Eating, Meeting, And Learning On The Campaign Trail

My primary approach to campaigning is to go to as many events as possible throughout the three counties. Most of these events involve food and speeches. If you have a good appetite and a good attitude than you can really enjoy the experience.
Sunday, November 4, we began the day in Tampa with the Buccaneers beating the Arizona Cardinals. We had to leave the game a few minutes early to get back in time for the Democratic banquet that evening at Michaels on East. The keynote address was given by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, a dynamo out of South Florida. Her main job was to stoke the enthusiasm of the two hundred plus local Democrats in attendance, and she did her job well.
After work on Monday I went to the Community Foundation of Sarasota to hear Jack Levine describe the “Children Are Our Future Fund.” This fund gives donors an opportunity to use their IRAs to help a variety of Sarasota county programs, and further information can be found here: http://www.cfsarasota.org/NewsEvents/FullCircle/tabid/378/Default.aspx I then went to Metro Café for a special meeting of the Stonewall Democrats to learn about the Fairness for all Florida Families coalition, and their web site is found here: http://www.fairnessforallfamilies.org/coalition.html.
Wednesday night was the annual New College clambake. Your admission gets you access to beverages, salad and chowder bar, ribs, chicken and a large main lobster. Several hundred people were gathered on a chilly but lovely night on the bay-front. It was a great chance to see old friends and make some new ones. On Thursday night I went to the Sierra Club meeting to hear a presentation about the effects of global warming upon wildlife the world over.
Friday evening was the Red-Tie gala and silent auction at Ringling College of Art to benefit World Aids Day on December 1. There will be a variety of events at the college and at nearby MLK park to commemorate the day. The gala was a fun affair with plenty of hors d’oeuvres, music and conversation. I was even given a brief opportunity to speak.
Saturday’s lunch was the Sarasota Yacht Club with the Sarasota Democratic Club to hear Howard Simon, chair of the Florida ACLU. That afternoon we attended the wedding of the Reverend Charles McKenzie and Lorna Washington at the beautiful bay-front home of Dick and Caren Lobo.
As you can see, it was a fun and educational week and I will have to walk off any extra pounds I may have acquired. Maybe this week I’ll see you at a Veteran’s Day celebration, or out at Old Miacca, or at E-Fest on Sunday.