Dan Duckwitz worked a full-time, internship at the Fairfax County Democratic Committee in the summer of 2007, and now serves in Afghanistan with the 374th Financial Management Company. The items listed below have been identified by Dan’s company as difficult to obtain through available channels. In addition to these items below, we request contributions for postage.

Afghanistan Troops’ Wish List

• Peanuts, Almonds in single serving sizes
• Beef Jerky, Slim Jims
• Candy, Gum, Tic-Tacs, Life Savers, mints (nothing that will melt)
• Popcorn (microwavable packages)
• Powdered drinks (such as crystal light, propel etc.)
• Coffee (ground) and Tea Bags
• White socks with no logos for physical training
• Personal Hygiene items and Toiletries for both men and women
• Books, magazines, and DVDs (entertainment items)
• Also the sand colored t-shirts sold at PX facilities state side are impossible to get in Afghanistan.  They can use some medium, mostly large, and a few X-large sizes in these t-shirts.

Please deliver your donations to:
Fairfax County Democratic Committee (2815 Hartland Road, Suite 110, Falls Church VA 22043; map: http://bit.ly/FCDC-HQ) or to a collection site at Democratic Party events in Fairfax County.

Your support is greatly appreciated!

Antonia recently served as Associate Director of Audience and Constituent Relations for the Center for American Progress, where she saw to it that their policy work reached the people who could turn the ideas into reality. Prior to that, she worked as a political communications and new media outreach consultant for the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, Webb for Senate, Wulsin for Congress (OH-2), the Democratic Party of Virginia, and others. More information about Antonia can be found on her web site at www.antoniascatton.com. She will assume the Executive Director duties shortly.

I want to express my thanks to the selection committee who helped me with the hiring process. They were: Mary Ann Hovis, Vice Chair for Finance; Robert Haley, Co-chair of Hunter Mill District; Nadja Golding, FCDC Treasurer; Mark Itzkoff, Regional Vice Chair South; Lola Quintela, Regional Vice Chair Central; and Barbara Caputo, Regional Vice Chair North.

Rex Simmons, FCDC Chair

Thursday, August 19^th 5-9 pm

The Fairfax County Democratic Committee will be dining out together at restaurants around the county. Restaurant owners are willing to share part of their increased proceeds with us for boosting business at their establishments. The restaurant gains exposure and future business, while we enjoy a good meal and raise much needed funds. Please join Mason District as they host Democrats Dine Out, Thursday August 19^th, 2010 from 5-9 pm at MaGill’s Famous Buffet & Pizza on Rte. 236 in the heart of Annandale. You can sign up and pre-pay on line by clicking here.

The price is $12 for all the pizza and buffet you can eat – soft drinks, coffee, tea, tax and tip included. Can’t beat it! (If you want beer it is available and you pay your waiter.) We can even do some Karaoke singing. MaGill’s has agreed to donate back to FCDC a portion of your total bill.

All that for $12! Bring the kids, bring Democrats new and old and join us for another fun night at Democrats Dine Out.

click, print, bring

Come and join us on the night we Dine Out together, order off the menu, and pay regular prices for your food and drink. You also share the dining room with other Democrats you know on the Committee, and special efforts will be made to assure attendance by available elected officials.  This will be an opportunity for Democratic fellowship at locations new to many of us, local favorites to others. Please print and bring the coupon on the right to the restaurant so that FCDC can be credited.

We are excited about the prospect of moving this Dine Out around to all reaches of the county, and to turn out large groups on the nights we get together for dinner.  This kind of event will simultaneously be an opportunity to socialize with Democrats, raise funds for FCDC, and limit the cost to an amount many already spend at restaurants.  Print out the coupon below and bring it with you so FCDC gets credit for your bill.  Thanks.

The FCDC National Affairs Committee (NAC), one of the standing committees, often brings important issues to the attention of members to educate and inform us, and occasionally proposes resolutions to make our position on these issues clear to the public and our legislators.

Three resolutions have been proposed by the NAC for consideration and vote to endorse or not at the May meeting of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee (Tuesday, May 25th – meeting info click here). It is the practice to present such resolutions to the FCDC Steering Committee as a courtesy for input and endorsement before consideration by the full FCDC Committee. Of the two resolutions presented to Steering Committee, the Steering Committee felt that the resolution dealing with corporate influence needed substantive revision and did not endorse the original draft, but suggested edits. The DISCLOSE Act resolution was endorsed. Both of these edited resolutions were sent to the membership, and are available (links) below. Endorsements by the Steering Committee are recommendations by FCDC leadership to the members; however, it is the full Committee that has the final word with their vote at the General Meeting.

As outlined in the FCDC Bylaws, Article VIII: 1) resolutions that are presented with adequate notice, 7 days prior to a General Meeting, require a majority vote for approval, and 2) resolutions presented with less than 7 days notice require 2/3 vote for approval.

