View photos: http://www.flickr.com/gp/86185373@N00/126c1u
Just back from a weekend in Philly, and preparing to go back again on primary day, I thought that I should stop for a moment to record my thoughts and share the special moments from our experience.
For this trip, I took my oldest son out of school to travel on Friday. He is nine, and I reasoned that if this was not a learning experience, nothing was! Our trip began by providing a ride to two DC Women for Obama - one of whom was 80 years old and a had a lifetime of stories to tell about her history as a civil rights activist. On the ride to Philly, my son received a history lesson that you can only learn from someone who has lived through an experience. This Woman for Obama regaled us with stories of freedom riders, bus trips, peaceful protests, and arrests for civil disobedience. As she said, "It's been a long struggle. I have seen some things." It was a fascinating entree into a weekend of campaign activity to share the journey with someone who had fought for basic civil rights, and who is now traveling, at 80 years old, to support Barack Obama's presidential campaign. History in the making, again.
Over the course of the weekend, we attended dinners, breakfasts, meetings, and briefings. We worked at Obama HQ on Sansom Street, my young son coloring posters to decorate the walls of the offices. We enjoyed a dinner with an amazingly organized group of Massachusetts Women for Obama, who welcomed us into their fold, and even gave us an honorary "Massachusetts Women for Obama" ball cap! Along with hundreds of other supporters, we attended the rally with Caroline Kennedy, Jessica Lange, Judge Hatchett, Kate Michelman, and other inspiring speakers. We canvassed, and in the process, made new friends with some women who had traveled from New England to campaign for Barack in Pennsylvania.
But perhaps the most telling moments occurred on the streets of Philadelphia, between all of the organized activities. I had extra buttons pinned to my camera straps, "just in case" we ran into strangers who might want one. Little did I know that while waiting on line for cheesesteaks in the Terminal Market, we would be approached by so many people asking questions about Barack that we would give away all of our extra buttons - and would then give away the buttons that we were wearing ourselves! A surgeon in town for a convention asked a few questions, then asked for a button. My reply, "Sure - but they all say "Women for Obama". "That's OK", he said. "I am in touch with my feminine side". And he proudly pinned the button to his suit jacket. Two women in our party began speaking with a man who identified himself as a lifelong Republican, but who wanted to know why they were so impassioned as to be traveling across the country to campaign for Barack. By the time they reached the counter and got their sandwiches, he had decided to join them for lunch! They spent the next half hour talking to this man about our candidate, and when they parted ways, he had promised to go right home and watch the "race" speech on Youtube. "I am not promising" he said. "But I am not saying no, either!" Progress!
The airport shuttle driver at our hotel asked for a button, and proudly wore it on the job. The next time I returned to the front doors of the hotel, I heard someone yell out, "Hey there, Obama girl!" and saw the same driver, still sporting his button. And when I finally checked out on Sunday morning, the porter carrying my bags down asked me why we were in town. I said, "We are with the Obama group". He replied that he was a fan of both of the democratic candidates. "I believe we have the stronger candidate", I said. "May I tell you why?" He quickly agreed to listen, and for the next 20 minutes, after confirming that he was in fact registered to vote, my son and I detailed our experience working with the campaign for the past year, and tried to express why we believe that Barack is the candidate who can unite our country and bring about the change that we all so desperately want and need. I hope I see the porter again next week so I can ask him how he is feeling heading into the primary!
All told, it was an amazing weekend. As we packed to leave, my son said "Mom, do you think Nick (his younger brother) missed out this weekend? "Well", I said, "He is sort of young for this". Jack paused a moment, then said, "Well, I guess he would rather be at Chuck E Cheese with Grandma than be here making history with us". Now that's something for the scrapbook! :-)
View Photos: http://www.flickr.com/gp/86185373@N00/126c1u
Families for Obama is thrilled to announce that our national cookbook project in electronic format is finally complete! Thanks so much to all who have contributed their stories, photos, drawings, and recipes.Special thanks to our amazing volunteer illustrator, Ray Kaselau. Ray's amazing artwork really helped to take this project to the "next" level, and we are so very grateful.We are finally ready to reveal the final product and offer it for download. As always, we encourage everyone to make a donation today.You can download the cookbook from our FfO website: Click Here: FfO COOKBOOK FUNDRAISER LAUNCH! - Families for Obama
If you take the cookbook, please consider an online donation to our group page today: Click Here: FfO Fundraising Page
FfO Fundraising Page
Hi, as many of you may know, the national Families for Obama group has their own website: Families for Obama link. I participate on that site as often as I can, but, I like to keep this site current, as well. I volunteered to represent the Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama in May. I started a group, on this site, to keep everyone informed. If you're in Illinois, please visit and or join the Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama group page or pop over to the national website mentioned above. Feel free to post blogs, share events in your area and hopefullly, come to central Illinois and meet us!
I look forward to hearing from you,
Gail/ freedom4u_n_me/ Obama in the Heart, Peoria, IL/ Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama and co-admin of Moms for Obama.
We are a vast variety of people following different paths to reach the same destination-a place where we can find hope and change by having a President in the Whitehouse that we can trust!
Not all of us can contribute to this campaign in the same way. So, just do what you can!
Perhaps you haven't been able to canvass,..........because you don't have a babysitter for your young children, you can't afford it or your health doesn't allow you to travel. That's O.K.- just talk to you friends, family and neighbors or be seen doing community service.
Perhaps you haven't been able to make a monetary donation...........because you've just lost your job, you can't find a job or you're living paycheck to paycheck, as it is. That's O.K.- just contribute your time, your ideas and share your uniqueness with others while letting them know, in one way or another, that you are an Obama supporter.
Perhaps you haven't been able to participate in any events, yet........because there haven't been any near where you live, you're work schedule conflicts or you're homebound. That's O.K.- just contribute your voice and spread the word to others, pick up the phone or send an email or create your own event at a time that's convenient for you.
We are all unique, with different life styles, different personalities and different beliefs. But we are joined together by our determination to see 'our' candidate win the primary and then become the President of this diverse country in 2008.
So, just do what you can! We can make a difference!
"I Shall Not Pass This Way Again"
Through this toilsome world, alas!
Once and only once I pass;
If a kindness I may show,
If a good deed I may do
To a suffering fellow man,
Let me do it while I can.
No delay, for it is plain
I shall not pass this way again.
author Unknown.
Gail/ freedom4u_n_me
It was a raucous reception for the Senator as he greeted what seemed like close to a thousand people at H2O Restaurant and Lounge Wednesday in Washington D.C. The line to get in was long (see photos), but I had my e-ticket and was ready for anything.
The line started moving at around 7:30, and flowed quickly with most people filtering in by 8. Barack didn't speak 'til around 9:30, but I had a great time chatting with fellow supporters who were very quick to share their experiences of grass roots activism and what inspired them to support this man.
I also spied some Families for Obama members who had volunteered and responsible for "crowd control". The crowd wasn't much in need of control, of course until Barack came out to speak. He transfixed us all for close to 45 minutes before engaging the crowd afterwards (I got to shake his hand!)
His speech focused on several key topics, including the importance of education, our faltering health care system, the need for us to get out of Iraq, and the unique promise of the U.S. to be a true world leader once again. His call for the District to finally get an electoral vote was met with the loudest applause of the night, hitting a note that seemed to resonate very strongly with the young hip urban crowd.
Like any time I have watched him speak, he seemed to take the audience to that place, about 15 minutes in, where you realize the rhetoric has been stripped away and all you have is the absolute sincerity of his conviction. The place where our cynicism has fallen away and we have allowed ourselves to hope that what he speaks of can become true. And the best of all is that it starts with us, not with Barack. Getting to that point never gets old to me, and last night was no different.
