Site search
sponsored by
News
Sports
ENLARGE
Fort Collins delegate Tom Anderson takes bread out to the dining hall while volunteering Wednesday at the Denver Rescue Mission for Delegate Service Day in downtown Denver.
Paul Anderson is facing a new challenge—one he has not faced thus far this week.
“You want the training class?” said Anderson beginning to fold his own napkin with a spoon in front of him. “Angle, fold, roll a few times, then get your corners in—get the corners in...”
As Anderson is finding out, life as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention amounts to a little more than just politics. Along with scores of other delegates from across the United States, Anderson found a new place to enjoy the convention, away from the seemingly endless string of meetings, speakings and forums.
On Wednesday, it was Delegate Service Day.
“It’s a learning experience,” said Anderson, who is from Fort Collins and the only full delegate from the region.
Featuring delegates dispersed to numerous city parks and homeless shelters across the city to take part in community service projects, the event aims to inspire residents to community service, according to a release. Michelle Obama and Jeanne Ritter, wife of Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, helped to kick off the event on Wednesday morning in the Curtis Park neighborhood.
Walking along with about 10 other delegates from Colorado—looking more like a tourist than formal participant at a political convention—Anderson said the event exemplifies presumed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s own commitment to public service.
“It shows where the heart of the Democrats are, too, which is helping people,” Anderson said.
As another delegate learns while walking into the door of the Denver Rescue Mission, however, the event is much more than a chance to help prepare a meal for the homeless. It is also a time to learn about and help non-profit organizations that have an extensive influence on the people who live in the shadows cast by the large delegation convening at the Pepsi Center.
The Denver Rescue Mission, in existence for 116 years, has provided more than 600,000 meals and 164,000 nights of shelter to homeless people in Denver, according to Brad Meuli, president of the organization.
“The whole point of this campaign and the whole point of the grass-roots movement is that it’s people from the bottom up telling the ‘Up’ what should be changing in this country,” said Suzie McMahon, taking a break from cutting cantaloupe. “It’s an emotionally loaded issue and a personal issue when there’s people from our own neighborhoods and our own families who are one step away from homelessness.”
For Jessica Wittmer, a delegate from Boulder, however, there was one last reason to enjoy the event: it’s (mostly) nonpolitical nature.
“We get to be ourselves a little bit today,” said Wittmer, expressing a view shared by many. “There are (members of the) press floating around, but we get to be ourselves.”
Thus, walking away from the Mission after spending a little extra time to help with Wednesday’s lunch, Anderson comes away having experienced something he will not soon forget.
“It’s a tremendous learning experience to see what people have to face everyday,” Anderson said.
“You want the training class?” said Anderson beginning to fold his own napkin with a spoon in front of him. “Angle, fold, roll a few times, then get your corners in—get the corners in...”
As Anderson is finding out, life as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention amounts to a little more than just politics. Along with scores of other delegates from across the United States, Anderson found a new place to enjoy the convention, away from the seemingly endless string of meetings, speakings and forums.
On Wednesday, it was Delegate Service Day.
“It’s a learning experience,” said Anderson, who is from Fort Collins and the only full delegate from the region.
Featuring delegates dispersed to numerous city parks and homeless shelters across the city to take part in community service projects, the event aims to inspire residents to community service, according to a release. Michelle Obama and Jeanne Ritter, wife of Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, helped to kick off the event on Wednesday morning in the Curtis Park neighborhood.
Walking along with about 10 other delegates from Colorado—looking more like a tourist than formal participant at a political convention—Anderson said the event exemplifies presumed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s own commitment to public service.
“It shows where the heart of the Democrats are, too, which is helping people,” Anderson said.
As another delegate learns while walking into the door of the Denver Rescue Mission, however, the event is much more than a chance to help prepare a meal for the homeless. It is also a time to learn about and help non-profit organizations that have an extensive influence on the people who live in the shadows cast by the large delegation convening at the Pepsi Center.
The Denver Rescue Mission, in existence for 116 years, has provided more than 600,000 meals and 164,000 nights of shelter to homeless people in Denver, according to Brad Meuli, president of the organization.
“The whole point of this campaign and the whole point of the grass-roots movement is that it’s people from the bottom up telling the ‘Up’ what should be changing in this country,” said Suzie McMahon, taking a break from cutting cantaloupe. “It’s an emotionally loaded issue and a personal issue when there’s people from our own neighborhoods and our own families who are one step away from homelessness.”
For Jessica Wittmer, a delegate from Boulder, however, there was one last reason to enjoy the event: it’s (mostly) nonpolitical nature.
“We get to be ourselves a little bit today,” said Wittmer, expressing a view shared by many. “There are (members of the) press floating around, but we get to be ourselves.”
Thus, walking away from the Mission after spending a little extra time to help with Wednesday’s lunch, Anderson comes away having experienced something he will not soon forget.
“It’s a tremendous learning experience to see what people have to face everyday,” Anderson said.
