Lou

Octoberfest was a great evening raising money to support the Danvers Democratic Town Committee High School Scholarship and Democratic Candidates.

Thank you to all for your hard work, great food, exuberance, and financial support.  

We had a good turnout, although attendance was a little low as it typically is in non-election years and due to the holiday weekend, but the enthusiasm was certainly there.  As usual, Bea and Gerald’s flower decorations were absolutely beautiful. There was a number of speakers including state officers and candidates. We thank all of them for taking the time to join and inform us. We were delighted to see everyone sitting at the tables, eating, talking, and just plain having a good time. It was definitely a fun night.  Great food (way too much), great speakers, and fun trivia.  

We also thank everyone who donated diapers and Rep Sally Kerans for delivering them to the migrant families in the area.

We thank Tom and Carla Meagher for taking the substantial amount of leftover food to the Herrick House in Beverly and the to the new members who contributed with great enthusiasm.

This year we had many sponsors and we am so grateful. A financial accounting is yet to be made.

Thank you all

An event for Delegates to the convention and anyone who would like to attend and mingle with fellow delegates. 

The convention is September 23 in Lowell.

This month’s meeting was held on Wed. Sept. 20 at 7:00 PM in the Gordon Room.  It was a hybrid meeting. (We ironed out the feedback issue from the last meeting and the hybrid meeting progressed pretty smoothly. The meeting was lightly attended due to change of date, schedule conflicts and illness.

Eunice Zeigler – Candidate for Governor’s Council – spoke to the committee via Zoom. Eunice provided an excellent summary of her background and experience, why she was running for Governor’s Council and what she hopes to accomplish. As always, there is a short instruction on what exactly the Governor’s Council does. We thank Eunice for her time and we wish her well in her campaign.

Next topic was for those delegates attending the convention on Saturday. All had the credentials and instructions and are ready to go. Some will be attending the 8:00 AM training sessions. There are 3: Save Our Democracy: Campaigning Across the Country, BlueLocal: How to Organize in Your Communities and ActBlue Training: So you want to run for office?. We will split up and have at least one person at the Save Our Democracy and Blue Local sessions. Gov Healey and Lt. Gov Driscoll are sponsoring a delegate party after the convention. Most plan to attend.

The main portion of our agenda concerned the Octoberfest on OCTOBER 7..  The OctoberFest Invitation has been sent out and there is much increased activity on the DDTC Web Site. Unfortunately Kasey is not feeling well and couldn’t make the meeting so we didn’t have an update on ticket sales but these typically are late anyway. (We hope Kasey feels better soon.) A reminder email will be sent out on October 1 to the same invitation mailing.

As in previous years, the plan is to have home made dishes, deserts and side dishes and then supplement as required with some catering by the club. So, we ask anyone who can to donate a main dish, side dish, or dessert.  Carol McLaughlin and Bea Clark are organizing this.  Please let Carol know by email crimaclau@aol.com. what you can bring by Sept. 29.   Your donations do help our overhead, especially since the Club now charges $600 plus bartender and linen etc. Bea and Jerry are again preparing their beautiful flowers for our decorations.

As it is not an election year, it’s a little more challenging to get speakers. Some have committed and some are still pending. We are still working to get a speaker that fits in with our Save Our Democracy theme. We have a couple that we are following up with. Any thoughts are welcome.

Liz Brennan has volunteered to greet and sign in people at the door and Vinny Malgeri to assist with storing donated diapers (we are asking diaper donations) but we need as much help as we can get before the dinner setting tables, food etc, etc and in the kitchen organizing and clean up. Anyone who can help in these areas will be GREATLY appreciated.

We look forward to seeing everyone.

Thanks

Delegates gathered at the Tsongas Center in Lowell On Saturday, September 23rd, to adopt potential changes to the MassDems charter.

Lou Bernazzani, Liz Brennan, Julie Curtis, Marilyn Hazel, Rep Sally Kerans, Sen Joan Lovely, Vince Malgeri and Tom Meagher represented the DDTC.

There were 3 training session offered at 8AM in a local hotel. They were Save Our Democracy: Campaigning Across the Country, BlueLocal: How to Organize in Your Communities and ActBlue Training: So you want to run for office?. Liz and Lou attended the Blue Local. Its focus was how to form a town/ward committee, bring new ideas and energy to your existing committees, and organize across different affinity groups and communities. It was a well run session with 4 delegates from different areas of the state and representing different age groups. Lots of good ideas which I will provide to the committee.

There were two 9AM breakfasts. One by Seth Moulton and veterans and the second by Elizabeth Warren and the AFL-CIO. They were both packed to capacity. Some of us got in to hear Sen Elizabeth Warren, Rep Lori Trahan and AFL-CIO Warren Tolman.

Our Second Essex District had front row seats. We were on the floor just to the right of the stage. Rumor was that this was courtesy of Lt Governor Kim Driscoll.

The Convention started at 10 AM and was very well run. There were a number of speakers beginning with local Democrats including the Mayor of Lowell Sokhary Chau and state rep and and senator Edward Kennedy, Warren Told (AFL-CIO) and Gina McCarthy. We then heard from Party Chair Steve Kerrigan, Congresswoman Lori Trahan, Secy. of State Galvin, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Treasurer Deb Goldberg,  Auditor Diana DZoglio, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll and Governor Maura Healey. Each speaker was upbeat expressing accomplishments and the values of Democrats. None ignored the current MAGA Republicans but they didn’t dwell on it an each was energizing. A first for me was when Auditor Diana DiZoglio burst into song during her speech.

I thought new Part Chair Steve Kerrigan did a great job running his first convention. He ran it well with some lighthearted humorous comments.

There were 4 charter amendments proposed. All four were approved. Two were just wording changes but two had significant discussion for and against. The first proposal was: if the delegate veteran representation did not reflect the veteran population in the state that a. number of at-large veteran delegates would be added. The voice vote was close and the decision of the chair recognizing the ayes prevailed was successfully challenged and a second vote was required before approval. The fourth amendment was: no member of the state committee , other than the chairman, can be eligible for full time non-temporary employment within the MassDems Party. The prevailed with a pretty significant majority.

Something I had not seen before was video speeches from Democrat Party State Chairs from different states. My recollection was New Hampshire, California, Virginia and Wisconsin but there may have been another or two.

Anticipating the the convention would end around 1 PM, Gov Healey sponsored a party at the Zorba Restaurant. However, the convention went to about 2:45 PM. I did make my way to the Zorba but it was packed and the line for food was out the door.

State Rep. Sally Kerans will host “office hours” in the communities of the 13th Essex District on the following dates.

Danvers: “First Friday,” Sept. 1 and the first Friday of every month, 8:30 to 10 a.m., Danvers Senior Center.

Middleton: Tuesday, Aug.

29, 6 to 7 p.m., Flint Public Library.

Topsfield: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 5 to 6 p.m., Topsfield Public Library.

West Peabody: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 5 to 6 p.m., West Branch Library.

Wenham: Wednesday, Sept.

20, 5 to 6 p.m., Hamilton Wenham Public Library.

All residents of the 13th Essex District are welcome stop in to share a concern, ask a question or just say hello. RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary.

Constituents can also make an appointment to meet at a mutually agreeable time by emailing Sally.

Kerans@mahouse.gov or chloe.mitchell@mahouse. gov or by calling 617-7222210 x. 8903 Kerans represents the town of Danvers, Peabody’s Ward 6, Middleton’s Precinct 3, Topsfield’s Precinct 2 and Wenham’s Precinct 1A.

She serves on the Committees on Public Health, Ways and Means, Transportation, Financial Services and Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery.