Just wanted to let you know about the terrific work the York Obama Works folks are up to:
They pulled off a great Sweep and voter registration drive - you can read more about it here, where the York Daily Record covered it.
Nicely done, folks! Together, We Can!
Yours,
David
P.S. Expect more from this blog shortly about a national event!
This wonderful video tells its own story, so I won’t blather on and attempt to do so for it. View and be inspired! We’ve also posted it in our videos section, should you want to pass it on to a friend!
MISSOULA, MONTANA OBAMA WORKS
RIVER-CLEAN UP INAUGURAL EVENT, APRIL 19, 2008
Some 50 volunteers gathered by the banks of the Clark Fork River by
the University of Montana to clean-up a section of river as our first
Obama Works event. Moms and kids clambered over rocks with trash bags
in hands, sorting out recyclables. University students pulled out
trash with vigor, alongside people of all ages—up to 85 years old, all of whom
believe that “community” includes not only people and civic infrastructure,
but also the natural world.
Obama banners fluttered in the cool wind. Missoula mayor John Engen,
who has endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president, stopped by with
his dog for a filmed interview. In fact, we have many interviews on
tape that will be put together into a short 4-5 minute film ( a work
in progress). Our voter registration table was a popular stop for
pedestrians crossing the footbridge over the river en route to the
Ki-Yoh Pow-Wow, and the ground-breaking ceremony for the new Native
American center on campus. Our tally of tangible community service for
two hours on the day that marked the start of Earth Week: 22 bags of
litter, 20 bags of recyclables, a large mound of cardboard.
The kick-off Obama Works Palo Alto, CA event was a quite successful book drive. The story below ran in the Palo Alto Daily news.
By Liz Harrelson / Daily News correspondent
Supporters of the Ravenswood School District and presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama rallied for literacy and the candidate’s campaign Saturday, collecting more than 1,300 books for the district.
Amid gleeful cries from children playing in Rinconada Park in Palo Alto and the singing of family songs by local performers, about 50 people turned out supporting “Obama ‘08″ stickers, T-shirts and other political memorabilia. One girl, Amelia Ashlund, 5, painted her own shirt in support of the political candidate.
“Once you raise the level of education, you raise the level of quality of life in a community,” said Ravenswood School District Board Member Larry Moody. (more…)
There was a blog post about Obama Works on barackobama.com yesterday and we are still up on the front page! This is the 3rd time OW has made BO.com, very cool stuff. Check it out here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amyhamblin/gGCVMj
‘Obama Works’ Groups Carry Out Barack’s Message of Change
When undergraduates David and Justin heard Barack’s call to change, they knew that the process of reclaiming and revitalizing our communities must begin now. They wrote a column in their student newspaper in January where they proposed doing service projects — or “Obama Works” — to raise visibility about Barack’s candidacy and demonstrate what Barack has always said — that change comes from the ground-up.
Word about Obama Works began circulating through the My.BarackObama group listservs. Adam, a supporter in Philly, jumped on board and rapidly organized supporters in his area for the first of several street clean-ups.
Soon local chapters of Obama Works were forming on My.BarackObama in cities across the country – from Portland, Oregon to Tulsa, Oklahoma to Cary, North Carolina. The Twin Cities chapter, founded a month ago, boasts 40-plus members who just participated in their first park clean-up, wearing their Obama gear. Jill, chapter co-founder:
It’s ‘Yes, we can,’ not ‘Yes, he can.’ In order for this movement to be successful, we have to move the ball forward, to get people to understand that you need to be the change by pitching in and helping each other and getting to know our neighborhoods. Obama Works projects are a way to do this. It gives you a chance to know your neighbors and the community you’re living in.
Marlene Caroselli, of Rochester, NY writes in to say that Obama Works inspired a great event:
Ten artists will each donate a small painting. The artists will come, with two friends each, to a gathering at my home. These thirty people will each purchase one $10-painting. The $300 raised will be used for a ScholARTship–an award that will be made to a local, city school (not rich, suburban school) student to use in pursuit of his or her career. We hope this will be just the first of many ScholARTship fundraisers.
