnight. It will stop in Syracuse to drop people off along the way.
HOUSING
We have reserved 14 hotel rooms in Cleveland. The rooms have 2 double beds and we are going to pair 4 people per room. Men and women will not share rooms. We appreciate your patience with us as we must keep our costs down.
Days Inn Cleveland Airport
16161 Brookpark Rd Cleveland
FOOD
We will provide breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Dinner Saturday will be on your own. The bus will stop along the way on Friday and Sunday evenings for people to eat. We will also have some snacks available. When you sign up please let us know if you are a vegetarian.
WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:
Your time in Ohio will mostly be spent outside, knocking on doors, and persuading voters that they should vote for Barack Obama. It will be cold outside, so everyone should be prepared to dress warmly. If some people can’t go out and knock on doors we will have some phone calls available for them to make. Since you are traveling some distance we would hope that you could stay all day. Tentatively, the canvasses will start around 10 A.M. and run until 1 or 2. Than your group can come back to the staging area, grab some lunch, and head back out there. Out of state volunteers are twice as useful as in state volunteers because you made the commitment and you can go out there again.
COST
The cost of the trip will be $50 per person and includes hotel room, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday and transportation. Additionally we are asking anyone who can afford it, to make an additional donation to cover the remaining cost of the trip. We are actively working to raise money to pay for the trip but the actual cost of the trip is far more than the $50 per person that we are charging. So please make an additional donation if you can.
RESERVATIONS AND DEPOSIT
If you would like to come on the trip you must reserve a spot on the bus ASAP. To reserve a spot please click HERE or call 518-434-0944. When you make your reservation make sure to include: 1) a phone number where we can reach you; 2) your email address; 3) if you are a vegetarian or not 4) and most importantly where you intend to board the bus (Albany or Syracuse)
Once you have signed up via the website or via the phone we need you to make your deposit on the trip. In order to guarantee a spot on the bus we need everyone to pay in advance. There are three ways you can do so.
1) Send a check of at least $50 to:
Coalition to Save Albany
C/O Anton Konev, treasurer
212 Schoolhouse Rd, Albany NY 12203
2) Send your credit card payment via PayPal.com to the address: info@albanyforobama.com
3) Bring in your check or cash to the Albany for Obama Campaign Office, 92 Lexington Ave. Albany, NY.
If you do not make your payment ahead of time we cannot guarantee yourself a spot on the bus. We will take all additional people on a first come first serve basis at the time of the bus departure.
We thank all of you for your support and hard work. With your help we can be the change that our country needs.
Bus Trip from Albany to Ohio
SIGN UP NOW
FEB 29-MAR 2 We are currently in the process of organizing a bus trip from Albany NY to Cleveland Ohio to help out in Ohio the weekend before the primary. There are limited spaces available so please sign up ASAP. Details are in the works but as of now the bus will be leaving Albany at 4pm on Friday February 29th and arriving in Cleveland late Friday night. It will potentially make stops in Syracuse and Buffalo. On Saturday volunteers will knock on doors in Cleveland and help mobilize voters. On Sunday volunteers will help with visibility and possibly knock on some more doors before departing in the afternoon. The bus will arrive back in Albany by 11pm on Sunday night. We are reserving hotel rooms and arranging all the details. The cost of the trip will be $50 per person and includes hotel room, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday and transportation. Additionally we are asking anyone who can afford it, to make an additional donation to cover the remaining cost of the trip. We are actively working to raise money to pay for the trip. If you are interested please RSVP as soon as possible. MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER. http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4rscd
More details will be coming soon.
Friends As a way of showing our support for the democratic process without alienating many of the party leaders nationwide, we have created a petition asking the Super Delegates to honor the voices of the people by honoring the votes of the people. Please share this online petition with friends and family far and wide.
We intend to show a strong support for democracy without putting the Super Delegates on the defensive. One thing that is clear, most Super Delegates do not want to be put in a situation where they have to choose our party nominee. With this petition we can give them the confidence to step back and defer to the voices of the millions of Democratic voters who cast votes in primaries and attended caucuses in the past few months. So please send along this email and this link to as many people as you can.
