Fresh Paint on the Walls (and in our hair)

Earlier this week, we posted here about our January DNCC Service Days outing at Manual High School with Governor Dean and the DNC Executive Committee. Watch this video to learn more about Manual and see how the DNCC staff worked with the local community to make this school with such a rich history an even brighter place.

DNCC Service Days: Plaster, Paintbrushes and Posters at Manual High

Staff at the Democratic National Convention Committee put on our old jeans and our matching gray DNCC Service Days t-shirts today and headed over to Denver’s Manual High School to paint the teacher’s lounge and help students prepare posters for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Every month, the DNCC staff volunteers time on projects in one of three areas: youth, greening and the combined issues of homelessness and hunger. This month, the DNCC teamed up with the Colorado branch of Volunteers of America to lend a hand at Manual High School.

While in town for the Democratic National Committee’s Executive Committee meeting, DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean joined the DNCC — even sporting a DNCC t-shirt of his own. Wasting no time, Gov. Dean was given a paint tray, a brush and climbed up a ladder to do some painting. Proving he was well qualified for the job, the Governor’s first question: “Is this paint latex or oil based?”

Manual opened in 1896 and has the distinction of being the alma mater of former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, his wife Wilma and former Denver Councilwoman and current Denver Host Committee President Elbra Wedgeworth, among others. In 2006, Manual closed its doors due to declining enrollment and low student performance, but has since reopened for 9th graders — with plans to add one grade each year until it is once again home to a full four grades.

Speaking on behalf of all my DNCC colleagues, hearing the story and history of Manual was inspiring. And having the opportunity to help make the school a better place for students and teachers was an amazing way to spend the afternoon.

Click here to see photos from today’s event.

Click here to see some of the news stories about the day’s events:

9 News

My Fox Colorado.com

cbs4Denver

Rocky Mountain News

Denver Post-(AP)

DNCC Service Days: Urban Peak

At the beginning of this week, DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry and the DNCC staff were joined by Colorado First Lady Jeannie Ritter for this months DNCC Service Days project at Denvers Urban Peak — a non-profit shelter and service provider for homeless youth. The DNCC and the First Lady prepared a hot breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and festive holiday sweet rolls for the youth at Urban Peak. Following the meal, Leah presented the organization with a box filled with clothes and other warm items such as gloves and hats donated by the DNCC staff for the cold weather months. Watch this video to see the event first-hand.And be sure to check out this story from the Rocky Mountain News.

Here’s a bit of what they had to say:

Daughtry, chief executive officer of the Democratic National Convention Committee, asked how the pregnancy was going. They talked about the need to take prenatal pills. Cousins, while eating crispy bacon smothered in maple syrup, proudly told her about getting an apartment and saving some money.Around the trio, video cameras rolled and the cafeteria at Urban Peak in Denver on Monday morning was filled with a cacophony of voices – troubled youth and those cooking breakfast for them in the kitchen on the other side of the counter.

Among those cooking was Colorado’s first lady Jeannie Ritter and the staff of the DNCC.

DNCC Service Days with Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin

Recently, we posted a story about our DNCC Service Day with Convention Co-Chair and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. This just in: new video of Mayor Franklin touring The Crossing and rolling up her sleeves and sorting canned goods with the Convention team. Click above to watch the video.

DNCC Service Days with Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin

This past Friday, Atlanta Mayor and Democratic National Convention Co- Chair Shirley Franklin visited Denver and participated in the DNCC Service Days campaign. Mayor Franklin and the DNCC staff sorted more than 2,500 4,000 pounds of canned goods for the homeless and less fortunate at The Crossing, a facility of the Denver Rescue Mission. DNCC Service Days focus on three areas of importance to the local community: greening, youth and the combined issues of homelessness and hunger.

Meet the Staff-Marisa

Marisa McAuliffe works in the Chief of Staff’s office for the Democratic National Convention Committee. Marisa moved to Denver this past summer, but already she has become a vital part of the community. When Marisa is not at work, there’s a good chance she’s giving back to the Convention host city. In this staff profile, Marisa shows us around the Denver Rescue Mission, where she volunteers her time after work. The DNCC has an internal monthly community service challenge to track hours of service completed by staff — and October was Marisa’s month to shine.

DNCC giving back

With the Democratic National Convention coming to Denver in just 10 months, the staff here at the DNCC is in full swing giving back to the community. Back in the summer, the staff took a weekend day to help spread mulch around trees in City Park. In September, we took a group of kids from Colorado Uplift to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park just outside Denver for a soccer clinic with some players from Denver’s MLS team the Rapids.

This Wednesday, we headed over to the Edna Oliver Montessori Early Learning Center in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. The DNCC staff read to the kids, played on the playground with them and a bunch of us cleaned up around the center’s grounds.

Check out our photos of the day’s events here.

Chuck Plunkett of the Denver Post has a blog post about community service event on the Post’s blog Politics West.

Members of the Democratic National Convention Committee continued a stated goal of giving back to the community on Thursday by volunteering to work with young students out cleaning up their school grounds.

The DNCC staffers joined the Edna Oliver Montessori Early Learning Center under stunning blue skies as part of the “DNCC Service Days” volunteerism effort.

Below you’ll find a video we made about the event