(via email from http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/massfuture)

Do you want to watch this week's Presidential candidate debate with fellow Massachusetts Democrats?

YOU'RE INVITED TO A….

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE WATCH PARTY

THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2007 

PORTERS BAR & GRILL
173 Portland Street
Boston

8:00PM
MDP/YDM debate watch party starts. Introduction by Chairman John Walsh.

9:00PM-10:30PM
Democratic Presidential candidate forum at Howard University broadcast on PBS stations, moderated by Tavis Smiley. Debate introduction by Governor Deval Patrick.

Those with questions about the event can contact Rose at the Massachusetts Democratic party at RoseStaram@massdems.org or 617-776-2676. For more information on Thursday's debate, visit www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/forums/

Event sponsored by the Massachusetts Democratic Party and

Mass. Democratic Future/The Young Democrats of Massachusetts.

www.massdems.org and www.massachusetts.yda.org

Editor's note: a great way for candidates to engage young people and for young people to get to know candidates is to do complimentary admission for Young Dems.

(via email from ydmaryland.org)

We would like to thank Comptroller Peter Franchot and his staff for providing complimentary admission to Young Dems.  If you are interested in attending, please make sure you RSVP to Tim Daly and let him know that you are a member of YDM.

************************************

MR. JONATHAN ALEXANDER
CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO AN EVENING RECEPTION IN SUPPORT OF

Hon. Peter Franchot
Maryland State Comptroller

Sunday, July 1, 2007
4:00 – 6:00 PM
At the Home of Jon & Kristin Alexander
5802 Roosevelt Avenue 
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
Requested Contributions:
$1000 Host
$500 Sponsor
$250 Individual

(cross-posted from: http://davidsoncountyyoungdemocrats.blogspot.com/search?q=Atlanta)

Today I am back in the DCDP headquarters working away for democrats in Nashville but this weekend I put on my Tennessee Young Democrats Prez hat and headed to Atlanta for the YDA Southeast Regional meeting.

We are the strongest region of YDA (which each state in the region will swear to if you ask us.) We met to coordinate efforts, learn what other states are doing, what works and what doesn’t, to have a general meeting and then of course to network…aka socialize.

We started off the day talking about best practices and what each state organization has been doing. We then moved into credentials (we are all looking forward to chartering before the National Convention in Dallas.) If I seem frustrated and stressed out between our Spring Convention in Omaha and our National Convention in Dallas this could be the culprit. Don’t want any penalties against our great state! We then moved into our training session with our National YDA Political Director Tony Cani. It was an always important topic. Chapter building: How to grow our chapters; the types of people that make up organizations and chapters; how to motivate; how to retain members; and then how do we become an organization that is recognized and taken seriously.

We ended the day with general session. We elected new officers for our region and the winners are:

• Regional Director: Robert Hooks from Mississippi
• Deputy Director: Nikema Williams from Georgia
• Secretary: Benson Manica from Georgia
• Treasurer: Pat Grayson from Alabama
• Judicial Council Representative: Kirk Miller from Georgia
• Judicial Council Rep Alternate: Seannalyn Brandmeir from Tennessee

We ended the evening with a party at Shout! in Midtown Atlanta. All and all it was a great event with a great group of dedicated young democrats.

Want to come to the next event? Register for the YDA Spring Convention in Omaha, NE May 18-20th. www.yda.org

Seanna Brandmeir
President, Tennessee Young Democrats
Also, just up on the web. www.ydasoutheast.org

by Seanna Brandmeir, TN YD President

We have an aggressive plan for the 2007-2008 term and we will work hard to organize and mobilize Tennessee Young Democrats.  If there is anything we can do to help your individual chapter, please let us know.  We plan to contact each chapter to assess needs such as rebuilding, training and retention of members.  If you are in an area that does not have a chapter, start one!  We can help!

During the 2007 Convention we elected our 2007-2009 Executive Committee:

• Seannalyn Brandmeir, President
• Chris Anderson, Executive Vice President
• Claudia Weaver, Secretary
• Priscilla Norman, Treasurer
• Lindsay Barrett, National Committeewoman
• Anooj Pate, National Committeeman
• Lakisha Watson-Moore, Membership Director
• Deidre Wood, East TN Divisional Vice President
• Sean Braisted, Middle TN Divisional Vice President
• Logan Combs, District 1 Male Congressional Representative
• Kim Savage, District 4 Female Congressional Representative
• Eric Patton, District 4 Male Congressional Representative
• Lynet Payne, District 5 Female Congressional Representative
• Jeremiah Garretson, District 5 Male Congressional Representative

Special congratulations and thank you to Michele Mize, our 2004-2006 Secretary.  She served as Convention Chair and is the 2007 recipient of the Bobbie Caldwell Young Leader Award.  Thank you Michele for all of your hard work and dedication to the TNYDs!

Politically active since age 18, Michele Mize is the newly elected Treasurer for the Sumner County Democratic Party and is a member of Sumner County Young Democrats.  She moderates the SC YDs email group. She was named 2003's Outstanding Young Democrat from Middle Tennessee by the Tennessee Young Democrats. She served several terms as Secretary of the Davidson County Young Democrats, and represented Tennessee as National Committeewoman of Young Democrats of America.

By Rod Snyder (WV)

APRIL 21, 2007, HUNTINGTON, WV – The Wood County chapter of the West Virginia Young Democrats received an award today for Most Outstanding Project or Event hosted by a local chapter during the 2006 calendar year. The group planted over 3,000 white crosses on a large hill visible from Route 50 in Wood County. Each cross symbolizes a soldier who has died during the war in Iraq.

John Gainer, immediate past president of the Wood County Young Democrats, was on hand to accept the award at the WVYD 2007 state convention in Huntington. He referred to the hillside as a “peace memorial,” which nearly two-dozen local Young Democrats helped erect last year. More crosses continue to be added as the death toll climbs.

The memorial has garnered significant media attention from around the state, including several newspaper and television reporters on hand last fall during the dedication ceremony.

(via email)

The Young Democrats of Maryland (YDM) were proud to join the Montgomery County Young Democrats (MCYD) as they presented their “Ready, Set, Go Green!” Forum on Green Building.

The event brought together a panel of experts, practitioners, and elected officials to discuss what individuals can do to make their homes more energy efficient and green. Participants learned that the Montgomery County government is increasing its efforts to provide financial incentives to county residents who begin using alternative energy sources.  State Delegate Bill Bronrott spoke of state initiatives for tax incentives to encourage residents to go green at home and on the road.

In addition to the changes in energy use, attendees were updated on the green building industry. Jason Holstine, owner of Amicus Green Building Center, explained that going green at home is not necessarily more expensive, especially in the long-run. Jason shared that as more builders and contractors within the industry learn the tools, the learning curve shrinks and green building is becoming no more expensive to implement at home then high-end home improvement products. David Pratt of the U.S. Green Building Council of Maryland discussed the LEED Certification program, including the development of a residential program.

The forum was well attended by Young Democrats from around the state, community activists, and the public. Excerpts and pictures from the forum will be available soon on our website: www.mcyd.org

Easy and helpful hints included:

• Purchasing LED Light bulbs, although even better technology will soon be released. LED light bulbs produce almost no heat providing incredible energy savings, including utility bills.
• Unplugging utilities when not in use, including entertainment units. Put all of your entertainment units onto a surge protector and just turn off the surge protector when you are not using the appliances, especially when you leave for the night.
• Have an energy audit conducted on your home. Many utility companies can conduct one for you, even online.