December 2023 — Update from the Chair
The month began with Supervisor Heidi Hall from Nevada City Supervisor District I speaking about her local reelection campaign at the Tuscany Garden Women’s Club Christmas celebration. Thirty-five club members attended this year. Heidi is striving to receive more than 50% of the primary ballot vote in the March primary as she achieved in her last election cycle. If she succeeds this time, she can then avoid a November runoff election. It would be one less thing for the local party to worry about as we head into what many of us feel will be the most important election of a lifetime. Because Heidi is a local Democrat Endorsed candidate, volunteers for Heidi are encouraged to help with time, a donation, or both by calling 530-802-5431. A timely return call will be forthcoming and weekly staffing of the office begins mid-month January, 2024.
The next end-of-year celebration party this season was the League of Women Voters event at Golden Era Saloon. A quick visit confirmed a lively gathering underway and I took the occasion to congratulate their leadership on co-hosting the Better Angles Depolarizing Conversation event along with the local chapter of the American Association of University Women.
Next day was the First Tuesday Education Forum held monthly at the Nevada County Media Center on Crown Point Circle. This month featured Hospitality House Development Director Faith Trump who spoke about her organization. Subsequent annual DEM fundraising for Hospitality House raised over $4,500 dollars this year, enough to buy $40 dollar gift cards and 4 bus passes for 100 people to receive as gifts inside Christmas cards assembled at our year-around DEM volunteer headquarters just off East Main Street in Grass Valley. In addition, individual Nevada County Democrats also volunteered to provide Christmas gifts to 24 children being served by Hospitality House. The project was coordinated by former Chair Peter Minett and his well-known activist wife, Erin. A shoutout also goes to the social time team headed by Kathleen Schaffer which provided holiday fare for all to share that evening.
In keeping with the collaboration between all like minded 3rd Congressional District Democrats as we begin this important election year, several of our Nevada County leadership team drove down to the Auburn Area Democratic Club seasonal potluck dinner celebration at the Gomez Center in Auburn. An impressive eighty people attended the potluck including Jessica Morse, our democratic candidate for Congressional District 3 as well as Sue Hilderbrand, the full-time regional organizer assigned the terrain by the California Democratic Party. Spirits were high and I can attest they flowed freely, If you know what I mean.
Five days later Jessica Morse spoke again. This time on a Zoom-enabled Town Hall meeting hosted by Sierra Forward. This organization propels regional networking by promoting speakers and candidates important to the foothill and mountain communities east of Sacramento.
Another allied organization called the Sierra Regional Partnership met by Zoom the next day with twenty-five people attending. This second district wide regional association has recently come together as a permanent structure of activism between election cycles. Members from many non-profit community associations banding with local governance structures and elected officials are now cross pollinating between election cycles to overcome the boom-bust pattern otherwise typical of electoral campaigns in our region. Permanent organizing between election cycles will maximize the broad shift in voting patterns already underway in this area as we strive to realize this year's State Democratic Party Motto which is: "forever organizing."
Speaking of purposeful organizing by talented persons, a special shout-out must go out to local Dem District #1 Team captain, Itara O'Connell for hosting both Jessica Morse and Heidi Hall at the same time at her rural foothill home. House parties like these with neighbors and friends are productive and fun. Anybody can host one and the local party can assist by phoning as many Democratic neighbors as you dare wish for. Everyone is always pleasantly surprised when people you wave to on nearby streets turn out to care about same things you do including protecting Democracy, our Freedoms, and the Planet.
Leave a message at 530-802-5431 to organize your next house party. Local DEMS will get it done.