To sign the petition, go to:
http://www.petitiononline.com/choice08/petition.html
Lastly, the campaign has asked its supporters not to contact the Super Delegates. While we are honoring their wish and encourage all of you to do the same, we do strongly believe that we need to build support for honoring the voices of the voters.
Therefore we have launched this petition and we hope you will all sign it. http://www.petitiononline.com/choice08/petition.html
Thanks Mike Davoli
Albany for Obama
www.albanyforobama.com
From the response that we received all day today across the capital region, this is not Hillary country! Voters across the region have been responding to our message of hope and optimism and that was evident by the response that we got during today’s Honk for Hope and on the phones all afternoon.
In less than an hour the polls in South Carolina will close and then we will all be heading to Jillian’s for our Primary Night Party. Tomorrow is another day of campaigning and we need your help.
Please join us at 11:30am on Sunday for the 2nd Honk for Hope! Also, volunteers are going to be phonebanking all Sunday afternoon and evening. Please sign up to volunteer or just show up. We need your help. Please bring your cell phone and charger to help make calls. If you do not have a cell phone please come and we will set you up with a phone.
Tomorrow is a big day. With your help we can make it a memorable one.
Yes We Can
Mike
Sunday, January 27th at 11:30 AM
Honk For Hope
Throughout the day today Obama supporters will gather to hold a "Honk for Hope". Obama supporters will hold signs and banners in several highly visible locations to wave to drivers as they pass bye. We will have Obama signs, Honk for Hope signs and more but you are encouraged to bring your own. Meet at Westgate Shopping Plaza on Central Avenue at 11:30 am. Meet in the plaza (Central and Colvin) under the big Westgate Plaza sign. We are going to stand on the sidewalks along Central Ave. We have signs but you are welcome to bring your own.
Please sign up HERE for Sunday.
Multiple dates
Albany Volunteer Phonebanking
92 Lexington Ave. Albany NY
Volunteer phone banking is the most important thing that we need right now. Please sign up to help on one or more days and nights. Bring your cell phone and charger. If you do not have a cell phone let us know and we will make arrangements.
Phone banks will take place on
Jan 27, 2008 at 12:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
Jan 27, 2008 at 4:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
More dates will be added shortly
It is official! The Albany for Obama Campaign Office is up and running. We had a great kick off today with more than 25 people and several news television stations. I want to thank all of you who helped decorate the office in the past few days. It really does look great. Everyone is invited to stop by and say hello. And while you are there, please stick around and spend some time volunteering. We need all the help that we can get. There are a lot of activities coming up this weekend. Here are a few of them:
FRIDAY NIGHT!
Join us on Friday night in Troy for “Obama Night Out” at the month Troy Night Out.
Troy Night Out is a monthly arts and cultural event that takes place the last Friday of every month in downtown Troy from 5 - 9 PM. The event regularly draws over 1,000 people onto the streets of Troy, and attendees are able to enjoy over 30 art events, 15 music venues, and over 20 fine restaurants as well as unique boutiques of all varieties. Throughout the night, the Troy Trolley will be making rounds of the city, providing free transportation to all event attendees and stopping at major event destinations. Free parking is available on-street and in several city garages. Maps highlighting all of the evening's activities are available in the Metroland, here on TroyNightOut.org, and at all participating venues and businesses.
We will be set at The Atrium, 297 River Street in downtown Troy from 5-9pm on Friday night January 25th. Tom McWatters, a local musician will be performing live. We need some volunteers to staff the table and answer questions. Click HERE for more details.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Albany Volunteer Phonebanking will be taking place all weekend long. Please sign up to help make calls. This is the single most effective thing that you can do to help Barack win!
Please sign up to help on one or more days and nights. Bring your cell phone and charger. If you do not have a cell phone let us know and we will make arrangements.
Jan 25, 2008 at 12:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
Jan 26, 2008 at 11:00 AM Sign up by clicking HERE
More dates will be added.
