Volunteers/Donations Needed 

 

On February 21 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., we will have our second annual yard sale in Moon Valley to raise money for our voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. Last year over twenty-five people worked to make this event a great success. We need your help this year. We are now collecting items for the sale - books, housewares, sporting goods, electronics, music, furniture, toys, collectibles, jewelry, clothing and anything else you have that can be reused. Here's your chance to clean out your house and help your community at the same time.
 
We also need workers to help us price items on Saturday morning, 2/14/09, and workers on the day of the sale, Saturday, February 21. The sale will be held near Coral Gables and Central Avenue.
 
If you have donations or want to join in the fun of working on the sale, please email Kathleenyardley@cox.net.

 

-Kathleen Yardley

 

On January 15, the  District Committee of Legislative District 6 elected two PC's who may now be appointed as Precinct Committeepersons by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Terrie Minnick of  Kerry Precinct and Bryan Ginter of Moon Mountain Precinct were unanimously elected by the committee.

 

The PC is a vital link between the Democratic Party and individual voters. PC's perform a number of duties which include providing information to Democrats about political developments, distributing candidate information and helping our Democratic candidates to gather petition signatures and Clean Election contributions.

 

To contact your PC by email, look at the PC section of the District 6 web site and click on the PC's name. If you don't know in what precinct you live, you can look it up by entering your address in the Maricopa County Recorder's web site. If you find that your precinct does not have a PC, consider volunteering and email me at jackyardley@cox.net.

 

-Jack Yardley

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Arizona Politics - What can I say?  I came to this state in 1998 after living in several others; Iowa, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Minnesota.  The political landscape for Democrats in what is now LD6 was scary.  In 2009, we are still pretty red but we ARE organized.  We have had good Chairs who recognized that there are opportunities to engage Democrats in a heavily Republican district like ours.
 
About me - I grew up on a farm in Northwest Iowa, the eldest of 9 O'Brien kids so I had a lot of first hand experience with chaos.  We all worked really hard growing up - both on the farm and to support whatever personal ambitions we had.  I joined the Amalgamated Meatpackers of America while working summers in a packing plant!  Both of my parents are Democrats. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, taught adult education on military bases for a few years and then moved into Healthcare Administration.  I have been fortunate to work in some very interesting and successful medical practices all over the country. 
 
When I married in 1988, I became part of a large African American family with roots in the South but mostly transplanted to New York City.  And so my cultural and political education continued. 
 
As to why I am a Democrat, it has more to do with my religious upbringing in the Catholic Church than my parents' political affiliation.  The rural Catholic Church I grew up in was all about love and respect for each other, fairness, peace, and doing the right thing even if it isn't convenient, especially if it isn't convenient.  Isn't that the foundation of the Democratic Party?
 
I am currently the 2nd Vice-Chair of Legislative District 6, proud to serve on the State Committee, a member of the Boards of the Foothills Democratic Club and the Nucleus Club and the Treasurer of the Northwest Democratic Breakfast Club.  I also serve on the Board of Kids Voting Arizona, which saw 356,000 K-12 Arizona kids vote in the November election.
 
In my "day job" I am the Practice Manager for Pediatric Surgeons of Phoenix with 9 surgeons who cover four hospitals in the Valley.  I live in the Moon Valley area with Bruce, two dogs and 5 cats.
 

As 2nd vice-chair of Legislative District 6,  my focus for 2009 is to work on voter registration and PC Recruitment as well as support our Chair in any way I can.
 
- Submitted by Kathleen O'Brien

- Collected by Sue Enright
 

7th Ave/Greenway