Driving out of the city that night, due to my unfamiliarity with the city (I am recent transplant) I drove past the Washington Monument and the Lincoln, Jefferson and FDR memorials on my way back to Arlington. All of sudden they seemed like more than mere monuments to me. Instead, cast in the light of the energy of Barack’s speech, they seemed like beacons of hope for the future, a future that I could help create, and not just for myself, but for my young son and others of the coming generation.
I feel Barack Obama is the next cornerstone of that great Amercan legacy, and we are all lucky to witness it, as well as foster and enable it. It’s a very exciting time to be an American.
See my pics here:
Link
And a video I took here:
R U thinking of doing something event wise for Obama? You may want to try a playdate! Invite those from your child's/grandchild's circle of friends. They play and you get to talk Obama!
Moms for Obama* Link has their first obama playdate THIS wed from 9:30-11:30 in Peoria IL area Link . This one is geared for the baby to preschool set with supporters and undecided parents/grandparents. We plan to have some obama inspired activities for the kids (maybe chalk up the drive and decorate cookies AND I did rework the coke jingle in a blog so hey you can even teach them a song!!) and then some information to pass and initiate conversation with the adults.
It is a nice way to involve the family. Playdates are cheap, can be in parks or home, involve activities (here is some chalk kids!! etc), and fun! What a way to energize the future voters and family!
So there you are- an event you can do and suggested invitees! Let us know if you need playdate ideas- between families for and moms for Obama groups- we will try to do our best! We look forward to putting your playdate -where ever that may be- on the event calendar soon!!!
* This is also co-sponsored by IL families for Obama and obama in the heart groups
Announcing the formation of a new group: Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama.
PLEASE JOIN!
I wanted to start this group on this website, even though, Families for Obama, the national group, does have their own website. I will continue to maintain that site, too! I have a profile there Link
I noticed, today that eventful has been added at the bottom of the home page, here. I do post our calender there, as well. My profile name at eventful.com and at familiesforobama.org, my profile name is Gail4Obama.
You still have time to sign up for our 1st, Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama event:
SUN., MAY 2OTH, 1PM, TUSCARORA PARK PAVILLION, TUSCARORA RD., BARTONVILLE: TALENT SHOW 'FUN'-RAISER!
admission: $2 per person or $5 for a family of 3 or more. Talent acts: $5
Open to everyone ages 0-99! Come and have some fun!
As always, I look forward to meeting you and your family!
Feel free to contact me anytime: gail.newtson@gmail.com
Gail/ freedom4u_n_me/ Obama in the Heart, Peoria, IL: or for Obama in the Heart you can email me: grtnewt3@juno.com
Justin Trawick headlined the first Jammin’ for Obama event at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA on Monday. I got there around 6:30, attempting to do my best impression of Cameron Crowe in Almost Famous. Sadly, Kate Hudson was not on hand, but Lindsey Brooks from Families for Obama was which was just as good.
The opening act was a young trio called either Empty-J or NPJ - I couldn’t quite hear over the din of the room. They were playing their first gig and earned extra points for the Obama stickers they attached to various body parts (see photos.)
By 7:30 or so there were close to 40 people in the room with a strong family presence and lots of cute little ones running around. Justin played acoustic guitar and sang his own songs, accompanied by a friend on the string bass. If I had to categorize the style, I’d call it a little like David Gray but with the rapid-fire lyrical delivery of Barenaked Ladies. A good time was had by all.
I posted pictures here:
To hear some of Justin’s music, check out his website at:
-Jason
I would like to ask everyone from central Illinois to join my group: Obama in the Heart, Peoria, IL. This is where you can find all the events that are going on in our area! By joining, it makes it easier for me to send email updates to everyone at once via the listserv. As it is now, from my message center, I can only send info to 10 friends at once..........so, it tends to be a little time consuming.