Saturday & Sunday, January 26 & 27th at 11:30 AM
Honk For Hope at Westgate Shopping Plaza, Central Ave. Albany
Throughout the day today Obama supporters will gather to hold a "Honk for Hope". Obama supporters will hold signs and banners in several highly visible locations to wave to drivers as they pass bye. Meet at Westgate Shopping Plaza on Central Avenue at 11:30am. Meet in the plaza (Central and Colvin) under the big Westgate Plaza sign. We are going to stand on the sidewalks along Central Ave. Bring your signs! We have some but we need more.
Please sign up HERE for Saturday.
Saturday January 26, 7:30pm
South Carolina Return Watch Party
Come to Jillian’s (59 North Pearl St Albany) to join with other Obama supporters to watch returns from South Carolina primary. Let's cheer on Senator Barack Obama as he wins there. RSVP HERE.
Amazing as it is to believe we are only two weeks away from Super Tuesday and that means it is time to step up and help fight for change. In the next two weeks there will be dozens of volunteer opportunities here in the Capital Region. And with this election being as close as it is, every vote that we get here in New York State can make the difference, So please sign up to volunteer as much as you can. Between now and February 5th there are phone banks, canvasses, rallies, fundraisers and more all going on locally. Below is a list of some opportunities for you to get involved in. In addition to these you can find a whole host of activities across the region by clicking HERE. Please do as much as you can. Together we can ensure that America gets the change it deserves.
Wednesday January 23, 7pm
Albany For Obama Informational Meeting
Come learn in detail about some of the many activities going on in the Capital region and sign up to volunteer. We will also have lawn signs, buttons and more.
Click HERE for more information.
Thursday January 24, 12noon
Albany for Obama Campaign Office Grand Opening
Join us for a news conference at 12noon at the Campaign office to officially open the office.
Jan 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
Jan 23, 2008 at 4:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
Jan 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
Jan 24, 2008 at 4:00 PM Sign up by clicking HERE
Throughout the day today Obama supporters will gather to hold a "Honk for Hope". Obama supporters will hold signs and banners in several highly visible locations to wave to drivers as they pass bye. We will have Obama signs, Honk for Hope signs and more but you are encouraged to bring your own. Meet at campaign office at 11:30am 92 Lexington and then based on how many people we have we will either all proceed to one location or instead split up to two separate locations
Saturday February 2, 12noon
CAPITAL REGION RALLY FOR CHANGE
Townsend Park, Henry Johnson Blvd. & Central Ave. Albany We are currently planning a large rally in downtown Albany to kick off a day of action in the Capital Region. As the Capital of New York State what better place would there be to rally for real change with New Yorkers from across the state. Details are being worked out now and more information will be available soon. Please save the date. We expect to have a large rally followed by a door to door canvass. We want to bring together hundreds of Obama supporters from across upstate New York and the surrounding areas. Check back soon for details but please sign up now by clicking HERE. I have attached a flyer about the rally. Please feel free to distribute it widely.
Saturday February 2nd 1PM-4PM
ALBANY WINTER WALK FOR CHANGE Immediately following the rally Obama supporters will fan out across key areas in the city of Albany to knock on doors and talk to voters. We will be handing out literature in some of the most important areas in the city of Albany to show support for Barack. Please join us at the rally and then stick around for a few hours and help us spread the word about Barack's vision for America. Together we can give our nation the change it needs and deserves. No experience is necessary but be sure to dress warm. Please RSVP for the Walk for Change HERE. We will have hot chocolate and coffee for all "Walkers".
Due to popular request we decided to go ahead and order NY Loves Obama buttons. We are very excited to announce that they have arrived and they look great. They are a knock off from the "I love NY" logo from the 80's but the read: "NY Loves Obama" with a big red heart instead of the word loves. Attached you will see the button image. We ordered plenty of them and we would like to get as many of them as possible out into the hands of NY's like you. While we are not trying to make money on these, any money that is raised will go to the campaign and to help pay for our organizing efforts here in New York State.
We are selling the buttons at a sliding price scale:
One button for $2 (free shipping)
10 buttons for $10 ($2 shipping)
50 buttons for $35 ($6 shipping)
100 buttons for $50 ($6 shipping)
Please let me know if anyone would like some.
You can pay either in cash,check or via PayPal.
Send Paypal payments to:
capitaldistrictnyobama@gmail.com
Below is a quick recap of our April 18th Capital District NY for Obama Meeting held at the Albany Public Library. Thanks to all who attending and help make the meeting a wonderful success. We have some great plans in the works and it would not occur without all of you. Please read below and I hope to see all of you at the Presidential Debate Viewing Party on Thursday April 26th from 6:30-8:30pm at the Lark Tavern in Albany. Please RSVP if you have not done so already. Thanks.
April 18th 2007 Meeting Recap
OLD BUSINESS
1) April 20th NH Volunteer Trip--On Friday April 20th a small group of NY Obama supporters travelled from Albany to NH to help volunteer all day on Saturday in Manchester NH. This was our first effort at working directly with the campaign and helping in their NH efforts. To learn more about the trip check out Dustin's blog from NH. We will have an even bigger opportunity to help in NH in a few weeks. Stay tuned because as we have more details we will get them to you.
2) April 26th Presidential Debate Viewing Party--This Thursday we will host a Debate Viewing Party at the Lark Tavern in Albany. It is going to be a great event and we hope that all of you can attend. The party begins at 6:30 and the debate begins at 7pm. This is our first public showing of support for Senator Obama in the Capital District so it is critical that we have a good showing. There will be two large screen televisions showing the debate plus enhanced audio of the debate. We will have a laptop so people can go online to the website if they choose along with all sorts of literature and materials from the campaign that talk about Obama's position on different issues.
We will also have information on different events and activities that are being planned and it will the public's first opportunity to sign up to volunteer on a specific events. We will also have NY Loves Obama buttons and t-shirts for sale at the party. Buy one at the pary and recieve a discount. The Lark Tavern has great food and drinks so feel free to come for dinner.
The party is free and open to the public. If you have not done so already, please RSVP by clicking here.
Laura Kerber and Karen Mallia have volunteered to be our greeters at the door for the event. We as that you arrive by 6:15pm We are looking for one or two more volunteers to help volunteer at the information table. It is very easy to do and we will explain details when you arrive. If you would like to volunteer please email me ASAP and then please show up by 6:15pm. Thanks.
One last important note about the party. In the past week, we have had more than a few dozen posters for the event torn down here in downtown Albany. This was done most likely by Hillary supporters. At the same time I have definitely heard that Hillary supporters plan on coming to our event in hopes of crashing it. Therefore, I would definitely like to please ask each of you to do everything in your power to come out on Thursday night. We have the power to really show Albany and the Capital District that NY Loves Obama just as much if not a lot more than they love Hillary. But we need all Obama supporters to come out in force.
3) Group Logistics
Calendar--We are actively working on developing an online presence. Currently we have our MyBarackObama website and a MySpace website. Our number one concern is that we get a solid calendar listing created on the website so that people who are not members of the group can still see the calendar listing. We will be establishing a committee to work on our presence on the web. Please let me know if you are interested in helping be a part of this effort or perhaps leading the effort.
Meetings--Our next regularly scheduled organizing meetings are as follows: Wed. May 16, Wed. June 13, Wed. July 18 (tentative). At the moment the meetings are scheduled to begin at 7pm. We are considering moving this up to 6:30pm but we wanted feedback on this idea. Please let me know what you think.
Committees--In addition to our steering committee, we have initially set up three main committees:1) Events, 2) Web & Membership; and 3) Financial.
Event--For each of the events or activities that we are organizing we will appoint an event committee. This committee will oversee the planning and implentation of a specific event or actitity. At any given time there could be one or more Event committees working on different things. Currently we have two Event committees: 1)April 26 Debate--Chaired by Brendan and 2) Tulip Festival--chaired by Dustin and Michell Newman
Web & Membership--This committee will focus on building the membership of our group, increasing our visability on the web and recruting more people to join. Currently we are looking for people to be a part pf this committee.
