Tricounty DFA Update: Upcoming Meeting, Neighborhood Network, DFA Night School, Phone Banking, More
Hello Everyone!

In this update:

1. Glens Falls Linkup Next Week
2. Neighborhood Network
3. DFA-Night School Tuesday
4. House Party Volunteers!
5. Gillibrand Phone Banking
6. Opening Day House Party at Joanne Yepsen's July 26th
7. Progressive Films: An Inconvenient Truth, Future Of Food At Crandall, Wellstone! at Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe
8. Saratoga BBQ Saturday, July 30
9. Tabling, Vigil On Saturday
10. Spitzer House Party July 30



1. Glens Falls Linkup Next Week

We are getting down to the end of July so our August DFA Linkup -- "Meetup" is coming up next week, August 2nd at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe at our usual time of 7pm.

Since we are sort of on the subject, it's been awhile since I've invited everyone to sign up with DFA-Link, DFA's own communications system. DFA-Link has many powerful tools we can use to strengthen DFA, so if you haven't signed up with DFA-Link, check it out now! Just go to: http://www.dfalink.com/register_friend.php?id=5514310d77911611

Create and account and password and sign up for our local group, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area.

http://www.dfalink.com/register_friend.php?id=5514310d77911611

2. Neighborhood Network

Leading the agenda next week will be a new initiative from the New York State Democratic Party- The Neighborhood Network. The idea is very similar to our DFA concept-- community development for political development. From the very beginning in DFA we have been seeking to build a new American community. We'll be talking about this great new initiative in detail next week, but the basic idea is that we take responsibility for a certain number of voters between now and the General Election, and then beyond, calling and sometimes visiting with them in order to build the Democratic Party and liberal and progressive politics. Both long and short term, this is also the best approach to supporting our candidates.

Another way to get started on the neighborhood network, is to first join our other activists on DFA-Link: http://www.dfalink.com/register_friend.php?id=5514310d77911611

3. DFA-Night School Tuesday

On Tuesday the 25th at 8:30pm, don't miss the next installment of DFA-Night School.

The night school is an hour long conference call with an online slide show. You dial in, listen, view the materials and ask questions. This week's topic will be how to better work with traditional, mainstream media. Those who attended our DFA Training Day in February will remember how terrific Arshad Hasan's classes were, and this promises to be equally enlightening. To RSVP: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=9770

4. House Party Volunteers!

I know that many of you have volunteered in the past to host House Parties for our candidates-- the closer we get to the election season in the fall, the more interest people will have in attending House Parties to meet and learn about our candidates: Kirsten Gillibrand and Tim Merrick. House Parties are a great way to help our candidates meet voters and build support. (It's also a way to really get to meet a candidate yourself.)

The basic idea is simple-- yo invite a few people you know from your network of friends, relatives, co-workers, neighbors, members of your church, fire company, book club, what have you, whoever you know who you think might be interested. A really large crowd is not necessary-- a dozen will do. You can serve a few simple refreshments, if you like and others can bring things, too. The meeting itself it only about an hour.

If that sounds like something you could do-- please let us know. It's a great way to really make a difference, and it's fun! Email me at ldudley@larrydudley.com if you are interested.

5. Gillibrand Phone Banking

The Gillibrand campaign is setting up phone banking here in Glens Falls; they expect to have space to call from at least two days a week-- Tuesdays and Thursdays-- and also in a different location on Sunday. I should have more details on this in a day or two and I will be passing them along. If you are interested, again, please let me know at ldudley@larrydudley.com

6. Opening Day House Party at Joanne Yepsen's July 26th

Come to an open house on Opening Day!
County Supervisor for Saratoga Springs Joanne Yepsen Cordially invites you to her home at 91 Fifth Avenue
on Opening Day of the race track season

Wednesday, July 26 from 6 - 9 pm

Please come to support Joanne’s open government and open space pursuits as she continues to work hard toward being
a different kind of supervisor! Donations are kindly accepted.

Please make checks payable to Citizens for Yepsen.

Please RSVP by Sunday, July 23 to:
Citizens for Yepsen, c/ o John Forester
P.O. Box 1042, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

or call: 583-8817 or email: admin@fesaratoga.com

7. Progressive Films: An Inconvenient Truth, Future Of Food At Crandall, Wellstone! at Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe

There is a wealth of riches of progressive films around our area this week.

First, President-Elected Al Gore's new film An Inconvenient Truth is at Aimee's Dinner and a Movie on Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls. If there is any one film you should see this year, it is probably An Inconvenient Truth. As any native of the Northcountry knows, something weird is happening to our climate: to much heat, too much rain and we may have seen the end of Lake George freezing over in winter, which is very scary. http://www.climatecrisis.net/ (Times at Aimee's vary.)

Second, at 7 PM, Thurs., July 27 - The Future of Food (88 min., 2004) on genetic engineered crops. Followed by a panel with educator and activist Pamela Malcolm and environmental journalist Dale Willman.
Shot on location from the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada, to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, The Future of Food explores the invisible shift in our food supply as unlabeled, genetically engineered foods have quietly filled U.S. supermarket shelves over the past decade. Filmmaker Deborah Koons Garcia said, "My goal was to make a film that gave the average person a clear understanding of how genetic engineering works, from the cellular to the global level."
This mini-film series complements the new exhibit "Farm Fotos: Agricultural Portraits by Clifford Oliver, June 12 through September 12, 2006, in the Folklife Gallery (Mon-Thurs 9-9, Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5).

The Crandall Public Library is located at 251 Glen Street at City Park in Glens Falls. For further information, contact Todd DeGarmo at the Folklife Center, 518/7982-6508 x103 or degarmo@crandalllibrary.org

Third, on Friday, July 28, the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls continues the Progressive Film Festival continues with, WELLSTONE! (www.carryitforward.org)
A heartfelt and surprisingly funny biography of a unique political couple. Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila changed politics forever by making government matter to ordinary people. The Wellstones died in an airplane crash eleven days before the 2002 election. The dramatic electoral nightmare that followed compounded the tragedy. The film documents the magnitude of the loss and also hints at how the void they left is being filled. The film ensures that in death as in life the Wellstones will compel people to examine their own participation in democracy.
Director: Lu Lippold, Laurie Stern & Dan Luke Running time: 88 min.

Also on Friday night, our own Bernice Mennis will be doing a poetry reading at the famous Cafe Lena on Phila Street in Saratoga Springs. The reading will begin at 8pm. For info call: 583-022

8. Saratoga BBQ Saturday, July 30

Larry Bulman, Saratoga County Democratic Chair and Patrick Southworth, Ballston Democratic Chair
And
David Paterson
NY State Senate Minority Leader
Lieutenant Governor Candidate
And
Kristen Gillibrand Democrat for New York 20th District

Would like to invite you to a BBQ in support of Cindy Amrhein & Patti Southworth
Ballston Town Council and Town Justice Candidates

Sunday, July 30 2006, Noon – 4 PM

Lakeside Farm Cider Mill
Round Lake Road in the town of Ballston Lake
Directions:
To: Lakeside Farm Cider Mill
I 87 Exit 11.
West on Round Lake Road towards Ballston Lake
Lakeside Farm Cider Mill is on your right after approximately 4 miles
Pavilion and parking to right behind the store.

Ticket $35
Sponsor $55
Chicken BBQ for adults
Hamburgers/Hot Dogs for Children $10
Please RSVP to Pat Southworth by July 27th: 518-281-4718

9. Tabling, Vigil On Saturday

Tabling for our candidates at the Glens Falls Farmer's Market began two weeks ago. As you know, our vigil for peace and to bring our troops home has been a great success.

We got really hammered by a storm last week, however, we will be outside the main shed at the Market, in the parking lot behind Sandy's Clam Bar again Saturday. We will be tabling from 9am until 11am.

Because of uncertainty over construction on Glen Street, we will reconnoiter the situation for the vigil and make a decision at the end of the tabling at the Farmer's Market. If you would like to help, please come on down!

If you want to do the Vigil, come to the Farmer's Market at 11am, bring posters, flags and friends.

For more information on the Tabling go to: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=10477

For more info on the Vigil: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=10450


10. Spitzer House Party July 30

There will be a House Party For Eliot Spitzer
Sunday, July 30th, 4 - 6 pm
At the home of Cindy and Ken Gottry
39 East Main Street, Cambridge, NY
Eliot will be joining by telephone conference call to share his thoughts and answers questions we may have.
To RSVP and for additional information contact nmarsh@nycap.rr.com.



Thanks Everyone! Remember, if you haven't signed up for DFA-Link yet, just click this link and register-- it'd be very helpful to me, and a great way to join in working for our progressive candidates and causes.

Again, that's http://www.dfalink.com/register_friend.php?id=5514310d77911611

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:07 AM