I am also the co-admin for Moms for Obama and the admin for Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama. Mid-America Mom (the official admin of the Moms group) and I are working together on events for all 3 groups, so, by joining, it is an easy way to keep up to date on near-by events and other news.
We have several things planned and a lot more to come!
If you know of an event taking place, please let me know. I love to get out there with others and help promote our candidate! Plus, it's easier to get the word out if we post it to the group pages!
and feel free to contact me anytime at grtnewt3@juno.com,
Around 20 people showed up on Saturday to sport their colors and signs for Obama '08 in Clarendon, a townlet in Arlington, VA. At least one supporter was of the canine persuasion (see link for pictures.) Jaime Mulligan did a good job of leading us all in Obama cheers and the crowd was very receptive. I got the feeling that there was a lot of positive sentiment out there, because once onlookers saw the Obama signs, there were usually cheers, especially closer to the more bohemian coffee joints along the route. Indeed, before we even set foot on the parade route, there were many requests for Obama stickers from both fellow paraders and onlookers.
Several of our crew kept themselves busy canvassing the crowd getting volunteer sign-ups and distributing stickers. The rain that had been forecasted held out, giving us instead a reprieve from the unseasonally warm weather with generous cloud cover.
All in, I would call the outing a success and yet another shining example of how grassroots organization combined with the power of the internet can bring about change. We could tell the crowd was hungry for something new, and if everything goes well in the coming months, I feel we can deliver on that promise of change.
To everyone in the NoVa area we would love to see you at the “Jammin’ for Obama” event at Jammin’ Java in Vienna on Monday, May 14. It will be great music and a chance to network with others who care much about ONP Barack Obama.
Click below for pictures of the parade:
GREAT NEWS! The National Canvassing Day fits right in with our Chicago Tour-Obama Style, scheduled for June 9th. We will be traveling via motor home, or car caravan, with our vehicles decorated to support Obama , rather than traveling on foot!Once we arrive in Chicago, there will be several area supporters meeting up with us to have lunch and/ or attend the Chicago White Sox game!PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP TO COORDINATE SEATING AT THE GAME AND THE CHICAGO MEET-UP LOCATION: grtnewt3@juno.com
What better way to spread the word than to have groups from all over attend a White Sox game (the Senator's favorite team). We will arrive at US Cellular Field early enough to do some canvassing of our own!We plan on leaving from Peoria, meeting at the Northwoods Mall, at 9am.We will depart from US Cellular Field at 6:30pm to arrive back in Peoria at about 10:30pm. So, spread the word and confirm ASAP.Gail Newtson/Tamara Burrell
Well I don't know if I will be the first but allow me to state my personal feelings in regards to the Senator's campaign. I will try not to sound redundant in my efforts to share with you all my written expression of gratitude towards Barack Obama.
Anyhow, I was first introduced to Barack Obama on the eve of his historic appearance as the keynote speaker at 2004 Democratic Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.
That particular day I had had a very bad day, wasn't really feeling politically inclined to any longer involve myself with politics in our country and was in the process of applying for citizenship in Vancouver, Canada BC so that my family and I could start our lives over.
Just like many other disappointed Americans, we felt let down by the political process and abandoned by perseverance, hope and unity. The change that we had been promised, prayed and hope for post 9/11 had all but faded and we had had enough... that is until the night of the convention where I'd heard Barack Obama speak for the first time.
What struck me most about his speech that night were several things:
1. Our government's responsibility to the people
2.His objection to the Iraqi war
3. The desire for bipartisanship to help bridge the diving gap between the American people.
4. Claiming responsibility as a nation and being held accountable as a country for the short-comings and down falls of our youth.
5. Believing in our government, affirm our faith in the political process by being involved and standing up for a vision of unity that calls for every American citizen to HOPE for CHANGE.
Senator Barack Obama saved me from making what would have been the biggest mistake of my life, he saved me... my family from leaving what I know can be a wonderful country only if we allow it to be.
