That was one super day, Cheyenne

Chris takes a break from work while I take five from walking Superday for Mike Ceballos.

Yesterday was Superday in Cheyenne. At first glance, that name seems grandiose. Can any event be super? Can't you find another title? Cheyenne Day would be a good one but it's already taken. The Wednesday smack in the middle of Cheyenne Frontier Days is Cheyenne Day. It's the day that almost everyone gets off work at noon and is drunk by 12:30. If you think I'm exaggerating, go hang out in downtown Cheyenne on July 23. It can be fun, too, if you bring along some moderation with your enthusiasm. Music on the plaza. melodrama at the Atlas (and on the streets). Art in the galleries. Rodeo in the park.

Superday may just have to do.

Superday 2014 falls in an election year. Booths for gubernatorial and legislative candidates are stuffed among those for the YMCA and Recover Wyoming and the Cheyenne Ski Club. I was there this morning. Lynn Birleffi and I teamed up to hand out leaflets for Mike Ceballos, who's running for superintendent of public instruction. I know Mike as an arts education supporter during his stint as CEO of Qwest. He's a good man with loads of leadership experience, a trait that will be handy at a Department of Education fraught with turmoil during Cindy Hill's reign. If you haven't been keeping up, well, I don't have enough time and fortitude to school you on these pages. Let's just say that Mr. Ceballos will bring some much-needed sanity to the department. He's a Democrat, too, and that will give us at least one statewide elected official we can crow about. 

For some people at SuperDay, such as my wife Chris, this is a working day. For the rest of us, this is a day we volunteer. Cheyenne is known for its volunteerism. We donate thousands of hours during Frontier Days and almost every other time of the year. Why? Tradition! And then there's that empathy gene that calls out to us. There are plenty of causes that need our time and attention. I could make a long list. Fortunately, I don't have to do so as the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle did so today in its "Volunteer Wyoming" insert (check it out). You could sum it up by saying that any nonprofit organization needs volunteers. So that's what we do.

What cause or organization do you volunteer for? Any why?

Chris and I as part of the mudding crew June 21 at the newest Laramie County Habitat for Humanity home-building project in Cheyenne.

Habitat for Humanity holds "Thankful Thursday" fund-raiser

From those good folks at Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County:

Thankful Thursday

at the Redwood Lounge
2105 East Lincolnway
(East of the American Legion)

March 27
4:30 to 7:30 pm

Proceeds from this fundraiser
will go towards building our
2014 Habitat for Humanity home for the Holder family!

There will be a spirited live auction of an amazing array of gift baskets, 50/50 raffles and card games!

Come hungry. For a $5 donation, enjoy lasagna, breadsticks, Caesar salad, & dessert.

See you there!

   

Santa's Little Helpers Charity Lunch benefits Habitat for Humanity

This info comes from Laramie Habitat for Humanity Director Kate Wright:

On Friday, Dec. 13, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Texas Roadhouse will open for a FREE lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, two sides and a drink in exchange for a donation.

To-go meals will be available during the event by calling 307-638-1234.

Donations generated from the eighth annual Santa's Little Helpers Charity Lunch will go toward building the 37th Habitat home in Laramie County and The Salvation Army.

Purchase your holiday gift cards at Texas Roadhouse during Santa’s Little Helpers Charity Lunch and 15% of your total purchase will be donated back to the charities.

Sponsored by: Cheyenne Light Fuel & Power, Texas Roadhouse and FedEx Office.

Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County holds "Jump Into Jewels" fundraiser April 27

Kate Wright sends this news about a fundraiser sponsored by the organization she leads, Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County. I was on Habitat's first board back in 1992-93. I don't have much in the way of jewels to offer but there must be hundreds of you out there who do. The proceeds from Jump into Jewels will benefit Habitat's Women's Build Project that will build a home for a hard-working Cheyenne family. Kate urges you to donate your new and gently used jewelry and accessories to the cause. The event is free and open to the public from noon until 6 p.m. A Champagne Brunch Preview Party will be held from 10 a.m.-noon. Tickets to the preview party are $15.

Cheyenne Vineyard Church's "Cotton Patch Gospel" has roots in Christian social justice

My former work colleague Randy Oestman left state employment to serve as a minister for the Cheyenne Vineyard Church, 1506 Thomes Ave. Vineyard services are very musical, I am told, which is not surprising, considering Randy's theatre background. Randy and his Vineyard colleagues take the New Testament's social justice message seriously. They minister to Cheyenne's homeless and collect leftover foodstuffs from farmers' markets to distribute to needy families. I buy my eggs from Randy, whose chickens lay the darndest-colored eggs. Randy even practices his theatrical skills in the chicken coop.

In October, the Vineyard Church is producing the "Cotton Patch Gospel," based on a book by Tom Key and Russell Treyz, with music by Harry Chapin, written just before he died in a 1981 traffic accident. Anything with music by Harry Chapin has to be good.

Here is a description of the play from Wikipedia:

Cotton Patch Gospel is a musical by Tom Key and Russell Treyz with music and lyrics written by Harry Chapin just before his death in 1981. Based on the book The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John by Clarence Jordan, the story retells the life of Jesus as if in modern day, rural Georgia.

Using a southern reinterpretation of the gospel story, the musical is often performed in a one-man show format with an accompanying quartet of bluegrass musicians, although a larger cast can also be used. A video recording of the play was released in 1988 with Tom Key as the leading actor.