• Proposed Resolutions Requiring Majority Approval (sponsored by the NAC) 
  • DISCLOSE Act
  • Corporate Influence
• Proposed Resolution Requiring 2/3 Approval (co-sponsored by the NAC, Voter Registration and GOTV, Election Law and Voter Protection standing committees)  
  • Democracy Restoration Act

The National Affairs Committee shall

• advance the principles and electoral prospect of Democratic Party candidates for Federal office,
• seek to identify and initiate current and emerging national public issues of concern to all citizens across the County, to study and understand such issues, and to develop reports or recommendations on such issues for submission to the County Committee in accordance with the Bylaws,
• develop and maintain personal communication with the Democratic Federal elected officials,
• encourage Democratic Federal elected officials representing all or part of the County to brine national issues to the attention of the committee in order to obtain a broader base of information from citizens and support for specific issues.

The earthquake in Haiti caused the largest natural disaster in the past 35 years, killing more than 250,000 people, injuring over 300,000, and leaving over 1,000,000 homeless. Many of the people in Haiti have lost everything and are still living in tents with no electricity. 
 
Antoine and Addie Cornet live in Fairfax County and come from Haiti. They both rushed there right after the earthquake and began working to help survivors in and around Port-au-Prince. Because of the great work by the Fairfax County Firefighters, Antoine’s medical license from Fairfax County gave him and his group access through road blocks to help under served areas of Haiti.
 
Antoine and Addie are back in Fairfax working to fill a cargo container with much-needed long-term supplies for the people of Haiti. They need many simple things we take for granted. The Fairfax County Democratic Party is collecting items to fill the cargo container for Haiti the weeks of May 24 to June 15. Please bring your items boxed and labeled to: 2815 Hartland Rd, Suite 110, Falls Church, VA 22043 (map: http://tinyurl.com/fcdc-hq) from 10 am to 4 pm or call to make other arrangements: 703.573.6811.

Items Needed

• tents and tarps (light colors)
• crutches and wheel chairs
• clothes and shoes (all ages, sizes)
• school supplies and paper
• pencils and sharpeners
• crayons and coloring books
• safe durable toys
• balls, jump rope, etc.
• board games, dominoes
• picture books, comic books

We will be having a short rally and training session before we kick-off 2010’s voter registration efforts from the Mason District Government Center at 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003; map: http://tinyurl.com/MasonGC.

People attending will be dispatched to pre-determined locations to register voters following the rally/training. Volunteers will return at the end of the day with completed registration forms.

Questions/information: Chris Ambrose, FCDC Vice Chair for Voter Registration and GOTV Operations, chrisambr@aol.com.

The annual FCDC Jefferson Jackson Dinner will be on May 23rd from 5:30-9 pm at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner (7920 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia, 22102; map: http://tinyurl.com/hilton-mclean). Tickets are $150/person (10/table). Lee District will have a table (or more); please contact Co-Chairs Steve Bunn or Hugh Robertson if you wish to sit with a Lee table(s) no later than May 11th, click here.

Keynote Speaker
Senator Dick Durbin*, Assistant Majority Leader

VIP Reception 5:30-6:30 pm
Cash Bar Reception and Silent Auction 6:00-7:00 pm
Dinner 7:00-9:30 pm

Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
Please contact Steve or Hugh for tickets to sit with Lee District by May 11th.

Jefferson Jackson Dinner
Democratic Committees across the country hold annual Jefferson Jackson Dinners (commonly referred to as JJ). These are usually the notable signature fundraising events attracting members, interested parties, elected officials and high profile speakers.

In addition to the dinner there will be a presentation of awards for (nominations due May 11th):

• Magisterial District Committee of the Year
• Committee Member of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Senator Charles S. Robb Young Leaders Award recognizing the efforts of a young leader to promote Democratic politics and candidates
• Lynda J. Robb Community Service Award recognizing efforts to serve the larger community

As always there will be a program and ads for the program are due by May 11th.

• Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
• Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
• Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
  

* Senator Durbin holds the second highest ranking leadership position in the Senate, and he Chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, and he also Chairs the Judiciary subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law.  We are honored that he will be joining us.

Interns will work in a Democratic office with full time staff, assisting with targeting, distributing information, donor research, registering voters, data entry and organizing volunteer support.

• Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
• Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

In 2010, Fairfax County has already held several special elections and will have three congressional races. Interns must be prepared to work in a fast paced dynamic environment and will experience the inner workings of campaigns. Assistance obtaining academic credit for eligible students will be provided.

Intern duties include:

• Political Grassroots Organizing
• Data Entry
• Internet Outreach
• Research
• Volunteer Organizing and Support
• Fundraising Logistics
• Office Tasks

Persons interested should contact FCDC Executive Director, Mike Burns at mike.burns@fairfaxdemocrats.org or 703.573.6811.