Financial--This committee will focus on the financial issues relating to our group like fundraising, managing our own internal budget and expenses and other details related to finances. I expect that this committee may be a much smaller committee but we are in need of some people to help us manage money and other related issues. Please let me know if any of you have experience with budgetting and/or financial issues and would be willing to help work on a committee like this.
NEW BUSINESS
1) Tulip Festival--On Saturday May 12 from 11am-6pm in Washington Park in downtown ALbany is the annual Tulip Festival. We have decided to make this day an outreach event where we can show a highly visible presence at the Tulip Festival. We plan on having volunteers wearing NY Loves Obama t-shirts and buttons working the crowd, handing out flyers and simply showing support for Obama. We will ask volunteers to work in shifts so that we can make sure that we have people throughtout the day. Volunteers will work in pairs with less experiences people working side by side with more experienced volunteers. Volunteers will meet at a specific location at the beginning of their shift where they will recieve a brief training on how to talk about Obama and what they are going to do that day.
A Tulip Festival committee is being headed up by Dustin and Michelle. More details will be coming shortly. In the meantime, save the date--Saturday May 12 from 11am-6pm.
2) May 19 Rally in NH--More details are coming soon but what we know as of now is that on the weekend of May 19th there will be a big rally in NH with Senator Obama. After the rally volunteers will be going door to door in NH to educate NH voters about Obama. We are going to want to turn out NY volunteers in force this weekend. More details will be coming soon.
3) NY Loves Obama T-shirts and buttons--We are excited to announce that we now have NY Loves Obama t-shirts and buttons. Check them out here. The t-shirts are $12 and you can pick them up at the Presidential Debate Party this Thurdsday. There is a very limited supply so get them whil they last. The buttons are $2 or 10 for $10. We are strongly encouraging people to buy 10 and then give some away to your friends. You also can pick them up at the Presidential Debate Party this Thursday.
Conclusion--Thank you all for your hard work. Please do not forget to come out on Thursday. The Presidential Debate Viewing Party is our first big public event and we need a big turnout. Please bring your family and friends. -- capitaldistrictnyobama@gmail.com Link
Order your NY LOVES OBAMA t-shirts today! Show your support for Senator Obama here in NY by wearing a
"NY Loves Obama" T-shirt.
Click on NY LOVES OBAMA to see the design. The front reads:"NY Loves Obama" (with a red heart instead of the word "loves")The back reads:"I BELIEVE IN THE AUDACITY OF HOPE" BarackObama.Com T-Shirts are $15 and come in a variety of sizes.
Order one today at NY LOVES OBAMA or by sending an email to capitaldistrictnyobama@gmail.com.
Come to the Barack Obama Presidential Debate Viewing Party in Albany on Thursday April 26th and pick up a shirt at a discount.
T-shirt proceeds will be donated to the campaign.