Interesting to note that Clarence Jordan was the founder of the Koinonia Farm,  a ground-breaking Christian social justice community that infuriated its white Georgia neighbors by practicing and preaching equality for all, including African-Americans. During the Civil Rights struggles of the 1950s and '60s, Koinonia was the target of a local economic boycott and several bombings. It was able to survive by shipping all of its goods through the U.S. Postal Service because, as we all know, "the mail must go through." Jordan also was instrumental in the founding of Habitat for Humanity, another revolutionary Georgia organization. Koinonia and Habitat had a big influence on one of its neighbors, Jimmy Carter of Plains. Clarence Jordan's nephew, Hamilton, was President Carter's chief of staff.

"Cotton Patch Gospel" will be performed at the Cheyenne Vineyard Church Oct. 5-6. 12-13 and 19-20 at 7 p.m. Admission is free but please bring grocery gift cards or non-perishable food for the needy. Call for tickets: 307-638-8700.

Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County seeks entries for "Salvage Art Show & Auction"

I was on the first board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County. That was way back in the early 1990s and it's gratifying to see the gains made by the local Habitat unit. I visited the ReStore last summer looking for replacement fittings for my outdoor hoses. Since I'm not the most handy guy on the planet, I sought out a ReStore volunteer who got me the right stuff. It's good to see that the place is expanding to bring even more revenue to a great cause. And Habitat promotes recycling and reuse and the arts! You local creatives might want to enter this:

Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County will be hosting a Salvage Art Show & Auction in conjunction with Habitat’s ReStore Annex grand opening in late spring and you are invited to participate! The Salvage Art Show & Sale will focus on pieces made primarily of recycled, salvaged and found objects. If chosen to participate, artists will receive a $15 voucher to use to buy items from the ReStore. If you would like to be a part of the show or have any questions, contact Elizabeth Williams at elizabeth@cheyennehfh.org or 307.637.8067 by Wednesday, February 29.

Do some good this summer at Habitat house build and UPLIFT's mega-gigantic parking lot sale

Habitat volunteers

Some good local causes to support this summer:

Turned on Channel 5's morning show today to see Misty Heil and Kyle Aiton promoting the Habitat for Humanity house build. This new duplex is going up at 3823 Messenger Court. Habitat encourages volunteers to wear work-appropriate clothing and closed-toed shoes. Food and beverages will be provided for volunteers on Saturdays. Beverages are provided on Sundays.

Come out and pound some nails or tote some wallboard or sweep up the joint. The Laramie County Democrats will be swarming the site on July 17.  Get more info at http://www.cheyennehabitat.org or contact Elizabeth Williams at 307-637-8067.

On Saturday, Aug. 6, 8 a.m.-noon., UPLIFT of Wyoming is holding its Cheyenne Yard Sale in the parking lot of the Oregon Trail Bank on the corner of College Drive and Lincolnway. Lots of goods for sale. Prizes, and a car wash too. This is UPLIFT"s big fund-raiser for 2011. I've been a board member of this very active non-profit organization since 1998. UPLIFT's mission: "Encouraging success and stability for children and youth with or at risk of emotional, behavioral, learning, developmental, or physical disorders at home, school and in the community." A tall order, considering the huge needs in this very rural state of 97,000 square miles. UPLIFT has offices statewide and, in the past six months, its small staff has assisted 576 youth in 21 counties. Those are kids that would fall through the cracks if it wasn't for UPLIFT services funded by state and federal government agencies and donations from good people like you. A true public-private partnership. Come to this yard/parking lot sale or donate online at http://www.upliftwy.org.

Remember that state and federal funds are drying up in this very strange political climate. The State of Wyoming is raking in the dough ($50 million surplus at last count) but administrators are under the gun to cut spending so that the Tea Party won't get mad and field its own slate of selfish, mean-spirited ultra-right-wingers in 2012. Not sure how the state legislature could get any more extreme, but it's possible.

Strange times, indeed.

Laramie County Democrats stage a home-raising for Habitat for Humanity July 17

Jimmy Carter, well-known Democrat, works with locals on 2010 Minnesota  building project

Laramie County Democrats will be participating in a Habitat for Humanity build on Sunday, July 17, noon until 5 p.m. The location for the build house is 3823 Messenger Court.  The site is located off McCann Avenue between Pershing and Dell Range in Cheyenne. Volunteers are needed. To participate contact LCD Chair Linda Stowers at 307-220-1219. Close-toed shoes/boots are required on site.  Please wear Democratic Party and or Progressive t-shirts, pins or other gear if possible as pictures will be taken. Photos will be posted online. 

I have to hit the road for work that day but will stop by to pound a couple nails. I've been a fan of Habitat for Humanity since serving on the first board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County. Local minister and blogger Rodger McDaniel once directed Habitat in Nicaragua. Back in the Contra War days, I spent a week in Nicaragua touring Habitat sites. We hauled a suitcase filled with Pepto Bismol and a bulky VW van windshield to Habitat builders in Managua and Esteli. During the American boycott, it was very difficult to get anything except in-country rebar and hometown beer. 

See you July 17. I'll be in my "Wyoming Democrats -- Alive and Kicking" T-shirt. Or maybe my "Wyoming for Obama" T-shirt. 

BYOH -- Bring your own hammer.

Another way to support Habitat -- shop at the Habitat ReStore near you. For directory of Wyoming locations, go to http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore_detail.aspx?place=76