It is because of Obama's constant message of HOPE. ACTION. CHANGE, that I campaign so passionately. I too like so many other Americans HOPE that our great nation can unite as one to change the inner-workings of our government to better suit the needs of the people, not the special interests groups or lobbyists.
For those of us who support the Senator, by campaigning at the grassroots level we are able to showcase our ability to take ACTION, grasping what could well be our last shot diplomacy and declare ourselves ready for a necessary CHANGE in order to move forward becoming The United States of America.
I believe wholeheartedly in a positive and peaceful cohesiveness within our country and I would love to see in my lifetime Senator Barack Obama be given the chance to do what past President's have failed to do and that's put the people's needs first!
Peace & Blessings,
Chica
Hello everyone, my name is Jason Gunnink, and I would like to introduce myself as the Families for Obama administrator for Northern Virginia.
I live in Arlington with my wife Susan and son Jack. This is my first time volunteering for anything political, but Barack Obama has made me excited about the political process again. At the kickoff party my wife and I held I was happy to meet many others who feel the same way.
I am going to be helping both Families for Obama and Arlingtonians for Obama in their regional grass roots efforts. I am hoping to set up some kind of regularly occurring events for NoVa in particular as well as helping the other groups.
Given that it is a bit of challenge to be logging into all of these different sites, I prefer to manage this region from the main Obama site. My username is jgunnink and my zip code is 22204. If you live in NoVa and would like to stay connected on events near you, please send me your email address.
Hi everyone,
I've been out of the loop for a little while and I don't have a lot of time now, but I wanted to give everyone a short update on our group, Obama in the Heart, Peoria, IL.
Isn't May a wild and crazy month......the weather, graduations, picnics..........the list goes on and on, doesn't it? I hope to see all of you towards the end of the month or in June!
First of all, did you see the Meet 'n' Greet that our admin., Mid-America Mom, has planned for Mon. night the 7th? It's at the Bob Evans in East Peoria at 7pm. Please RSVP if you plan on attending. I'm sorry to say that I won't be there, this time, because of one of my daughter's award banquets. (Not that I'm unhappy to attend that.... as my heart swells with pride!)
Update on upcoming events- STAY TUNED!
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR EVENTS on group page: OBAMA IN THE HEART, PEORIA, IL. or watch our other groups: MOMS FOR OBAMA AND FAMILIES FOR OBAMA
May 16th at Gorman's Pub, Campustown, Peoria, IL. at 7pm. Please RSVP. I'm looking forward to meeting many, many more of you!
May 21, I'm going to the Democrat meeting at the ITOO Hall in Peoria. If you'd like to join me but need directions, feel free to contact me!
June 3rd-charity brainstorming and debate watching party at Joanne Urish's home in Glasford, IL. DETAILS TO FOLLOW- this one will be great! We are planning on starting early enough to have a guest speaker and perhaps some entertainment! Snacks will be provided and we will have a few exciting ideas and opportunites to share: HINTS: recycling through thinkgreen.com and the possibility of 'adopting' a local charity!
June 9th-Chicago-Yes, we are still going!!!!!! There's still time to join us for the Chicago Tour-Obama Style! A fellow supporter, from Chicago, may be setting up a sister event with us and we look forward to meeting all the Chicagoans on there own turf!
a BBQ in the park, fundraiser (Peoria, East Peoria area)
a talent show 'fun-raiser', yes, I meant to say fun!! (Peoria area)
Chiefs game- Meet 'N' Greet
Some of these events will be listed under Families for Obama, as well as Obama in the Heart and Moms for Obama, because, we are happy to announce that Mid-America Mom and myself, freedom4u_n_me, have been asked to be administrators for central IL. This is a national group that we will be promoting, in our area, this summer.... should be lot's of fun!!
What do you think about these ideas?
As always, I look forward to hearing from all of you,
Gail/Freedom4u_n_me/Obama in the Heart, Peoria, IL
gail.newtson@gmail.com or grtnewt3@juno.com