Hello again Well I am sure that all of you heard the great news announced today. Senator Obama has raised over $25 million in the first quarter of fund raising this year. This is an incredible accomplishment and it could not have happened without the support of people like all of you. What this money means is that Senator Obama will be in this race until the end. As for us, what Senator Obama now needs is for people like all of us to deliver on our work. March 31st was a glorious day across the country. Let me start by thanking all of you for coming out on such a beautiful day in Albany. Although we had some technical issues, which I heard happened across the country, overall I think it was a good gathering. We had a large group of new people come out to the meeting which was great to see. I know that the meeting got a little intense during the discussion of fund raising but I think we made some real progress in both future group activities and on the overall structure of the group. Here is a quick recap of what was discussed: Old Business 1. April 26 South Carolina Debate Viewing Party: Come join Barack Obama supporters from across the Capital District and watch the South Carolina Democratic debate on Thursday April 26th from 6:30-8:30pm at the Lark Tavern in Albany. Here is your chance to watch the debate with other Barack Obama supporters and learn how to get involved in the campaign. Not quite sure if Obama is your candidate? No worries, everyone is welcome to come watch the debate and enjoy. While you are there, have a beer, have some dinner and have some fun. NY for Obama t-shirts, buttons and stickers will be available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited so please RSVP as soon as possible. We will have laptops available for people to go online and sign up on the Obama website. Greeters will positioned at the front door to welcome people coming for the debate. We will have sign up forms available for people to sign up to volunteer. I have been in touch with the campaign and should know tomorrow for sure about whether or not the Senator will be participating. We expect him to be in the debate but there have been some concerns that he will not be so we wanted to double check. More details are coming soon. Please RSVP at Link Being that the main purpose of this event is not to raise money a goal has not been set for doing so. Once we have all the details together for the event including what t-shirts/buttons etc. to sell we will go ahead and set a goal for how much we would like to raise through this way. 2. Albany Tulip Festival Saturday May 12th & Sunday May 13th: On Saturday and Sunday May 12 & 13th several thousands of Capital Region residents will converge on Washington Park for the annual Tulip Festival. This is a perfect opportunity for us to reach an incredible amount of people in a short amount of time. Volunteers will be asked to meet in the morning at a designated location. They will be given a clipboard with materials about Obama, a button and some stickers. They will also have a chance to buy a t-shirt at a heavy discount. Throughout the day volunteers will talk to people, hand out literature, collect signatures on a petition or other sign up form and recruit volunteers. More details are forthcoming but this will be a very important event and we will need all the volunteers that we can get. 3. Website/Calendar: The consensus of the group was that there needs to be an easy to access calendar of all events going on in the Capital Region. There also appears to be a strong desire for an organized website that will provide a level or organization, structure and information to everyone. We have begun discussing this issue with the coordinators of various Obama groups around the state. Our initial thought is to develop one individual website for all Obama volunteer activities in New York State. On this website individuals could see a calendar of activities going on across the state as well as find local contacts and information on the campaign. We will have more details soon on this. In the meantime, please make sure to sign up at Link /> We have also created a Myspace page at: Link We are currently looking for a web designer who would donate their time and expertise to help create a website as well as provide other services on this front. If you know of someone please have them write me ASAP. We will have a calendar published on line in some form by this weekend. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime all Capital District events and activities can and will be posted the Capital District group website. If you know of other events or activities in Albany that you think would be good events for us to be present at please let us know ASAP so we can see about doing so. 4. Leadership & structure: Beginning today I will officially take on the role of Chairperson of the Capital Region Group. I have asked Dustin, Maeve and Brendan to make up our initial steering committee. The steering committee will be critical to everything that we do and very soon we will need to expand the size of the committee in order to accomplish our goals. If you are interested in possibly serving on the steering committee please let me know. At our next full group meeting we will present a detailed structure for the group and ask for the groups approval. 5. Meetings: Because of our event on the 26th our next full group meeting will be the week earlier on Wednesday April 18th at 7pm at the Albany Public Library (161 Washington Ave.) Here is what I am proposing for a future schedule. After this meeting we will resume a regular schedule of the 4th Wednesday of the month (May 23, June 27, July 25). This schedule is subject to change with advance notice. At the next meeting we will discuss this more in depth and get feedback. New Business to discuss: 1. Committees: In order to continue planning activities in the future and moving our group forward we need to establish a set of committees to plan and implement our work. Here are the initial committees that I believe that we need. Please let me know if there is a committee that you would like to be on or if you have other questions & concerns regarding the committees. Each committee will need a chair and the committee chairs will make up the steering committee. You may be on more than one committee. Event Planning: April 26/Tulip Festival (May 12) Fundraising Website/media 2. Volunteers needed on April 22 & 23 in New Hampshire : The campaign has asked me to help recruit volunteers from New York State to volunteer in New Hampshire on Saturday and/or Sunday April 21 & 22. On each of these days, dozens of volunteers are needed to help work at a phone bank recruiting volunteers for a series of major events in New Hampshire shortly after. The campaign has asked for volunteers to arrive in New Hampshire on either Friday night or early on Saturday morning and volunteer during the day and early evening. Housing can and will be provided for any volunteers who would like to stay overnight Friday or Saturday night before heading home. Volunteers may also help out on Sunday instead or on top of Saturday. The campaign is hoping to bring dozens if not more volunteers from New York on this Saturday to help prepare for activities in the weeks that follows.