As do we — here’s to creative solutions in action!
Hey folks! The NYC Chapter of Obama Works held its first Sweep this weekend. Here’s the report from Maywa, who Justin and I had the good fortune of meeting when we were up campaigning for Barack in New Hamphire:
Today Obama Works officially launched its first NYC chapter with an Earth Day-inspired clean -up in Harlem. Six of us gathered on 125th Street armed with trash bags, gloves, and plenty of elbow grease. In two-and-a-half hours we managed to fill about 25 bags worth of trash (and one bag with recyclabes!). Along the way we aroused plenty of curiosity from passersby: “So, you guys are out here just picking up the garbage because you like Obama?” “Are you giving out T-shirts?”"That’s cool — no one ever sweeps this street” And then the best kind “When will you be back? ‘Cause I want to help!” We were so encouraged by the community support that we’d like to make Harlem Sweeps a regular event in the run-up to November.
If you’re in the NYC area, join the NYC Obama Works group at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/ObamaWorksNYC
From one of the Obama Works organizers in Dayton, Ohio from this past Saturday, April 12th.
“The Obama Dayton Sweep was a success !!!
I Just wanted to let everyone know how much I appreciated all your time and hard work Saturday during the Obama Sweep. We had over 40 people. We cleaned up over 5500 lbs of trash!!! Y es, almost 3 tons of trash was removed from our alleys and park!!!!!! Even though it was cold and sometimes raining, everyone stuck it out until mid afternoon. About 15 of us diehards worked until evening. I know there were several aching backs, knees, legs etc. Please know that your efforts are worth while.”
Keep up the great work Obama Workers. Together, We Truly Can!
Fired Up in Philly!
So Paul, in his inaugural blog post, jokingly asked if we have any critics yet. Er… not so funny anymore! Really did not take too long. While most folks who hear about the Obama Works idea are enthusiastic supporters, we’ll also occasionally run into people who support Obama but are more skeptical of our project. So I thought I’d post one of my responses to a critical email, because I think it touches on many of the deeper points as to why we think Obama Works is a meaningful project.
Obama Supporters Put His Words to Action
By Laura Jensen
April 5, 2008
Thirty-four people of varied ages and diverse backgrounds came together yesterday to sweep a neighborhood in York City, Pennsylvania. What these people shared in common was an understanding of Senator Obama’s vision for a new kind of politics. What they shared was a sense of empowerment to take personal responsibility, not just to help Senator Obama win the Pennsylvania Primary, but to be a part of the real sweeping positive change that they absolutely believe an Obama Presidency will mean for our country.
These folks are part of a rapidly growing grassroots movement called “Obama Works” whose mission is to help people organize community service events which demonstrate support for Senator Obama while making a concrete contribution in their communities.* The movement began in New Haven, Connecticut just about seven weeks ago, and has spread to cities in Pennsylvania, Oregon, California, New York and Washington State. It is spurred onward primarily by people’s realization of Barack Obama’s message that “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Armed with work gloves, trash bags, brooms, shovels and rakes, all donated by Penn Waste and York More Beautiful, the York City group convened at a Hess Station at the busy corner of College Avenue and Queen Street. Dividing into three teams, which respectively headed east, south and west into residential neighborhoods, the workers filled as many as ten large trash bags on some blocks. Several of the younger kids waved Obama rally signs, eliciting honks and cheers from passing cars. Neighbors emerged from their homes, appearing inquisitive and grateful. Some folks stopped to chat, to discuss the issues on their minds with this upcoming election. Information was disseminated and many new volunteers were directed to the Obama York Headquarters.
Most importantly, real connections were made within this diverse group of volunteers and within this community. When it came time to close the event just about everyone, though tired and hungry, lingered on that corner with a sense of camaraderie, connection, accomplishment, and real hope for the future of our country.