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)

Vote Democratic National Convention for Colorado’s Story of the Year

A year ago, when Denver was in the running to become the host city for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, many said it was a long shot. But with hard work throughout the selection process, an amazing city and a compelling regional story to be told, this August 25-28th, Denver will host the first Democratic National Convention in the Mile High City in 100 years. Denver’s landing of the Convention was big news — perhaps the biggest of the year. As the year winds down, the Rocky Mountain News is asking readers to vote on the top 10 Colorado news stories of 2007. As the year winds down, the Rocky Mountain News is asking readers to vote on the top 10 Colorado news stories of 2007. If you’re with us in thinking the Democratic National Convention coming to Denver should top the list, click here and cast your vote.

Update: Luis over at Square State thinks the Democratic National Convention coming to Denver is one of the big stories of the year. Check out the post here.

Convention Conversations – Boulder

This Wednesday, DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry visited Boulder, Colorado for the third in an ongoing series of Convention Conversations. Joining Daughtry on stage was Colorado House Majority Leader Alice Madden. In addition to offering information on how Boulder residents and members of the local business community can get involved in the Convention experience, a good portion of the discussion focused on organizers’ efforts to “green” Convention planning. During the forum, Leah introduced Andrea Robinson, the first ever Director of Greening for a Democratic National Convention. Watch this video to hear Leahs remarks from Boulder and learn a bit more about the newest addition to the DNCC team.

 

To read more from media on this event click here, here and here.

DNCC in the News: Online media

Online outreach around the 2008 Democratic National Convention is continuing to make news. I sat down with Denver’s local Fox station to talk about credentials for bloggers and how the Democratic National Convention is going to be covered by the online media. Click here to watch the video. Also that week, I joined Joan McCarter of Daily Kos and spoke with the Colorado Public Radio show Colorado Matters about the online media’s role at the Convention. You can hear that interview here.
If you’re interested in applying for blogger credentials, click here.

Politics West: Meet the Players

DNCC Deputy CEO for Public Affairs Jenni Engebretsen was featured in Politics West under the headline Meet the Players. Below are some samples of the Q&A, click here to see the rest of the questions.

Q: What’s your job here?

A: I’m the Deputy CEO, Public Affairs for the Democratic National Convention Committee – which means I head up the press, online communications and public programs teams for the committee planning and organizing the convention in Denver.

Q: Any advice for your counterpart at the Republican National Convention?

A: There’s no question that the calendar ahead lends itself to heightened energy around the 2008 conventions. The back-to-back speeches offered from Denver and then St. Paul will be in essence the first debate between the nominees – a debate that will in turn kick off the home-stretch sprint to the election.

So with that in mind, I guess I’d say: Get ready. We intend to set the bar high.

DNCC in the News

Earlier this month, the DNCC announced its plans for credentialing blogs for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. If you’re interested in applying, click here to find more information about the credentialing process.

In the weeks since the DNCC announcement, blogger credentialing at the Democratic National Convention has been making headlines. Among other stories, Katherine Seelye featured the DNCC’s online outreach in her NY Times column on Monday. Check out that story and some of the others stories below.

Conventions Throw Doors Open to Bloggers-NY Times

Democrats Embrace Blogs For Convention-National Journal

Dems say bloggers will get better treatment at ‘08 convention AP

DNCC CEO profiled in Rocky Mountain News

DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry is profiled on the Rocky Mountain News website and in Saturday’s print edition.

From the Rocky Mountain News:

[Convention CEO Leah] Daughtry knows there’s a lot to be done. Big numbers are tossed about — 35,000 descending on Denver, an economic impact of about $160 million and thousands of credentialed media putting the city center stage Aug. 25-28.

She said one of her chief worries is something that she never encountered in Los Angeles, Boston or New York when conventions were held there.

It’s the King Soopers anecdote — an incident in Denver when Daughtry said she was trying to buy eggs and was stopped by a woman who began enthusiastically telling her how important the convention was to Denver.

Then there was the LoDo restaurant owner who recognizes her and shouts out that his business is booked for two solid weeks during the convention.

All of this tells Daughtry that Denver will be a different experience than past conventions.

Also be sure to check out the audio slide show.