Please email me ASAP if you are interested in helping out on Saturday or Sunday in New Hampshire. 3. T-shirts/buttons: We are planning on making t-shirts and buttons that are specifically NY for Obama. If you would like to create a design please do so and send it to the group to look at. The buttons should be circular and no more than 2 1/4 wide. Please keep all designs to no more than 3 colors. We need to have shirts and buttons ready by the 26th. Conclusion: Thanks again for all your hard work. We are off to a great start. I hope to see you all at the next regular meeting on the 18th if not before. And don't forget to RSVP for the 26th. SincerelyMichael DavoliChairpersonCapital District NY for Obamacapitaldistrictnyobama@gmail.com
Link
Huey Lewis and the News once sang that the heart of Rock n Roll is in Cleveland and he was right. Well on Monday night the heart of America's future was in Cleveland and the city Baracked!
The excitement in the suburban Cleveland gymnasium was as intoxicating as the gymnasium was hot. Close to 2000 people packed themselves into the small gymnasium while another two thousand supporters of Senator Obama who did not make it inside filled auditoriums around the campus in order to watch the speech on close circuit television.
When the Senator walked out on stage the crowd went wild. I am not going to say much more for the moment as I only arrived back in NY late last night. I just thought I would let everyone know to make sure that you check out the photos online.
On Monday, over 4000 showed up in Cleveland. I bet the next he is in Cleveland there will be 20,000. The locals in Cleveland were wonderful--especially all of the students who worked their butts off to make the event a success. You guys rock. With energy like this we cannot lose.
Now it is time to get working.
Cleveland Baracks!!!
Its 8:24 AM in Cleveland and we are less than 36 hours away from the historic rally in Cleveland. The streets are covered with snow and ice but the rock and roll city is filled with energy.
Tomorrow night Barack is going to Rock! Tomorrow night Senator Obama will speak at an indoor rally in Cleveland and it is going to be great. Since landing on the ground here in Cleveland yesterday to help with the rally the excitement has been incredible. Despite having no office in Cleveland and no full time staff here, just a few organizers have been able to build excitement about Barack that is incredible. But even they will admit, their job was not very hard.
The buzz about Senator Obama here in Cleveland is as it is all over the country...electric! People are excited to have a candidate that they believe in. They are excited to have a candidate that they talks about hope and a future that includes everyone!
Yestderday afternoon I witnessed an incredible thing. Over one hundred people of all ages and backgrounds coming together as volunteers to work like mad in an effort to get ready for the rally. Tomorrow night Barack Obama is going to rock the rock and roll city and it is going to be historic.
Stay tuned tomorrow and be sure to look for photos and video from the rally in Cleveland. The Senator will speak at about 7:30pm. We hope to have all sorts of footage on this website immediately after.
If the heart of rock and roll is in Cleveland then the heart of America is in Obama!
Greetings Friends We have picked a location for our first meeting. The meeting is Wednesday February 28th at 7pm.
Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary. (Albany, NY)217 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205 Java's is a great place with food, coffee drinks, parking and a great room for us to meet. Although we were hoping to find a good location in downtown Albany we had to choose a location with a large room to accommodate all the people who have RSVP'd so far. If this location does not work for everyone we will try a different location next time. In the meantime, please join us. This is going to be a very exciting evening.ThanksMichael
Why do I support Senator Barack Obama—in 100 words or less
(Please submit your own essay on why you support Obama in 100 words or less)
Obama is brilliant—Columbia & Harvard Law
He is street smart and not afraid to roll up his sleeves and do the hard work—years as a community organizer and Civil Rights attorney in Chicago.
He understands the beneficial roll of government—scholarships and financial aid was the only way that he could afford college.
He transcends politics—he recognizes that doing what works best for people is more important than what is ideologically correct.
The vision of hope and optimism that he wants to bring to America is at his core
He can inspire.
Hello Everyone.
If you have not heard, Senator Obama is going to be in Cleveland Ohio for a rally on Monday February 26th.
I have been asked to recruit volunteers for the rally and the days before. I will be heading to Cleveland on Friday night and will be there until after the rally on Monday the 26th. Volunteers are needed all weekend.
Interested volunteers will be staying on sofas, guest rooms, carpeted floors of some of the friendly locals we're working with. I know it is not luxurious but it will be fun. You probably will even get a chance to meet the Senator.
Activities for the weekend before include: phonebanking, litdropping target communities, postering around town and on campus, signmaking and attending a day-of-the-event training.Day-of activities include: clipboarding the line to get in with sign-in sheets/cards, ushering, manning the merch table, indoor crowd control, etc.
So if you are interested let me know. I can bring a car load of people.
Micahel Davoli
poliphish at gmail dot com
Upstate NY's for Barack Obama
I believe in the audacity of hope...I believe in Senator Barack ObamaOn August 11, 1965, longstanding resentment by Los Angeles' working-classblack community over treatment by police and inadequate public services(especially schools and hospitals) exploded into what was commonly known asthe Watts Riots. During five days of rioting, 34 people were officiallyreported killed, 1,100 people were injured, 4,000 people were arrested, 600buildings were damaged or destroyed, and an estimated $35 million in damagewas caused.For five days, television footage of the desperate young men and women ofWatts striking out against repression was beamed across the globe. One ofthe poorest urban areas in America was now one of the most well known. Theimages of death and destruction from Watts would remain in the mind of ayoung politician three years later as he campaigned for president.Less than three years after the Watts riots, Robert F. Kennedy took hisvision of hope and justice to the one place in California that desperatelyneeded both. While campaigning for office in the Watts neighborhood of LosAngeles in August 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was surrounded by youngAfrican-American men who cheered at his every word and accompanied him inhis tour of the very same neighborhoods that had burned to the ground only afew years earlier.The sincere message of hope and compassion for those that had been leftbehind and those that had never had a chance to pursue the American dreamwas a message that many in Watts had never heard-at least not from acandidate for president. Despite being a wealthy white politician fromMassachusetts who could not have been more different from the majority ofWatts's residents he was welcomed by the people of Watts with open armsbecause his message of hope was real and his compassion sincere.Robert F. Kennedy once said "There are those that look at things the waythey are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not."Although Robert F. Kennedy never lived to see his vision of hope andcompassion become reality, this vision is his greatest lasting legacy.Robert F. Kennedy started something in 1968. It is time for us to finishwhat he began. There is still work to be done.And Hope Fuels Generations...More than thirty years after Robert F. Kennedy first carried his vision intothe streets of Watts at a time of upheaval around the world and throughoutour nation, our great country faces another dark time that is as difficultif not even more challenging then those faced by Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.As America did in 1968, America once again needs a leader that reflects thebest of America. America needs a leader that understands that it is notenough to say that we have had enough and to place blame on those that have earned blame. America needs a leader that believes in his or her dreams more than he or she disagrees with the views of those who oppose them.And as Robert F. Kennedy did in 1968, America needs a leader that has thevision of hope and compassion to bring us out of the darkness of our timesand into sunshine of our dreams.
In the next year Senator Obama will begin a journey to not just introduce
Beginning on Saturday February 10th, America will once again have acandidate for president that brings out the best in all of us.
In the next year Senator Obama will begin a journey to not just introducehimself to America but to challenge every American to look within themselvesand think about they want for our great nation.I ask each of you to join Senator Obama on this journey. Start by thinkingabout your hopes and dreams. Imagine a nation not governed by fear or aworld not divided by hate. The first step to achieving this is to vision isto realize that the hope and compassion are not the emotions of the weak butthe tools of the strong.Although I have committed myself to everything I can to achieve the visionthat Senator Obama has articulated. I do not expect any of you to simplyjump on board. All I ask is that you take a few minutes and see foryourself.I believe in the audacity of hope and I hope you will join me.
